WSearch / Information.com Malware

[poopoopah]

Our office must have picked up something the other day. All three computers on the network (Two running XP, one running 2000) began redirecting the occasional link, and all searches (Ie., typing "clown noses" into the URL bar) typed into the URL bar to wsearch.net

This has been discussed on other forums and whatnot as a problem that people have had on macs and with wireless modems. We don't use a wireless modem, and obviously these aren't macs. I've run about a half dozen different programs (Ad Aware, Spybot, Malwarebyte, etc.) trying to pin this thing down, and everything says I'm clean. But still, wsearch.net comes up.

I've seen computers infected with redirects and other nasties that redirect to multiple sites, try to get you to do further downloads, etc. etc. This just takes me to wsearch.net and sits there. So, thus far it doesn't seem like the most harmful thing in the world (that I know of), but I need it off these computers to feel comfortable going about business as usual.

The Hijack this log shows as using IE (note, I renamed it HijackThese), but we almost never use IE. We all use Firefox and have IE on the computers just as a backup (certain sites work better with it). The redirect works exactly the same in IE as it does in Firefox.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 6:54:00 PM, on 9/29/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

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\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Dell\Media Experience\DMXLauncher.exe
C:\WINDOWS\stsystra.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DLA\DLACTRLW.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\issch.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqnrs08.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgrsx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThese.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
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://www.dell.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,Default_Page_URL = www.google.com/ig/dell?hl=en&client=dell-usuk&channel=us&ibd=5070712
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DLA\DLASHX_W.DLL
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DMXLauncher] C:\Program Files\Dell\Media Experience\DMXLauncher.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SigmatelSysTrayApp] stsystra.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DLA] C:\WINDOWS\System32\DLA\DLACTRLW.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSPM Startup] C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\INSTAL~1\UPDATE~1\ISUSPM.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSScheduler] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\issch.exe" -start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
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
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: DSBrokerService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\DellSupport\brkrsvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

--
End of file - 4619 bytes

[poopoopah]

...Things are getting slightly worse. Now certain links will take you to wsearch or related websites. So you'll be on CNN.com and click on a story and you'll be re-directed to wsearch.net, etc.

So obviously this IS some sort of malware / trojan / something or other, and not just a screwed up router or whatever has been suggested on other forums.

[Shaba]

Hi poopoopah

"Our office must have picked up something the other day."

So is this personal computer?

"The Hijack this log shows as using IE (note, I renamed it HijackThese), but we almost never use IE."

That part doesn't mean which browser you are using, it just shows your IE version from registry.

[Shaba]

Due to the lack of feedback this Topic is closed.

If it has been five days or more since your last post, and the helper assisting you posted a response to that post to which you did not reply, your topic will not be reopened. At that point, if you still require help, please start a new topic and include a fresh HijackThis log and a link to your previous thread.

If it has been less than five days since your last response and you need the thread re-opened, please send a private message (pm). A valid, working link to the closed topic is required.

Everyone else please begin a New Topic.