hey tashi,
okay, i will leave those items alone. Would it be detrimental to my system if they were deleted?
i ran the rootkit scan again and a 3rd item appeared. please advise:
Registry Keys
type: Key object: Vol location: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SecurityCenter\Svc\ details: No admin in ACL
And yes my recent concern was a version of the FBI ransomeware, thanks for the link. I dont believe my files were encrypted. Encrypted meaning my access to my files would be limited or altogether unaccessible, correct?
Besides using keyboard commands Ctrl W or clicking the red X in the top right corner of the browser window, I had no other interaction with that site since it was obviously suspicious. When that wouldn't work, I forced shut down. havent had any noticeable consequences since that initial incident.
prior to starting my barrage of scans and cleanups i noticed a zipped folder in my Downloads folder i did not recognize called ClearCydiaListCache. when i did a google search for it, i found sites claiming ClearCydiaListCache.exe as a possible virus, so i deleted that zipped folder.
security programs/tools used in this order:
Windows Defender
Avast Free Antivirus
AVG free
Panda free antivirus
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Spyboy Search&Destroy
ccleaner
first, i updated and ran Windows Defender's full system scan. then for Avast, AVG, Panda, and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, i dealt with each program individually. for example, i installed, Avast, updated, scanned in both logons modes (normal, safe mode), then uninstalled it. then installed AVG... etc,etc.
the only programs still installed
on my computer are spybot and ccleaner. the browser i use is firefox and i have the plugin Ad-block Edge.
i plan to install malwarebytes anti-exploit and give it a try. pcmag.com had a good review for it. i could also run HijackThis and post my scan result in a forum.
cheers!