myexexex

Hi.

For about a month now, I have been pestered by "myexexex" or "spad/start.html" or other seedy search pages taking over my homepage. Lately, I have had the problem with c:\spad\start.html taking over my default web page and, occasionally, myexexex.com has taken over (sometimes when openning IE, sometimes after surfing for a while). Deleting spad folder helped for a small while, only for "myexexex.com" to start taking over again. "myexexex.com" used to force the default home page to be some porn search engine, and lately has provided some phoney appearing directory of things like subscriptions to NYTimes (which was my default home page), with no indication that they're actually NYTimes affiliated sites (I wasn't about to click to find out). I have tried many things including:

running Sygate's free firewall (which often will go wild when myexexex takes over, showing a "major" outgoing threat, which is rather concerning to me - what could THIS mean);

running ZoneAlarm Pro instead;

scanning with AdAware (which has not found anything for over a month);

scanning with Spybot (which often finds an IE security hole in need of a patch and claims that it has found a "common hijack" which is indicates it's "fixed");

running AutoStartupExplorer (which has indicated a file called "z.exe" that I am not aware of so deleted it);

runnuing CWShredder (which "removed" one file);

running HijackThis (which revealed severl "myexexex" items which I "fixed" with HijackThis);

and I update Norton Antivirus about once per week.

After "fixing" the "myexexex" items with HijackThis, I was able to use MSIE again without the myexexex.com coming up as default again. However, I am concerned that there might be something in my registry (or a DPF, or Plugin, or...) that might present more problems like this (or otherwise). Please let me know what else to do. My hijackthis.log file is below (run imediately after scanning with both adaware and spybot's latest as of this morning). PLEASE HELP!

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 11:58:39 AM, on 5/31/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON ANTIVIRUS\RTVSCN95.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON ANTIVIRUS\DEFWATCH.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\HIDSERV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON ANTIVIRUS\VPTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETROPA\ONE-TOUCH MULTIMEDIA KEYBOARD\MMKEYBD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RNAAPP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\WINAMP\WINAMPA.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\REAL\UPDATE_OB\REALSCHED.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ZONE LABS\ZONEALARM\ZLCLIENT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RunDLL.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\TAPISRV.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETROPA\ONE-TOUCH MULTIMEDIA KEYBOARD\KEYBDMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETROPA\ONSCREEN DISPLAY\OSD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SPOOL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\WORKS SHARED\WKCALREM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\WEBSHOTS\WEBSHOTSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\FSSCRCTL.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MSNIA\TRAYCLNT.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETROPA\ONE-TOUCH MULTIMEDIA KEYBOARD\MMUSBKB2.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\E_S10IC2.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SPYWAREBLASTER\SPYWAREBLASTER.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\COMMUNICATOR\PROGRAM\NETSCAPE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\POWERARCHIVER\POWERARC.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=washingtonpost.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = file://c:/spad/start.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = file://c:/spad/start.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = nytimes.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = nytimes.com
N1 - Netscape 4: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "nytimes.com"); (C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\celiacurtis\prefs.js)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 5.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.OCX
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Wallchanger] C:\COPERN32\wallchanger.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Tweak UI] RUNDLL32.EXE TWEAKUI.CPL,TweakMeUp
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\vptray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Keyboard Manager] C:\Program Files\Netropa\One-touch Multimedia Keyboard\MMKeybd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] "C:\PROGRAM FILES\WINAMP\WINAMPa.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ink Monitor] C:\Program Files\EPSON\Ink Monitor\InkMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SmcService] C:\PROGRA~1\SYGATE\SPF\SMC.EXE -startgui
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Hidserv] Hidserv.exe run
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [rtvscn95] C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\rtvscn95.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [defwatch] C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\defwatch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SmcService] C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYGATE\SPF\SMC.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [TrueVector] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE -service
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\PROGRAM FILES\AIM95\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TClockEx] C:\PROGRAM FILES\TCLOCKEX\TCLOCKEX.EXE
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Taskbar Display Controls] RunDLL deskcp16.dll,QUICKRES_RUNDLLENTRY
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
O4 - Startup: Webshots.lnk = C:\Program Files\Webshots\WebshotsTray.exe
O4 - Startup: Screen Saver Control.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\FSScrCtl.exe
O4 - Startup: MSN Internet Access.lnk = C:\Program Files\MSNIA\TRAYCLNT.EXE
O4 - Startup: EPSON Status Monitor 3 Environment Check 2.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\E_SRCV02.EXE
O9 - Extra button: RealGuide (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Microsoft® JavaScript® Console (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: JavaScript Console (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .wav: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O12 - Plugin for .hpb: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\nphpipb.dll
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mp3: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin3.dll
O12 - Plugin for .SWF: C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\COMMUNICATOR\PROGRAM\PLUGINS\npswf32.dll
O12 - Plugin for .exe: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin2.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mid: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin2.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mov: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O13 - DefaultPrefix:
O13 - WWW Prefix:
O13 - Home Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - Mosaic Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - FTP Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - Gopher Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {03F998B2-0E00-11D3-A498-00104B6EB52E} (MetaStreamCtl Class) - https://components.viewpoint.com/MTSInstallers/MetaStream3.cab
O16 - DPF: {776706AE-CACA-4EA3-93DF-BB83D9259DA9} (MailConfigure Class) - http://supportservices.msn.com/us/smtptool/MailCfg.cab
O16 - DPF: {22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95} (Windows Media Player) - http://activex.microsoft.com/activex/controls/mplayer/en/nsmp2inf.cab
O16 - DPF: {166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000} (Shockwave ActiveX Control) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/director/sw.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37847.8678472222
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chess - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/ct1_x.cab

 

Hi username,

Have only Hijackthis running and fix :

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?...hingtonpost.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = file://c:/spad/start.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = file://c:/spad/start.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage

O13 - DefaultPrefix:
O13 - WWW Prefix:
O13 - Home Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - Mosaic Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - FTP Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=
O13 - Gopher Prefix: http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=pfxp&qq=

After doing so copypaste the text in the quote box into an empty notepad window :

Hit save as
save as filename:
spad.reg
under the filename set to all types.
save it to the desktop.

Don't do anything yet

Then restart PC in Safe Mode : Here's How

Remove the following files / folders :

c:/spad/ <- this folder
HPCMDTY.DLL <- this dll (search via start -> search -> files/folders)
c_10230.dll <- this dll ( " " " " ")

Clean temp internet files

Doubleclick on spad.reg and click yes when asked to merge with registry!

Restart again in normal mode

Hope this helps

Cheers,