HELP ! - anybody - virus problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter EJN
  • Start date Start date
Hi,
I believe the following (copied from trend) will handle your issues:

Removing Autostart Entries from the Registry

Removing autostart entries from the registry prevents the malware from executing during startup.

Open Registry Editor. To do this, click Start> Run, type Regedit, then press Enter.
In the left panel, double-click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Software> Microsoft>
Windows> CurrentVersion> Run
In the right panel, locate and delete the entry or entries:
olehelp="%Windows%\olehelp.exe"
Close Registry Editor.

NOTE: If you were not able to terminate the malware process from memory as described in the previous procedure, restart your system.
Resetting Internet Explorer Homepage and Search Page

This procedure restores the Internet Explorer homepage and search page to the default settings.

Close all Internet Explorer windows.
Open Control Panel. Click Start> Settings> Control Panel.
Double-click the Internet Options icon.
In the Internet Properties window, click the Programs tab.
Click the “Reset Web Settings…” button.
Select “Also reset my home page.” Click Yes.
Click OK.
Additional Windows ME/XP Cleaning Instructions

Running Trend Micro Antivirus

Scan your system with Trend Micro antivirus and delete all files detected as TROJ_BOOKMARK.B. To do this, Trend Micro customers must download the latest pattern file and scan their system. Other Internet users can use HouseCall, Trend Micro’s free online virus scanner.

Trend Micro offers best-of-breed antivirus and content-security

If this is confusing let me know.....I have had this reset thing occur every now and then, the above solution generally works.
wj
Well, guys, if nobody can come up with a solution I really think
this might be the last you hear from me - really ...
About 22 hours ago I foolishly logged onto what I knew was maybe a
dodgy site and in less than 1/2 hour I'd got 7 viruses.
Fortunately, most were of a nature that I sorted them out but right
now I'm plagued incessantly witrh this blasted 'Cool Web Search'
thing ...and CANNOT find a way to rid it - just changes my Home
Page EVERY time , even though I've done all in my power to stop it.
Had for years on my machines - AVG (excellent overall) - Triojan
Remover and Pest Patrol. Funnily , just a few hours before this
episode I d/loaded and setup Ad-Aware6. It found one or two things
but has done NOTHING to sort out the Cool Web Search thing. Got
'HiJackThis' which is a superb thing...it shows immediately the
entries giving this Cool Web page but although I clear them they
just auto return instantly. Got a super prog called CWShredder -
that found at first the 'AboutBlank' entry that had been popped in
, but within the last hour or two I've clearly done something and
CWShredder now tells me I've got a clean machine...which I haven't
of course.
Did NOT have before, Spybot, so d/loaded that this morning. It
found a few things but again done NOTHING to shift Cool Web ...and
in spite of numerous searches in Google , plenty of ideas on
shifting it but none work,.
This is on a two-month old new P4 3Gig laptop, on XP, my latest
pride and joy and have been piling tons of progs on it that I want
to use - NO WAY am I going to re-install to scratch and have to
start over again. Don't really know how to start and I don't know
where I'd find half the progs, keys etc to do that without a month
or more searches.
Frankly I'm just about fed up..spent 22 hours now trying to sort it
, apart from 6 hours restless night, and getting nowhere
I'd rather just give up the Internet if THIS is going to persist -
anyway, I believe that it can in fact open the door to allow
anything in ...so how on earth do I shift it after trying all this ?
Unlocked SysRestore just in case something was in there, nothing,
so I've now lost all my Restores too !!! and still no better off.
No problems in going into the Register but again, try as I may I
cannot find any clue as to WHERE is the kick-off...well, I DO find
the entry in 'Exolorer-Main' key , but that's obviously not where
it's triggered..as I change that but iyt just comes back.
It's thanks or gooodbye mates - I've about had it !

--
EJN
 
Personally, I would reformat and do a clean install. This is why I
religiously backup important files. Sometimes it's just easier to
start all over (i.e. you've already expended 22 hours trying to
find the .exe file of this viri).

Good luck in your search. I've only come across one virus that I
just couldn't get rid of. I hope yours isn't one of them.
I've been into computers now for what surely must be 30+ years...bought the very first one ever intro'd to UK.. the old Atari 500 .. but NEVER NEVER had to do a reinstall and to be honest I just don't know where to start. Anyway - surely this effectively removes or makes non-working ALL you software as it is no longer 'installed' into the clean system ?? and the thought of re-installing ALL the stuff I've put on this is mind-boggling...even if I could lay my hands on all the progs AND keys etc. I just feel more like giving up --

EJN
 
I'm not at all averse to making Register entries - do it a lot. Followed your instructions in first para but in the right pane of 'Run' on mine there is NO olehelp ...etc .. just five entries for progs that I've put on and WANT to start at log-on. And I've done a search on 'olehelp' and it seems there's no such item ANYWHERE on my Register .. so what now.

Did use Trent online scan...found nothing... AND I tried the 'Web Settings' thing..did nothing

HiJackThis ALWAYS finds the 'new' Homepage entries (about 5) ..I clear them, can just close the prog then immediately re-open and in a Scan next minute they're back again !!! Frustrating isn't it ...! Just CANNOT find where it's being kicked off from.

EJN
Removing Autostart Entries from the Registry

Removing autostart entries from the registry prevents the malware
from executing during startup.

Open Registry Editor. To do this, click Start> Run, type Regedit,
then press Enter.
In the left panel, double-click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Software> Microsoft>
Windows> CurrentVersion> Run
In the right panel, locate and delete the entry or entries:
olehelp="%Windows%\olehelp.exe"
Close Registry Editor.
NOTE: If you were not able to terminate the malware process from
memory as described in the previous procedure, restart your system.
Resetting Internet Explorer Homepage and Search Page

This procedure restores the Internet Explorer homepage and search
page to the default settings.

Close all Internet Explorer windows.
Open Control Panel. Click Start> Settings> Control Panel.
Double-click the Internet Options icon.
In the Internet Properties window, click the Programs tab.
Click the “Reset Web Settings…” button.
Select “Also reset my home page.” Click Yes.
Click OK.
Additional Windows ME/XP Cleaning Instructions

Running Trend Micro Antivirus

Scan your system with Trend Micro antivirus and delete all files
detected as TROJ_BOOKMARK.B. To do this, Trend Micro customers must
download the latest pattern file and scan their system. Other
Internet users can use HouseCall, Trend Micro’s free online virus
scanner.

Trend Micro offers best-of-breed antivirus and content-security

If this is confusing let me know.....I have had this reset thing
occur every now and then, the above solution generally works.
wj
Well, guys, if nobody can come up with a solution I really think
this might be the last you hear from me - really ...
About 22 hours ago I foolishly logged onto what I knew was maybe a
dodgy site and in less than 1/2 hour I'd got 7 viruses.
Fortunately, most were of a nature that I sorted them out but right
now I'm plagued incessantly witrh this blasted 'Cool Web Search'
thing ...and CANNOT find a way to rid it - just changes my Home
Page EVERY time , even though I've done all in my power to stop it.
Had for years on my machines - AVG (excellent overall) - Triojan
Remover and Pest Patrol. Funnily , just a few hours before this
episode I d/loaded and setup Ad-Aware6. It found one or two things
but has done NOTHING to sort out the Cool Web Search thing. Got
'HiJackThis' which is a superb thing...it shows immediately the
entries giving this Cool Web page but although I clear them they
just auto return instantly. Got a super prog called CWShredder -
that found at first the 'AboutBlank' entry that had been popped in
, but within the last hour or two I've clearly done something and
CWShredder now tells me I've got a clean machine...which I haven't
of course.
Did NOT have before, Spybot, so d/loaded that this morning. It
found a few things but again done NOTHING to shift Cool Web ...and
in spite of numerous searches in Google , plenty of ideas on
shifting it but none work,.
This is on a two-month old new P4 3Gig laptop, on XP, my latest
pride and joy and have been piling tons of progs on it that I want
to use - NO WAY am I going to re-install to scratch and have to
start over again. Don't really know how to start and I don't know
where I'd find half the progs, keys etc to do that without a month
or more searches.
Frankly I'm just about fed up..spent 22 hours now trying to sort it
, apart from 6 hours restless night, and getting nowhere
I'd rather just give up the Internet if THIS is going to persist -
anyway, I believe that it can in fact open the door to allow
anything in ...so how on earth do I shift it after trying all this ?
Unlocked SysRestore just in case something was in there, nothing,
so I've now lost all my Restores too !!! and still no better off.
No problems in going into the Register but again, try as I may I
cannot find any clue as to WHERE is the kick-off...well, I DO find
the entry in 'Exolorer-Main' key , but that's obviously not where
it's triggered..as I change that but iyt just comes back.
It's thanks or gooodbye mates - I've about had it !

--
EJN
--
EJN
 
When you get your computer sorted (tried F-Secure yet?), you ought to investigate using partition imaging software like Norton Ghost. No more full installs, you can get back to a fully working system in minutes with all your software asnd settings intact..
Personally, I would reformat and do a clean install. This is why I
religiously backup important files. Sometimes it's just easier to
start all over (i.e. you've already expended 22 hours trying to
find the .exe file of this viri).

Good luck in your search. I've only come across one virus that I
just couldn't get rid of. I hope yours isn't one of them.
I've been into computers now for what surely must be 30+
years...bought the very first one ever intro'd to UK.. the old
Atari 500 .. but NEVER NEVER had to do a reinstall and to be honest
I just don't know where to start. Anyway - surely this effectively
removes or makes non-working ALL you software as it is no longer
'installed' into the clean system ?? and the thought of
re-installing ALL the stuff I've put on this is
mind-boggling...even if I could lay my hands on all the progs AND
keys etc. I just feel more like giving up --

EJN
 
Hi,

Well I'll have to scratch my head a bit. I ran into the same situation you are in last fall.....I found a reg entry but there was also an executable in either system or system 32 that was giving my the run around.

could you search your hdd for a newly created file/folder and establish a time frame that it might have been created in?
wj
EJN
Removing Autostart Entries from the Registry

Removing autostart entries from the registry prevents the malware
from executing during startup.

Open Registry Editor. To do this, click Start> Run, type Regedit,
then press Enter.
In the left panel, double-click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Software> Microsoft>
Windows> CurrentVersion> Run
In the right panel, locate and delete the entry or entries:
olehelp="%Windows%\olehelp.exe"
Close Registry Editor.
NOTE: If you were not able to terminate the malware process from
memory as described in the previous procedure, restart your system.
Resetting Internet Explorer Homepage and Search Page

This procedure restores the Internet Explorer homepage and search
page to the default settings.

Close all Internet Explorer windows.
Open Control Panel. Click Start> Settings> Control Panel.
Double-click the Internet Options icon.
In the Internet Properties window, click the Programs tab.
Click the “Reset Web Settings…” button.
Select “Also reset my home page.” Click Yes.
Click OK.
Additional Windows ME/XP Cleaning Instructions

Running Trend Micro Antivirus

Scan your system with Trend Micro antivirus and delete all files
detected as TROJ_BOOKMARK.B. To do this, Trend Micro customers must
download the latest pattern file and scan their system. Other
Internet users can use HouseCall, Trend Micro’s free online virus
scanner.

Trend Micro offers best-of-breed antivirus and content-security

If this is confusing let me know.....I have had this reset thing
occur every now and then, the above solution generally works.
wj
Well, guys, if nobody can come up with a solution I really think
this might be the last you hear from me - really ...
About 22 hours ago I foolishly logged onto what I knew was maybe a
dodgy site and in less than 1/2 hour I'd got 7 viruses.
Fortunately, most were of a nature that I sorted them out but right
now I'm plagued incessantly witrh this blasted 'Cool Web Search'
thing ...and CANNOT find a way to rid it - just changes my Home
Page EVERY time , even though I've done all in my power to stop it.
Had for years on my machines - AVG (excellent overall) - Triojan
Remover and Pest Patrol. Funnily , just a few hours before this
episode I d/loaded and setup Ad-Aware6. It found one or two things
but has done NOTHING to sort out the Cool Web Search thing. Got
'HiJackThis' which is a superb thing...it shows immediately the
entries giving this Cool Web page but although I clear them they
just auto return instantly. Got a super prog called CWShredder -
that found at first the 'AboutBlank' entry that had been popped in
, but within the last hour or two I've clearly done something and
CWShredder now tells me I've got a clean machine...which I haven't
of course.
Did NOT have before, Spybot, so d/loaded that this morning. It
found a few things but again done NOTHING to shift Cool Web ...and
in spite of numerous searches in Google , plenty of ideas on
shifting it but none work,.
This is on a two-month old new P4 3Gig laptop, on XP, my latest
pride and joy and have been piling tons of progs on it that I want
to use - NO WAY am I going to re-install to scratch and have to
start over again. Don't really know how to start and I don't know
where I'd find half the progs, keys etc to do that without a month
or more searches.
Frankly I'm just about fed up..spent 22 hours now trying to sort it
, apart from 6 hours restless night, and getting nowhere
I'd rather just give up the Internet if THIS is going to persist -
anyway, I believe that it can in fact open the door to allow
anything in ...so how on earth do I shift it after trying all this ?
Unlocked SysRestore just in case something was in there, nothing,
so I've now lost all my Restores too !!! and still no better off.
No problems in going into the Register but again, try as I may I
cannot find any clue as to WHERE is the kick-off...well, I DO find
the entry in 'Exolorer-Main' key , but that's obviously not where
it's triggered..as I change that but iyt just comes back.
It's thanks or gooodbye mates - I've about had it !

--
EJN
--
EJN
 
Hi,
Well I'll have to scratch my head a bit. I ran into the same
situation you are in last fall.....I found a reg entry but there
was also an executable in either system or system 32 that was
giving my the run around.
could you search your hdd for a newly created file/folder and
establish a time frame that it might have been created in?
wj
Hey - I wonder if you've got onto something? i can almost pin-point the time the dirty-deed happened as about between 4:30 & 5:30pm yesterday - 31st May/04. I've found rucks of entries in Win between around 7:30pm and midnight but that would almost surely be when I found and tried some other progs that I hadn't on before. When THE event happened I didn't even install or load anything...was just looking...so there seems nothing to require a new file on that account.

I've found ONE file in WINDOWS timed 4:54pm yesterday..no more..just the one...dcstds3.dll ... got tons dated yesterday in Win\system and in win\sys32 .. but ALL between around 7:30 and midnight...again from tests without doubt as I did nothing BUT tests last evening !!!

SO...do you think that 4:54pm one has significance..the time is right ? Suppose I rename it (if it will allow of course !) to .... dl$ or so ...
Will it allow, that's the question

, as presumably it's "in use" . On my good old machine I used to go into effective DOS mode and rename...no DOS now...do you have to go to Command Mode??? What a paraphernalia.... XP - bah! ...sh*

EJN
Hi,
I believe the following (copied from trend) will handle your issues:

Removing Autostart Entries from the Registry

Removing autostart entries from the registry prevents the malware
from executing during startup.

Open Registry Editor. To do this, click Start> Run, type Regedit,
then press Enter.
In the left panel, double-click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Software> Microsoft>
Windows> CurrentVersion> Run
In the right panel, locate and delete the entry or entries:
olehelp="%Windows%\olehelp.exe"
Close Registry Editor.
NOTE: If you were not able to terminate the malware process from
memory as described in the previous procedure, restart your system.
Resetting Internet Explorer Homepage and Search Page

This procedure restores the Internet Explorer homepage and search
page to the default settings.

Close all Internet Explorer windows.
Open Control Panel. Click Start> Settings> Control Panel.
Double-click the Internet Options icon.
In the Internet Properties window, click the Programs tab.
Click the “Reset Web Settings…” button.
Select “Also reset my home page.” Click Yes.
Click OK.
Additional Windows ME/XP Cleaning Instructions

Running Trend Micro Antivirus

Scan your system with Trend Micro antivirus and delete all files
detected as TROJ_BOOKMARK.B. To do this, Trend Micro customers must
download the latest pattern file and scan their system. Other
Internet users can use HouseCall, Trend Micro’s free online virus
scanner.

Trend Micro offers best-of-breed antivirus and content-security

If this is confusing let me know.....I have had this reset thing
occur every now and then, the above solution generally works.
wj
 
this is not the same as the "smartsearch virus" that i had. Here is a procedure to use that I cut and pasted for your consideration

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cws.smartsearch.2 cool web search notice

Heads up for all system and network admins out there. It seems that the arena of spyware versus spyware protection is getting more vicious by the hour. Our technology dept has been seeing with alarming frequency more and more spamware attacks on individual systems (our mobile users are unprotected by our firewall rules at their homes).

The most nefarious of these has been the coolwebsearch trojan and any of its variants. cws.smartsearch.2 and .3, .4, .5 all have a component which is designed to recognize the launching of the cwshredder removal program and to close it mid operation.

Spybot, and Hijackthis in combination with any pop-up stopper will not stop this trojan. CWShredder, if run will be terminated abnormally during its scan. The new CWShredder version has built in counters for this trojan technique, but recently even newer variants of the CWS trojan have counterattacks for CWShredders counterattacks.

The only effective solution we have found is this:

1. Run ad-aware, update ad-aware: perform a full scan (other options have to be enabled via the custom options)

2. After ad-aware has removed or quarantined its discoveries, run the cwshredder program again (make sure you are running ver. 1.57 or greater (this will remove and residual cws files left on the system)

If this does not work and as a counter to any as yet undiscovered trojans we remove the tcp/ip stack as well as the associated winsock components (as this windows core component is now a major target of the spammers)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note,I always ghost my pc's hd so that I can reload easily in case of this type of infection. i wish that these hackers would find something better to do than just screw with other people's machines.
 
another link to try.....

http://www.spysweeper.com/remove-coolwebsearch.html

steps to remove manually at the bottom.

--
http://www.pbase.com/galleries/donald_spencer (pbase supporter)
Hi,

have you looked into parasite removal instead of virus...had similar problem at work and our IT support person spent hours getting rid of it by going thru the registry (unfortunately she's on maternity leave, so I can't ask her what she did exactly). sorry....
--
Helen K
 
another link to try.....

http://www.spysweeper.com/remove-coolwebsearch.html

steps to remove manually at the bottom.

--
http://www.pbase.com/galleries/donald_spencer (pbase supporter)
Hi,

have you looked into parasite removal instead of virus...had
similar problem at work and our IT support person spent hours
getting rid of it by going thru the registry (unfortunately she's
on maternity leave, so I can't ask her what she did exactly).
sorry....
--
Helen K
http://spyware.pcwash.com/computer-parasite.html
--
Helen K
 
I had to run ad aware (6.) to actually find out what was happening. I did and wrote down the file names. (I am forced to run a dual boot because I have two or three programs that aren't happy with 2K or XP.) I shut down and rebooted in win98...went to the folders and deleated the culprits and that was that. I know this doesn't help you, sorry....but that is what I did.
wj
this is not the same as the "smartsearch virus" that i had. Here
is a procedure to use that I cut and pasted for your consideration

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cws.smartsearch.2 cool web search notice
Heads up for all system and network admins out there. It seems that
the arena of spyware versus spyware protection is getting more
vicious by the hour. Our technology dept has been seeing with
alarming frequency more and more spamware attacks on individual
systems (our mobile users are unprotected by our firewall rules at
their homes).

The most nefarious of these has been the coolwebsearch trojan and
any of its variants. cws.smartsearch.2 and .3, .4, .5 all have a
component which is designed to recognize the launching of the
cwshredder removal program and to close it mid operation.

Spybot, and Hijackthis in combination with any pop-up stopper will
not stop this trojan. CWShredder, if run will be terminated
abnormally during its scan. The new CWShredder version has built in
counters for this trojan technique, but recently even newer
variants of the CWS trojan have counterattacks for CWShredders
counterattacks.

The only effective solution we have found is this:
1. Run ad-aware, update ad-aware: perform a full scan (other
options have to be enabled via the custom options)

2. After ad-aware has removed or quarantined its discoveries, run
the cwshredder program again (make sure you are running ver. 1.57
or greater (this will remove and residual cws files left on the
system)

If this does not work and as a counter to any as yet undiscovered
trojans we remove the tcp/ip stack as well as the associated
winsock components (as this windows core component is now a major
target of the spammers)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note,I always ghost my pc's hd so that I can reload easily in case
of this type of infection. i wish that these hackers would find
something better to do than just screw with other people's machines.
 
I hate to play devils advocate here, but I know you're thinking what I'm thinking. This viri has taken residence in your master boot record. Despite your refusal to fdisk you may have no choice.

I lost some of my most favorite portrait shots once, not because I didn't take steps to protect them (nothing, and I mean nothing goes on my C: drive that is of much importance. All my pics are on a totally seperate hard drive) but because I accidently fdisked the wrong drive (oops!).

Live and learn. Never put all your eggs in one basket.....partition, partition, partition (makes defragging a whole lot faster too). Ideally, install a second hd and dedicate it to those files that are irreplacable.
 
AdAware, which is free for personal use, has been quite helpful for me in this respect.... have you tried it yet? usually with malicious hijacking trojan programs such as this, adaware has a function where after it identifies such programs, you will be prompted to reboot, where it will remove the offending programs before they have a chance to load & embed themselves in your computer.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

it seems to deal with this cool web search thing...

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=28801&hl=cool+web+search
http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=29044&hl=cool+web+search

here's another faq on it i found that might help.

http://www.scumware.com/apps/scumware.php/action::view_article/article_id::1075329940/topic::Scumware,-Spyware,-Adware-&-Malware-Applications/

anyway, hope some fo this stuff will help you to get rid of it.

somy
Well, guys, if nobody can come up with a solution I really think
this might be the last you hear from me - really ...
About 22 hours ago I foolishly logged onto what I knew was maybe a
dodgy site and in less than 1/2 hour I'd got 7 viruses.
Fortunately, most were of a nature that I sorted them out but right
now I'm plagued incessantly witrh this blasted 'Cool Web Search'
thing ...and CANNOT find a way to rid it - just changes my Home
Page EVERY time , even though I've done all in my power to stop it.
Had for years on my machines - AVG (excellent overall) - Triojan
Remover and Pest Patrol. Funnily , just a few hours before this
episode I d/loaded and setup Ad-Aware6. It found one or two things
but has done NOTHING to sort out the Cool Web Search thing. Got
'HiJackThis' which is a superb thing...it shows immediately the
entries giving this Cool Web page but although I clear them they
just auto return instantly. Got a super prog called CWShredder -
that found at first the 'AboutBlank' entry that had been popped in
, but within the last hour or two I've clearly done something and
CWShredder now tells me I've got a clean machine...which I haven't
of course.
Did NOT have before, Spybot, so d/loaded that this morning. It
found a few things but again done NOTHING to shift Cool Web ...and
in spite of numerous searches in Google , plenty of ideas on
shifting it but none work,.
This is on a two-month old new P4 3Gig laptop, on XP, my latest
pride and joy and have been piling tons of progs on it that I want
to use - NO WAY am I going to re-install to scratch and have to
start over again. Don't really know how to start and I don't know
where I'd find half the progs, keys etc to do that without a month
or more searches.
Frankly I'm just about fed up..spent 22 hours now trying to sort it
, apart from 6 hours restless night, and getting nowhere
I'd rather just give up the Internet if THIS is going to persist -
anyway, I believe that it can in fact open the door to allow
anything in ...so how on earth do I shift it after trying all this ?
Unlocked SysRestore just in case something was in there, nothing,
so I've now lost all my Restores too !!! and still no better off.
No problems in going into the Register but again, try as I may I
cannot find any clue as to WHERE is the kick-off...well, I DO find
the entry in 'Exolorer-Main' key , but that's obviously not where
it's triggered..as I change that but iyt just comes back.
It's thanks or gooodbye mates - I've about had it !

--
EJN
 

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