rootkit activity

It's been weeks since I got this malware and it keeps coming back with this message.

C:\WINDOWS]Sysvxd.exe
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction
CS:0000 IP:0320 OP:00 00 00 00 00 Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

Every week I use malwarebytes it says it deleted and quarantined something, but after some time this message goes back? how do I make this not appear? And should I choose "Close" or "ignore" ? I'm a bit suspicious so I just let it hang around on my desktop.

It's been weeks since I got this malware and it keeps coming back with this message.

C:\WINDOWS]Sysvxd.exe
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction
CS:0000 IP:0320 OP:00 00 00 00 00 Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

Every week I use malwarebytes it says it deleted and quarantined something, but after some time this message goes back? how do I make this not appear? And should I choose "Close" or "ignore" ? I'm a bit suspicious so I just let it hang around on my desktop.

I still have the problem though.

Edited by dylansucks, 26 December 2010 - 11:44 PM.

Hello dylansucks,

• Welcome to Bleeping Computer.
  
• My name is fireman4it and I will be helping you with your Malware problem.
  
  Please take note of some guidelines for this fix:
  
• Refrain from making any changes to your computer including installing/uninstall programs, deleting files, modifying the registry, and running scanners or tools.
  
• If you do not understand any step(s) provided, please do not hesitate to ask before continuing.
  
• Even if things appear to be better, it might not mean we are finished. Please continue to follow my instructions and reply back until I give you the "all clean".
  
• Finally, please reply using the button in the lower right hand corner of your screen. Do not start a new topic. The logs that you post should be pasted directly into the reply, unless they do not fit into the post.

Please delete any copy of Combofix you have on your machine and follow the directions given:


1.
Download and Run RKill

• Please download RKill by Grinler from one of the 4 links below and save it to your desktop.
  
  Link 1
  Link 2
  Link 3
  Link 4
  
• Before we begin, you should disable your anti-malware softwares you have installed so they do not interfere RKill running as some anti-malware softwares detect RKill as malicious. Please refer to this page if you are not sure how.
• Double-click on Rkill on your desktop to run it. (If you are using Windows Vista, please right-click on it and select Run As Administrator)
• A black screen will appear and then disappear. Please do not worry, that is normal. This means that the tool has been successfully executed.
• If nothing happens or if the tool does not run, please let me know in your next reply

2.
Install Recovery Console and Run ComboFix

This tool is not a toy. If used the wrong way you could trash your computer. Please use only under direction of a Helper. If you decide to do so anyway, please do not blame me or ComboFix.

Download Combofix from any of the links below, and save it to your desktop.

Link 1
Link 2

• Close/disable all anti-virus and anti-malware programs so they do not interfere with the running of ComboFix. Refer to this page if you are not sure how.
• Close any open windows, including this one.
• Double click on ComboFix.exe & follow the prompts.
• As part of it's process, ComboFix will check to see if the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed. With malware infections being as they are today, it's strongly recommended to have this pre-installed on your machine before doing any malware removal. It will allow you to boot up into a special recovery/repair mode that will allow us to more easily help you should your computer have a problem after an attempted removal of malware.
• If you did not have it installed, you will see the prompt below. Choose YES.
• 
• Follow the prompts to allow ComboFix to download and install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console, and when prompted, agree to the End-User License Agreement to install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console.

**Please note: If the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is already installed, ComboFix will continue it's malware removal procedures.

Note:The Windows Recovery Console will allow you to boot up into a special recovery (repair) mode. This allows us to more easily help you
should your computer have a problem after an attempted removal of malware. It is a simple procedure that will only take a few moments of your time.

• Once the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed using ComboFix, you should see the following message:
  
  
• Click on Yes, to continue scanning for malware.
• When finished, it will produce a report for you. Please post the contents of the log (C:\ComboFix.txt).

Leave your computer alone while ComboFix is running.
ComboFix will restart your computer if malware is found; allow it to do so.

Note: Please Do NOT mouseclick combofix's window while its running because it may cause it to stall.

Is there anything else I need to do? Laptop's running pretty smooth now, and no svsvxd.exe warning yet but I want to make sure.

Hello,

Yes, things look alot better but we still have a little work to do.

1.
We need to run a CFScript.

1. Close any open browsers.

2. Close/disable all anti virus and anti malware programs so they do not interfere with the running of ComboFix.

3. Open notepad and copy/paste the text in the codebox below into it:

Rootkit::
c:\windows\system32\drivers\jacwiabn.sys

Folder::
c:\documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\boost_interprocess
C:\Combo-Fix13401C

Driver::
bruex
jacwiabn

Registry::
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet003\Services\jacwiabn]

Save this as CFScript.txt, in the same location as ComboFix.exe




Refering to the picture above, drag CFScript into ComboFix.exe

When finished, it shall produce a log for you at C:\ComboFix.txt which I will require in your next reply.

2.
Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (v1.50) and save it to your desktop.
Download Link 1
Download Link 2Malwarebytes' may "make changes to your registry" as part of its disinfection routine. If using other security programs that detect registry changes (ie Spybot's Teatimer), they may interfere or alert you. Temporarily disable such programs or permit them to allow the changes.

• Make sure you are connected to the Internet and double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
  For instructions with screenshots, please refer to this Guide.
• When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
• Malwarebytes will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan.
• If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself. Press the OK button and continue.
• If you encounter any problems while downloading the definition updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.

• Under the Scanner tab, make sure the "Perform Quick Scan" option is selected.
• Click on the Scan button.
• When finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
• Click OK to close the message box, then click the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
• Make sure that everything is checked and then click Remove Selected.
• When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad.
• The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab.
• Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply. Be sure to post the complete log to include the top portion which shows the database version and your operating system.
• Exit Malwarebytes' when done.

Note: If Malwarebytes' encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you will be asked to reboot your computer so it can proceed with the disinfection process. If asked to restart the computer, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot normally will prevent Malwarebytes' from removing all the malware.

3.
I'd like us to scan your machine with ESET OnlineScan

• Hold down Control and click on the following link to open ESET OnlineScan in a new window.
  ESET OnlineScan
• Click the button.
• For alternate browsers only: (Microsoft Internet Explorer users can skip these steps)
  • Click on to download the ESET Smart Installer. Save it to your desktop.
  • Double click on the icon on your desktop.
• Check
• Click the button.
• Accept any security warnings from your browser.
• Check
• Push the Start button.
• ESET will then download updates for itself, install itself, and begin scanning your computer. Please be patient as this can take some time.
• When the scan completes, push
• Push , and save the file to your desktop using a unique name, such as ESETScan. Include the contents of this report in your next reply.
• Push the button.
• Push

Note for Vista Users: Eset is compatible but Internet Explorer must be run as Administrator. To do this, right-click on the IE icon in the Start Menu or Quick Launch Bar on the Taskbar and select "Run as Administrator" from the context menu.)

You can refer to this short video by: neomage
**Note**
To optimize scanning time and produce a more sensible report for review:

• Close any open programs
• Turn off the real time scanner of any existing antivirus program while performing the online scan.

Things to include in your next reply::
Combofix.txt
MBAM log
Eset log
A new DDS log
Don't need Attch.txt this time.
How is your machine running now?

I never would have thought that much virus has been living on my laptop, but Esetscan deleted them, although there are still a few left, it says error on deleting. I run it twice because I wasn't able to close firefox on the first run, hence the two Esetscan.txt. Did that cause any harm?

My machine is running loads better, but I'm still worried about the rest of the virus.

I'm afraid I have very bad news.

Your system is infected with a nasty variant of Virut, a dangerous polymorphic file infector with IRCBot functionality which infects .exe, .scr files, and opens a back door that compromises your computer. Using this backdoor, a remote attacker can access and instruct the infected computer to download and execute more malicious files.

-- Note: As with most malware infections, the threat name may be different depending on the anti-virus or anti-malware program which detected it. Each security vendor uses their own naming conventions to identify various types of malware.

• Understanding virus names
• Threat aliases for Win32.Win32.Virut
• Threat aliases for Win32.Virtob.Gen.12

With this particular infection, the safest solution and only sure way to remove it effectively is to reformat and reinstall the OS.

Why? According to this Norman White Paper Assessment of W32/Virut, some variants can infect the HOSTS file and block access to security related web sites. Other variants of virut can even penetrate and infect .exe files within compressed files (.zip, .cab, rar). The Virux and Win32/Virut.17408 variants are an even more complex file infectors which can embed an iframe into the body of web-related files and infect script files (.php, .asp, .htm, .html, .xml). When Virut creates infected files, it also creates non-functional files that are corrupted beyond repair and in some instances can disable Windows File Protection. In many cases the infected files cannot be disinfected properly by your anti-virus. When disinfection is attempted, the files become corrupted and the system may become irreparable. The longer virut remains on a computer, the more critical system files will become infected and corrupt so the degree of damage can vary.

The virus disables Windows File Protection by injecting code into the "winlogon.exe" process that patches system code in memory.

CA Virus detail of W32/Virut

The virus has a number of bugs in its code, and as a result it may misinfect a proportion of executable files....some W32/Virut.h infections are corrupted beyond repair.

McAfee Risk Assessment and Overview of W32/Virut

There are bugs in the viral code. When the virus produces infected files, it also creates non-functional files that also contain the virus...Due to the damaged caused to files by virut it's possible to find repaired but corrupted files. They became corrupted by the incorrect writing of the viral code during the process of infection. undetected, corrupted files (possibly still containing part of the viral code) can also be found. this is caused by incorrectly written and non-function viral code present in these files.

AVG Overview of W32/Virut

Virut is commonly spread via a flash drive (usb, pen, thumb, jump) infection using RUNDLL32.EXE and other malicious files. It is often contracted by visiting remote, crack and keygen sites. These type of sites are infested with a smörgåsbord of malware and a major source of system infection.

...warez and crack web pages are being used by cybercriminals as download sites for malware related to VIRUT and VIRUX. Searches for serial numbers, cracks, and even antivirus products like Trend Micro yield malcodes that come in the form of executables or self-extracting files...quick links in these sites also lead to malicious files. Ads and banners are also infection vectors...

Keygen and Crack Sites Distribute VIRUX and FakeAV

However, the CA Security Advisor Research Blog have found MySpace user pages carrying the malicious Virut URL. Either way you can end up with a computer system so badly damaged that recovery is not possible and it cannot be repaired. When that happens there is nothing you can do besides reformatting and reinstalling the OS.

Since virut is not effectively disinfectable, your best option is to perform a full reformat as there is no guarantee this infection can be completely removed. In most instances it may have caused so much damage to your system files that it cannot be completely cleaned or repaired. In many cases the infected files (which could number in the thousands) cannot be deleted and anti-malware scanners cannot disinfect them properly. Security vendors that claim to be able to remove file infectors cannot guarantee that all traces of it will be removed as they may not find all the remnants. If something goes awry during the malware removal process there is always a risk the computer may become unstable or unbootable and you could loose access to all your data.

Further, your machine has likely been compromised by the backdoor Trojan and there is no way to be sure the computer can ever be trusted again. It is dangerous and incorrect to assume the computer is secure even if your anti-virus reports that the malware appears to have been removed.

Many experts in the security community believe that once infected with this type of malware, the best course of action is to reformat and reinstall the OS. Reinstalling Windows without first wiping the entire hard drive with a repartition and/or format will not remove the infection. The reinstall will only overwrite the Windows files. Any malware on the system will still be there afterwards. Please read:

• When should I re-format? How should I reinstall?
• Where to draw the line? When to recommend a format and reinstall?

Whenever a system has been compromised by a backdoor payload, it is impossible to know if or how much the backdoor has been used to affect your system...There are only a few ways to return a compromised system to a confident security configuration. These include:
• Reimaging the system
• Restoring the entire system using a full system backup from before the backdoor infection
• Reformatting and reinstalling the system

Backdoors and What They Mean to You

This is what security expert miekiemoes' has to say: Virut and other File infectors - Throwing in the Towel?

If I guide someone with Virut (or any other File Infector) present and their Antivirus cannot properly disinfect it, then I recommend a format and reinstall...dealing with such infections is a waste of time and that's why I prefer the fastest and safest solution - which is a format and reinstall...After all, I think it would be irresponsible to let the malware "stew" (download/spread/run more malware) for another couple of days/weeks if you already know it's a lost case.

This is what Jesper M. Johansson at Microsoft TechNet has to say: Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do?.

The only way to clean a compromised system is to flatten and rebuild. That’s right. If you have a system that has been completely compromised, the only thing you can do is to flatten the system (reformat the system disk) and rebuild it from scratch (reinstall Windows and your applications).

hmm bad news indeed..

Thanks for the time though, I thought it was just a simple virus but now I know I need to reformat. I'll be sure to avoid something like this from happening next time.

You can back up all your important documents, personal data files, photos to a CD or DVD drive, not a flash drive or external hard drive as they may become compromised in the process. The safest practice is not to backup any executable files (*.exe), screensavers (*.scr), autorun (.ini) or script files (.php, .asp, .htm, .html, .xml ) files because they may be infected by malware. Avoid backing up compressed files (.zip, .cab, .rar) that have executables inside them as some types of malware can penetrate compressed files and infect the .exe files within them. Other types of malware may even disguise itself by hiding a file extension or adding to the existing extension as shown here so be sure you look closely at the full file name. If you cannot see the file extension, you may need to reconfigure Windows to show file name extensions . Then make sure you scan the backed up data with your anti-virus prior to to copying it back to your hard drive.

If your CD/DVD drive is unusable, another word of caution if you are considering backing up to an external usb hard drive as your only alternative. External drives are more susceptible to infection and can become compromised in the process of backing up data. I'm not saying you should not try using such devices but I want to make you aware of all your options and associated risks so you can make an informed decision if its worth that risk.

Note:
Again, do not back up any data with the following file extensions: exe, .scr, .ini, .htm, .html, .php, .asp, .xml, .zip, .rar, .cab as they may be infected.

It appears that this issue is resolved, therefore I am closing the topic. If that is not the case and you need or wish to continue with this topic, please send me or any Moderator a Personal Message (PM) that you would like this topic re-opened.