Can't kill adware problem

[Hop]

I'm working on a friend's machine, and this little bugger has me stumped.
It comes and goes, with no real recognizable pattern. Just a plain stripped down (no toolbars, menu options, etc) instance of Internet Explorer opens up with some advertisement in it. Insurance, registry checking software, viagra, bogus system warnings, even an image that looks like something ran at a command prompt. I've read the faq, and I have run up-to-date AdAware and Spybot S&D apps. I also did an online virus scan from Trend Micro and it found viruses it couldn't clean, but I removed them to an archive on another machine, ran another scan and it came back clean.

Oh, and when I looked at the properties of one of the ads, the domain is z1.adserver.com. I googled that but found no solutions.

Here is my hijackthis log file.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 3:17:36 PM, on 4/13/2005
Platform: Windows XP  (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

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\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Hop\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer,(Default) = www.google.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{8952A998-1E7E-4716-B23D-3DBE03910972} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV Agent] C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [etbrun] C:\windows\system32\eliteroe32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
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: Similar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5co...b?1094515838857
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004061...all/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {AB86CE53-AC9F-449F-9399-D8ABCA09EC09} (Get_ActiveX Control) - https://h17000.www1.hp.com/ewfrf-JAVA/Secur...loadManager.ocx
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/d.../ITDetector.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

[guestolo]

Looking at your log now, post back in a bit
Posting back now  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

Go to this link and download the
Elitetoolbar Remover

Save it and Unzip it to desktop

Please Print this out or save these instructions to a Notepad file and save it to your Desktop
Important>>>RESTART your Computer in SAFE MODE
You can do this by tapping the F8 key as the system is restarting, after the single post beep, or use the link
I supplied for a more detailed explanation

After your in safe mode

Do another scan with Hijackthis and put a check next to these entries:

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{8952A998-1E7E-4716-B23D-3DBE03910972} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [etbrun] C:\windows\system32\eliteroe32.exe

After you have ticked the above entries, close All other open windows, including this one
Leave Hijackthis open and click FIX CHECKED
OK the prompt and exit Hijackthis

Afterwards
Run the EliteToolbar Remover.exe you unzipped earlier
Let it scan

Restart back to Normal mode and
Post back a fresh Hijackthis log

[Hop]

Thanks for the response!

I ran KijackThis in safe mode, checked the four items, fixed them, exited, then ran the ETREMOVERV120 executable, and it had trouble with comctl32.ocx. I downloaded the AX control from Microsoft, and it was OLD OLD OLD!!! WOW! Anyway, the program then threw another error about listview in comctl32.ocx. OK. So I found it on my main system, compared the versions and saw a HUGE difference, copied it over, then ran ETREMOVERV120 again, and it started. I started the scan by clicking "KILL", but once it found whatever it was looking for, it threw another error "RUNTIME something 5" and exited. I ran it again to get that error for this post, but that error didn't throw again, strangely, and then I got another about a 16 bit application being suitable to run a dos type prompt or some thing. I'm guessing that crashed whatever script was running. Anyway, after manually answering "Y" to the questions in the DOS window, the proggy told me that EliteToolbar was removed from my system. Yippee! I hope...

OK. Rebooted into normal mode, and the ADs are nowhere to be found. I finally have a solution. Thank you so much for the solution, and the help!!! I'm going to read about this bugger so I can better understand how it was contracted in the first place.

My clean hijackthis log file...

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 2:39:23 PM, on 4/14/2005
Platform: Windows XP  (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

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\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Hop\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer,(Default) = www.google.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV Agent] C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
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: Similar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5co...b?1094515838857
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004061...all/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {AB86CE53-AC9F-449F-9399-D8ABCA09EC09} (Get_ActiveX Control) - https://h17000.www1.hp.com/ewfrf-JAVA/Secur...loadManager.ocx
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/d.../ITDetector.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

Hop

[Hop]

If you don't mind, I'm curious as to what you were looking for in my log file.

After you told me to delete or "FIX" those lines in hijackthis, I looked at what those lines displayed...

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{8952A998-1E7E-4716-B23D-3DBE03910972} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [etbrun] C:\windows\system32\eliteroe32.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
not assigning a name... is that a red flag there?

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file) Again, "No FILE". Is that another indicator?

I'm going to run this app on any future probs I encounter, and I want to know what to look for. I'll even be happy to volunteer my help here.

Again, thanks for the help!!!

Gary Rubin
Hop

[guestolo]

Looks good

If everything is running better
Disable system restore---restart your computer--enable system restore
This will clear all your restore points and ensure you don't restore any nasties
Once reenabled it will create a fresh restore point
How to Disable and Re-enable System Restore feature

Once back in Windows and System Restore is reenabled

You should set up protection against future attacks

SpywareBlaster 3.3 by JavaCool---will block bad ActiveX and malevolent cookies
Install---Check for Updates---Enable all protection

SpywareGuard 2.2 by JavaCool
*SpywareGuard  provides a real-time protection solution against spyware that is a great addition to SpywareBlaster

IE-Spyad---IE-SPYAD puts over 5000 sites in your restricted zone so you'll be protected when you visit innocent-looking sites that aren't actually innocent at all.
Here is a tutorial and download link
TUTORIAL==Link to Tutorial
Download link

With SpywareBlaster and IE-Spyad
Check for updates every couple of weeks
Keep the link to IE-Spyad bookmarked so you can check for updates
SpywareBlaster, after every update just simply enable all protection
SpywareGuard, doesn't need to update all that often, but check once a month

Why so far behind on Windows Updates?

I've Pm'ed you too!