Unexpected Error trying to remove CoolWWWSearch.WCADW

[LordSurly]

I recently downloaded Search and Destroy which picked up the CoolWWWSearch spyware, but I'm unable to get rid of it.
I always get this error http://jeb129.fea.st/SDUError.jpg (190k) when trying to fix it, except the one time I tried in Safe Mode, but as soon as I restarted and rescanned the PC with S&D it was right back where it was.. the S&D log gives me this at the top


--- Search result list ---
CoolWWWSearch.WCADW: IE start page (Registry change, nothing done)
HKEY_USERSS-1-5-21-2912337947-2247364466-2760974901-1003\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page=about:blank

I've scanned with other programs which doesn't pick it up, f-secure, trendmicro, webroot, etrust, etc., The Hijack This log's below.. I'm on Vista, and have two IE's, the one that came on this HP pc as well as MSN's version of IE, if that matters. How do I get rid of this thing?


Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:52:29 AM, on 8/4/2007
Platform: Windows Vista (WinNT 6.00.1904)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16473)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\AntiVirus 2007\tavui.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\hp\support\hpsysdrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\On-Screen OSD Indicator\OSD.exe
C:\Windows\RtHDVCpl.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\hpwuSchd2.exe
C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe
C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe
C:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\HP My Display\dthtml.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe
C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\SpySweeperUI.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe
C:\Program Files\Compaq Connections\3572475\Program\Compaq Connections.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wbem\unsecapp.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Widgets\YahooWidgetEngine.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\HookManager.exe
C:\hp\kbd\kbd.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNCoreFiles\msn.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\logonmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\msncc.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\WA\MSNAccel.exe
C:\Program Files\Opera\Opera.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\system32\sdclt.exe
C:\Program Files\IMVU\IMVUClient.exe
C:\Program Files\IMVU\IMVUQualityAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.onelook.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=EN_US&c=71&bd=Presario&pf=desktop
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=EN_US&c=71&bd=Presario&pf=desktop
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! IE Services Button - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpsysdrv] c:\hp\support\hpsysdrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KBD] C:\HP\KBD\KbdStub.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OsdMaestro] "C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\On-Screen OSD Indicator\OSD.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RtHDVCpl] RtHDVCpl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DPService] "C:\Program Files\HP\DVDPlay\DPService.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] "C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Health Check Scheduler] "C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\HPHC_Scheduler.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DT HPW] "C:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\HP My Display\DTHtml.exe" -startup_folder
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Trend Micro AntiVirus 2007] "C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\AntiVirus 2007\tavui.exe" -1 --delay 15
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpySweeper] "C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\SpySweeperUI.exe" /startintray
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [Launcher] %WINDIR%\SMINST\launcher.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe" /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RunSpySweeperScheduleAtStartup] "C:\Windows\system32\msfeedssync.exe" /ScheduleSweep=User_Feed_Synchronization-{2C7D3BDE-05E6-47BD-A4B4-8EF7C9CD6A43}
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe"
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE
O4 - Startup: Yahoo! Widget Engine.lnk = C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Widgets\YahooWidgetEngine.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Compaq Connections.lnk = C:\Program Files\Compaq Connections\3572475\Program\Compaq Connections.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Update Page Content - C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\WA\refreshpage.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: View All Originals On Page - C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\WA\getoriginal.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: View Original Image - C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNIA\CC\MSNCC\WA\getoriginal.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Services - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Run IMVU - {d9288080-1baa-4bc4-9cf8-a92d743db949} - C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\IMVU\Run IMVU.lnk (file missing)
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\tmlsp.dll
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.adobe.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://support.f-secure.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.itsyourturn.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://forums.talkcity.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.talkcity.com
O16 - DPF: {215B8138-A3CF-44C5-803F-8226143CFC0A} (Trend Micro ActiveX Scan Agent 6.6) - http://prerelease.trendmicro-europe.com/housecall/applet/html/native/x86/win32/activex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {49E71DB9-E803-43BA-AF81-1CAF61A6C4CB} (F-Secure Online Scanner 3.2) - http://support.f-secure.com/ols/beta/fscax.cab
O16 - DPF: {7B297BFD-85E4-4092-B2AF-16A91B2EA103} (WScanCtl Class) - http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/webscan.cab
O16 - DPF: {CDA71007-85DF-4E3C-8DE8-C2C31705504A} (F-Secure Online Scanner Launcher 1.0) - http://support.f-secure.com/ols/beta/olslauncher.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{36FA9A2F-BF5C-451E-BC5E-A6C5A5A46502}: NameServer = 205.171.3.65 205.171.2.65
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{36FA9A2F-BF5C-451E-BC5E-A6C5A5A46502}: NameServer = 205.171.3.65 205.171.2.65
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O23 - Service: Symantec Lic NetConnect service (CLTNetCnService) - Unknown owner - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Portrait Displays Display Tune Service (DTSRVC) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\DTSRVC.exe
O23 - Service: HP Health Check Service - Hewlett-Packard - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\hphc_service.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - c:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB9 - Sonic Solutions - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB9.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - c:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro AntiVirus Protection Service (tavsvc) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\AntiVirus 2007\tavsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Proxy Service (tmproxy) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\AntiVirus 2007\Components\tmproxy.exe
O23 - Service: Webroot Spy Sweeper Engine (WebrootSpySweeperService) - Webroot Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\SpySweeper.exe
O23 - Service: XAudioService - Conexant Systems, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio.exe

--
End of file - 11505 bytes

[pskelley]

Welcome to Safer Networking, I wish to be sure you have viewed and understand this information.
"BEFORE you POST" (READ this Procedure before Requesting Assistance)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288
All advice given is taken at your own risk.
Please make sure you have read this information so we are on the same page.

I want to apologize for the wait and give you some quick information. Many of the tools we use have not been updated for Vista, so we are limited in what we can use. Most of us are still learning the Operating System, I use WindowsXP and have no current plans to update, so my knowledge is also limited. Taking these things into consideration, I am willing to do all I can to help with your issues.

The fist thing I want to do is point out that this is the malware forum, if you have followed the directions above which are also pinned to the top of the forum, then I suggest you start at the Spybot S&D forum:
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=4 The experts there are much more knowledgeable with that tool, where our knowledge here is general and has to deal with a variety of malware. If you are not able to resolve your issues there, and I would appreciate it if you post a link here so I can watch and learn, then this topic will be open and we will pursue your issues with the tools we have.

I also which to say that while I see nothing that looks like malware in your HJT log, I do have a few questions I would ask if we pursue issues here. One would be this program:

C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe that is often download with sponsor programs LOP/C2 Media, which are real problems. While I see no evidence of that in the log, I have no idea if LOP/C2 Media show ing the Vista log or not.
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/lop.htm
http://www.superadblocker.com/P/PROGRAM%20BOOK.EXE-3755.html

I would also like to know if you placed those items in your 015 Trusted Zone on purpose?

I hope this helps.

Thanks...Phil

[LordSurly]

Thanks, I'll try the other forum later.. I'm pretty certain I didn't download the sponsor stuff when I dl'd the Messenger Plus, and yes everything in the Trusted Zone should be there; the Start Page=about:blank I'm pretty sure is a change I made myself previously, I had IE set to open to it's blank page anytime I opened a new tab. I changed it back to where it opens my main start page(the OneLook) but makes no difference to S&D scan..

I've scanned my admin/owner account on this PC as well and the results are all good, it's just this secondary account that the CoolWWWSearch.WCadW turns up

[LordSurly]

Link to the other forum thread -
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=16673

[pskelley]

As the problem appears to be resolved this topic has been closed.

If you need it re-opened please send me or a forum staff member a private message (pm) and provide a link to the thread; this applies only to the original topic starter.

Anyone else with similar problems please start a new topic.