IE8 Stuck on "connecting" when trying to access webpages

[Force Flow]

Here's one that's puzzling.

I've got an XP SP3 rig with IE8 I cleaned off with AVG, malwarebytes, spybot, and hijackthis (the usual batter of anti-malware & anti-virus apps). There were a few things found, but nothing that really caused much trouble.

Gave the machine back to the client, and a few days later, I get called again, and they got their machine infected again by visiting some random website.

I cleaned it again, but now in addition, IE8 does not connect to any websites on the internet (it will however bring up html pages on the local machine). For any website, the tab gets stuck on "connecting". If I press stop, I get the "navigation canceled" page.

Chrome is installed, but all I get is that browser's equivalent of "navigation canceled"

So...

1) Proxy settings are correct
2) No rouge HOSTS entries
3) No rouge DNS/IP information
4) domain addreses correctly resolve to the correct IPs with a cmd ping
5) Running IE without add-ons doesn't change anything
6) I cleared the cache from IE and chrome
7) I reset IE's settings back to default


Ideas?

[edit]: In safe mode with networking, browsing with IE8 works

[Iamjosh]

did you take notice of the actual malware and its names?

[EzyStvy]

IE Tools->Options->Connectioon Tab ->Lans Settings ->make sure everything is Unchecked.

[Panama Red]

Force, I've been running into several lately with Work Offline checked. That will prevent connection too. I think some of this rogue malware is programmed to make changes to the proxy settings and work offline. Even when the pest is removed it manages to leave behind an annoying reminder that it was there.

[Force Flow]

Everything is unchecked for proxy settings

Work Offline is unchecked (good idea, though)

I already cleared out the quarantine areas, but here's what was in the logs:


MalwareBytes:

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\gamevancetext.linker (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{b0f8bcab-09bf-4103-9d46-ad55988990e1} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{243361a8-3697-4811-a74b-1be379caa00e} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{e46c1720-2b1b-429b-8600-a96a39f981bb} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{f02fabcb-92dd-475a-98af-14217bd50746} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{f02fabcb-92dd-475a-98af-14217bd50746} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{f02fabcb-92dd-475a-98af-14217bd50746} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{f02fabcb-92dd-475a-98af-14217bd50746} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\gamevancetext.linker.1 (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0ed403e8-470a-4a8a-85a4-d7688cfe39a3} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{0ed403e8-470a-4a8a-85a4-d7688cfe39a3} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{0ed403e8-470a-4a8a-85a4-d7688cfe39a3} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{0ed403e8-470a-4a8a-85a4-d7688cfe39a3} (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{07b18ea9-a523-4961-b6bb-170de4475cca} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{85b2f289-7128-4c5a-a330-f9fc01432d3a} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{07b18ea9-a523-4961-b6bb-170de4475cca} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{85b2f289-7128-4c5a-a330-f9fc01432d3a} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{abd42510-9b22-41cd-9dcd-8182a2d07c63} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\{8109fd3d-d891-4f80-8339-50a4913ace6f} (Adware.Zango) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{494e6cec-7483-a4ee-0938-895519a84bc7} (Backdoor.Bot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{494e6cec-7483-a4ee-0938-895519a84bc7} (Backdoor.Bot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\gamevance (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.fsharproj (Trojan.BHO) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\gvtl (Malware.Trace) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\SpywareBot (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components\0\friendlyname (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Delete on reboot.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components\0\source (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\Post Platform\spamblockerutility 4.8.4 (Adware.Hotbar) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\Log (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\Quarantine (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\Settings (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Infected:
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\gvtl.dll (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\gamevancelib32.dll (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\rs.dat (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\Log\2009 Sep 13 - 03_00_00 AM_250.log (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\SpywareBot\Log\2009 Sep 13 - 03_00_00 AM_562.log (Rogue.SpywareBot) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\ars.cfg (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\gamevance32.exe (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\gvun.exe (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Gamevance\icon.ico (Adware.Gamevance) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\str.sys (Rootkit.Agent) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\WINDOWS\rs.txt (Malware.Trace) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Spybot:

AdwareAlert
FunWebProducts
GameVance
MyWay.MyWebSearch
SpywareBOT.SpywareStop
Win32.Agent.pz[/code]


And a current HJT log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:45:58 PM, on 1/23/2010
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
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\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgrsx.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgchsvx.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\mdm.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSIService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Desktop\HiJackThis_v2.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://google.com/
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://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = 
O2 - BHO: HP Print Enhancer - {0347C33E-8762-4905-BF09-768834316C61} - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_printenhancer.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O2 - BHO: HP Smart BHO Class - {FFFFFFFF-CF4E-4F2B-BDC2-0E72E116A856} - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG9_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O9 - Extra button: HP Smart Select - {DDE87865-83C5-48c4-8357-2F5B1AA84522} - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free WatchDog (avg9wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate1c984d9a190bada) (gupdate1c984d9a190bada) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: Kodak Camera Connection Software (KodakCCS) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\KodakCCS.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: lxbt_device - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\lxbtcoms.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPH11 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPHipm11.exe
O23 - Service: ProtexisLicensing - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSIService.exe

--
End of file - 4619 bytes

[glc]

The only item in the HJT log that looks even remotely suspicious is the Protexis licensing service. Examine the software the customer uses and uninstall it if it's not needed.

[Force Flow]

It's a licensing service for corel products. The corel photo editor that's installed won't open without the service running.

When the service is off, browsing still doesn't function.

[Force Flow]

I tried the winsockfix just to see if it would help...it didn't

[Force Flow]

Here's an update:

Since this issue has not been fixed, I recommended a reformat, however, the client did not have the XP CD. The original installation was apparently done by "a friend".

Since they were also itching to get win7 installed, and win7 won't support the hardware on this older PC, it was more worthwhile (or gave them a reason?) for them to get new tower and migrate the data over.