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Infection messages?



 
 
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  #31  
Old November 27th 09, 01:04 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
FromTheRafters[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 102
Default Infection messages?

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:24:12 -0500, "FromTheRafters" erratic
@nomail.afraid.org wrote:

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
.. .

The precise message is:
INFECTIONOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\ROBIN BIGNALL\COOKIES\INDEX.DAT COULD
NOT BE REMOVED. FILE IS NO LONGER EXISTENT.

***
It sounds to me like a conflict between two programs trying to do the
same thing, and one doesn't check for the existence of the file prior
to
attempting the delete action.
***

What, other than malware, would want to delete the cookie index?
Incidentally, I've run iecv, and there are no cookies in any of the
user's cookie folders.

***
People who have issues with privacy and spyware (in the form of cookies)
sometimes download programs that "protect" them from data leakage (or
from their own OS's hidden data stores or pagefile.sys).

Malware (spyware specifically) is more likely to want that file to
remain existent.
***


Ads
  #32  
Old November 27th 09, 03:51 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
Robin Bignall
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 595
Default Infection messages?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:35:21 -0600, "NT Canuck"
wrote:

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
.. .

The precise message is:
INFECTIONOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\ROBIN BIGNALL\COOKIES\INDEX.DAT COULD
NOT BE REMOVED. FILE IS NO LONGER EXISTENT.

Needless to say, the file does exist.
As previously stated I have Kaspersky 9, A-squared pro and SAS pro
running in real time with frequent full scans. I also run MBAM weekly
and Panda Activescan 2 monthly.

Heh, too much by far...
Likely an infection was found by one unit and set for
automatic removal next boot...but before booting one
of the other tools deleted the file or deleted it before
another tool that also found it...could do so at boot.

OK. If they're just arguing with each other, I can live with that. I
am married!

I'd uninstall (not just de-activate) all of them except
KAV9, and see what happens after a few days.

Last mystery is why that .dat is considered an infection,
it could be a renamed file so install this and have a look
inside... A safe file inspector.
http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/peek11.zip 17kb
PEEK is a Shell context menu extension which
allows you to extract only the text portion of files.
After installation you are provided with 3 different
setups called: Standard, Unicode, Binary Files.

I have a hex editor. I took a look inside cookie\index.dat for
administrator and me. They both lead off with "URL Cache", and the
rest is mostly hex 00.

Otherwise you may be visiting some odd site and
picking up a poison cookie...then remnants in the
.dat (guessing)...but still...too many programs.

--
Robin
(BrE)
Herts, England
  #33  
Old November 27th 09, 04:36 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
Robin Bignall
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 595
Default Infection messages?

On Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:04:55 -0500, "FromTheRafters" erratic
@nomail.afraid.org wrote:


"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:24:12 -0500, "FromTheRafters" erratic
wrote:

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
. ..

The precise message is:
INFECTIONOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\ROBIN BIGNALL\COOKIES\INDEX.DAT COULD
NOT BE REMOVED. FILE IS NO LONGER EXISTENT.

Just another piece of data. I just logged on as "administrator" (with
several screens full of these infection messages) to see if, when I
rebooted, I might have some "administrator\cookies\index.dat"
messages.
When I rebooted back as myself all the infection messages had
vanished. But this has happened before on reboot.
--
Robin
(BrE)
Herts, England
  #34  
Old December 7th 09, 05:08 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Robin Bignall
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 595
Default Infection messages?

On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:09:56 -0500, "David H. Lipman"
wrote:

From: "Robin Bignall"

snip

| Thanks. I should say two other things:
| I ran MRT.EXE /f:y this afternoon. Zero problems reported.
| On reboot, sometimes all of these 'infection' messages are simply not
| there. Then, on another reboot, they're back again, sometimes a few,
| sometimes screens full. Normally I hibernate overnight and only
| reboot when something, like critical updates, forces me to.

| (alt.privacy.spyware added because this is being discussed there,
| too.)
| --
| Robin
| (BrE)
| Herts, England


It is definitly a security tool set to delete the file index.dat at system Reboot and
before the Winlogon process.

However, at this time none of my peers have pinpointed exactly what security tool is
generating the process.

However at this point I can/will say "don't worry". We know have done numerous anti
malware scans and the system can be deemed clean so don't get frazzled over this.

I will keep researching this and hopefully we will find what security tool is generating
the display you have seen.


Just another word on this, for it's still happening. I created a text
file on c: containing the word "infection" only. I then used Windows
'search within files' to check all files -- including hidden and
system -- on the system disk. I found seven instances of 'infection'
in various places, mostly text or pdf files, including the made-up
one, but none relating in any way to the system, the virus checker or
any malware. I find it baffling to know what is generating this
message, and how.
--
Robin
(BrE)
Herts, England
  #35  
Old December 7th 09, 10:08 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
David H. Lipman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,185
Default Infection messages?

From: "Robin Bignall"

| Just another word on this, for it's still happening. I created a text
| file on c: containing the word "infection" only. I then used Windows
| 'search within files' to check all files -- including hidden and
| system -- on the system disk. I found seven instances of 'infection'
| in various places, mostly text or pdf files, including the made-up
| one, but none relating in any way to the system, the virus checker or
| any malware. I find it baffling to know what is generating this
| message, and how.
| --
| Robin
| (BrE)
| Herts, England

To date, NOTHING has been pin-pointed yet as the source :-(


--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


  #36  
Old December 8th 09, 12:54 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Andy Walker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7
Default Infection messages?

Robin Bignall wrote:

Just another word on this, for it's still happening. I created a text
file on c: containing the word "infection" only. I then used Windows
'search within files' to check all files -- including hidden and
system -- on the system disk. I found seven instances of 'infection'
in various places, mostly text or pdf files, including the made-up
one, but none relating in any way to the system, the virus checker or
any malware. I find it baffling to know what is generating this
message, and how.


Have you tried looking through your registry for startup programs?

If you are familiar with regedit, you can look at the keys in the
following article to identify programs that could potentially be
giving you the error. Just be mindful that regedit is a dangerous
tool for the inexperienced user:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...utorial44.html

Using Regedit
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhph8yt


Another possibility is to use autoruns to look for startup programs.
Autoruns has some useful features that allow you to *not* display
normal Microsoft startup programs, which may help zero in on the
source of the problem.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb963902.aspx
  #37  
Old December 8th 09, 05:43 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
John Mason Jr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Infection messages?

Andy Walker wrote:
Robin Bignall wrote:

Just another word on this, for it's still happening. I created a text
file on c: containing the word "infection" only. I then used Windows
'search within files' to check all files -- including hidden and
system -- on the system disk. I found seven instances of 'infection'
in various places, mostly text or pdf files, including the made-up
one, but none relating in any way to the system, the virus checker or
any malware. I find it baffling to know what is generating this
message, and how.


Have you tried looking through your registry for startup programs?

If you are familiar with regedit, you can look at the keys in the
following article to identify programs that could potentially be
giving you the error. Just be mindful that regedit is a dangerous
tool for the inexperienced user:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...utorial44.html

Using Regedit
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhph8yt


Another possibility is to use autoruns to look for startup programs.
Autoruns has some useful features that allow you to *not* display
normal Microsoft startup programs, which may help zero in on the
source of the problem.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb963902.aspx



Process Monitor

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

and
PendMoves might help as well

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb897556.aspx


John
  #38  
Old December 8th 09, 10:36 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Robin Bignall
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 595
Default Infection messages?

On Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:43:58 -0500, John Mason Jr
wrote:

Andy Walker wrote:
Robin Bignall wrote:

Just another word on this, for it's still happening. I created a text
file on c: containing the word "infection" only. I then used Windows
'search within files' to check all files -- including hidden and
system -- on the system disk. I found seven instances of 'infection'
in various places, mostly text or pdf files, including the made-up
one, but none relating in any way to the system, the virus checker or
any malware. I find it baffling to know what is generating this
message, and how.


Have you tried looking through your registry for startup programs?

If you are familiar with regedit, you can look at the keys in the
following article to identify programs that could potentially be
giving you the error. Just be mindful that regedit is a dangerous
tool for the inexperienced user:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...utorial44.html

Using Regedit
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhph8yt


Another possibility is to use autoruns to look for startup programs.
Autoruns has some useful features that allow you to *not* display
normal Microsoft startup programs, which may help zero in on the
source of the problem.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb963902.aspx



Process Monitor

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

and
PendMoves might help as well

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb897556.aspx


John, Andy, thanks for the suggestions. I have checked autoruns. In
fact, A-squared contains a very useful feature called Hijackfree which
gives detailed information on what's present in 5 categories:
processes, ports, autoruns, services and others. I don't see anything
amiss. PCButts emailed me to make the sensible suggestion of checking
the runonce registry entries. They're empty. The weird thing is
where the message is coming from, since no executable on my system
disk contains the string "infection".
--
Robin
(BrE)
Herts, England
  #39  
Old December 8th 09, 11:12 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Beauregard T. Shagnasty
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 206
Default Infection messages?

In alt.privacy.spyware, Robin Bignall wrote:

PCButts emailed me to make the sensible suggestion of checking
the runonce registry entries.


What?

Buttface is now emailing direct to posters? How cheeky is that!! Must
be a new way to get around having others respond to warn about his
stolen software...

--
-bts
-Friends don't let friends drive Windows
  #40  
Old December 8th 09, 11:48 PM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
David H. Lipman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,185
Default Infection messages?

From: "Beauregard T. Shagnasty"

| In alt.privacy.spyware, Robin Bignall wrote:

PCButts emailed me to make the sensible suggestion of checking
the runonce registry entries.


| What?

| Buttface is now emailing direct to posters? How cheeky is that!! Must
| be a new way to get around having others respond to warn about his
| stolen software...

And it is even really a "sensible" suggestion as the RunOnce key is just that, it runs
only once then the contents of that Registry key is removed. Therefore if it did run, by
the time the person examined it, it would be an empty key. Plus RunOnce is interpreted
AFTER the Winlogon process. Robin's problem occurs before the Winlogon process.


--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


  #42  
Old December 9th 09, 12:54 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Rick
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Infection messages?

"David H. Lipman" wrote in
:

And it is even really a "sensible" suggestion as the RunOnce key is
just that, it runs only once then the contents of that Registry key is
removed. Therefore if it did run, by the time the person examined it,
it would be an empty key. Plus RunOnce is interpreted AFTER the
Winlogon process. Robin's problem occurs before the Winlogon process.



When is wininit.ini processed?


--
Rick Simon

Include "spam(trap)key" somewhere in the
body of any email to avoid spam filters.
  #43  
Old December 9th 09, 01:04 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
David H. Lipman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,185
Default Infection messages?

From: "Rick"

| "David H. Lipman" wrote in
| :

And it is even really a "sensible" suggestion as the RunOnce key is
just that, it runs only once then the contents of that Registry key is
removed. Therefore if it did run, by the time the person examined it,
it would be an empty key. Plus RunOnce is interpreted AFTER the
Winlogon process. Robin's problem occurs before the Winlogon process.



| When is wininit.ini processed?



What OS are you referring to because NT based OS' don't use INI files.
Everything is pretty much stored in the Registry and evaluated there.

Since this was x-posted to a WinXP group, the answer is NEVER.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


  #44  
Old December 9th 09, 03:04 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
Andy Walker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7
Default Infection messages?

David H. Lipman wrote:

What OS are you referring to because NT based OS' don't use INI files.
Everything is pretty much stored in the Registry and evaluated there.

Since this was x-posted to a WinXP group, the answer is NEVER.


Not true, Dave. XP still uses INI files.

boot.ini
win.ini
system.ini

to name a few...
  #45  
Old December 9th 09, 03:08 AM posted to microsoft.public.security.virus,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,alt.privacy.spyware
David H. Lipman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,185
Default Infection messages?

From: "Andy Walker"

| David H. Lipman wrote:

What OS are you referring to because NT based OS' don't use INI files.
Everything is pretty much stored in the Registry and evaluated there.


Since this was x-posted to a WinXP group, the answer is NEVER.


| Not true, Dave. XP still uses INI files.

| boot.ini
| win.ini
| system.ini

| to name a few...

OK. BOOT.INI is only used to launch the OS or a different OS. It is interpreted before
the WinGUI.

WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI are NOT really interpreted anymore. They ONLY exist for backwards
compatibility purposes for Win9x/ME, and maybe Win3.1x programs that weren't written to
use a registry.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp


 




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