Registry under attack [Hijack log]

Registry under attack

In XP Home SP2, a friend said he got a message while online something like "Ad-Aware has discovered a change to (something), Do you want to go back to the original settings? He clicked Yes and all his shortcuts and exe files stopped working. He can't tell me exactly what the message said or even what he was doing when this happened. First, I tried system restore, but it didn't help, then I ran sfc but no problems were found.

I tracked the problem to the following registry keys:

HKCR\.exe\(Default) - changed from exefile to blank,
HKCR\.exe\Content Type\application/x-msdownload - deleted,
HKCR\.lnk\(Default) - changed from shortcut to blank.

When I restore them to the correct values in safe mode and reboot into normal, the shortcuts are okay, but after about a minute or so they change to generic icons and stop functioning. A check of the registry shows the above keys have been altered again. I disabled all the startup programs and it still happens.

I am getting clean virus scans in nod32 and clean spyware scans in Ad-Aware and Spybot. This is really making me nuts.

Hijack log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 3:30:58 PM, on 5/18/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\AOLacsd.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoguard.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32krn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wwSecure.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Professional\Ad-Watch.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\robert brody\Desktop\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = https://customer.symantec.com/NASAp...R.PICKLNG?p_id='I%zW}%!V&p_pwd=m!J,J)U+T'&-B{
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Compaq
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = 127.0.0.1:1080
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SpywareGuard Download Protection - {4A368E80-174F-4872-96B5-0B27DDD11DB2} - C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\dlprotect.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe "
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AWMON] "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Professional\Ad-Watch.exe "
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [HijackThis startup scan] C:\Documents and Settings\robert brody\Desktop\HijackThis.exe /startupscan
O4 - Startup: Shortcut to HijackThis.exe.lnk = C:\Documents and Settings\robert brody\Desktop\HijackThis.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Look Up in &Encyclopedia - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_ENC.HTM
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O12 - Plugin for .mid: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin2.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mpeg: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin3.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mpg: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin3.dll
O12 - Plugin for .wav: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: SEARCH_PAGE_URL=
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=
O16 - DPF: {4A3CF76B-EC7A-405D-A67D-8DC6B52AB35B} (QDiagAOLCCUpdateObj Class) - http://aolcc.aol.com/computercheckup/qdiagcc.cab
O16 - DPF: {9FC5238F-12C4-454F-B1B5-74599A21DE47} (Webshots Photo Uploader) - http://community.webshots.com/html/WSPhotoUploader.CAB
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/detection/ITDetector.cab
O23 - Service: AOL Connectivity Service (AOL ACS) - America Online, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\AOLacsd.exe
O23 - Service: AOL Spyware Protection Service (AOLService) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\AOLSPY~1\\aolserv.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite control - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite guard - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoguard.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service (iPodService) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: NOD32 Kernel Service (NOD32krn) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32krn.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\System32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Norton Internet Security Proxy Service (SymProxySvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\SymProxySvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
O23 - Service: Washer AutoComplete (wwSecSvc) - Webroot Software, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\wwSecure.exe

 

This is most likely due to Ad-watch. Disable it and reboot, then reset the defaults on the keys. Reboot again and see how things are.

 

I tried everything. I uninstalled AAW and it still didn't help. Unfortunately, I ran out of time, so it was reformat and re-install everything. I'm sending a description of the symptoms to Nod32 and AAW and Spybot. If they reply with useful info I'll popst it here.

Thanks for your help.

 

You're most welcome, and we'd be pleased to learn something more about this.