Hello- I am yet another victim of browser hijacking and am stumped as to how to get rid of this virus. I already have Spybot and Adaware and Stinger and none of those applications were able to detect it. I took your advice and downloaded Hijack This, a prompt told me that there were a significant number of hijacked domains, so I'm leary about trying this on my own. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much. Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.2 Scan saved at 8:39:30 PM, on 10/4/03 Platform: Windows 95 B (Win9x 4.00.1111) MSIE: Internet Explorer v5.50 (5.50.4134.0600) Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.exe C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.exe C:\PROGRAM FILES\WINAMP\WINAMPA.exe C:\WINDOWS\RunDLL.exe C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\OSA.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RNAAPP.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\tapiexe.exe C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\IEXPLORE.exe C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.exe C:\MY DOWNLOAD FILES\HIJACKTHIS\HIJACKTHIS.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.google.com/ie R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://start.earthlink.net/ R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://home.microsoft.com/search/search.asp R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=5.5&ar=msnhome R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by EarthLink Network, Inc. R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://www.google.com/keyword/%s R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = O1 - Hosts: 88.88.88.88 elite O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.akadns.net O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.altavista.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 altavista.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 uk.search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 ca.search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 jp.search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 au.search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 de.search.yahoo.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.yahoo.co.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.lycos.de O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.lycos.ca O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.lycos.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.lycos.co.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 alltheweb.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 web.ask.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 ask.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.ask.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.teoma.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.aol.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.looksmart.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 ca.search.msn.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 fr.ca.search.msn.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.fr.msn.be O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.fr.msn.ch O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.latam.yupimsn.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.at O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.be O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.ch O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.co.in O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.co.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.co.kr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.com.br O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.com.hk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.com.my O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.com.sg O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.com.tw O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.co.za O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.de O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.dk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.es O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.fi O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.fr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.it O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.nl O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.no O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.msn.se O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.ninemsn.com.au O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.t1msn.com.mx O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.xtramsn.co.nz O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.yupimsn.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 uk.search.msn.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 search.lycos.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.lycos.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.ca O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.ca O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.uk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.uk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.au O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.jp O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.at O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.be O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.ch O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.de O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.se O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.dk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.fi O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.fr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.gr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.hk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.ie O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.il O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.it O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.kr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.mx O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.nl O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.nz O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.pl O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.pt O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.ru O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.sg O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.co.th O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.tr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 www.google.com.tw O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 go.google.com O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.at O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.be O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.de O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.dk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.fi O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.fr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.com.hk O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.ie O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.co.il O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.it O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.co.kr O1 - Hosts: 207.44.194.56 google.com.mx O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 5.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.OCX O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL O3 - Toolbar: @msdxmLC.dll,-1@1033,&Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LaunchBoard] C:\LAUNCHBOARD\LNCHBRD.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RealJukeboxSystray] C:\PROGRAM FILES\REAL\REALJUKEBOX\TSYSTRAY.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] "C:\PROGRAM FILES\WINAMP\WINAMPa.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Taskbar Display Controls] RunDLL deskcp16.dll,QUICKRES_RUNDLLENTRY O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Mirabilis ICQ] C:\Program Files\ICQ\NDetect.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Babylon Translator] C:\Program Files\Babylon Translator\Babylon.exe O4 - Startup: Microsoft Find Fast.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\FINDFAST.exe O4 - Startup: Office Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA.exe O4 - Startup: Free WebSite Tools.lnk = C:\Program Files\CoffeeCup Software\CoffeeCup Free Zip Wizard\ThirtyDayTimer.exe O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: MSN Messenger Service (HKLM) O12 - Plugin for .: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\NpIpx32.dll O12 - Plugin for .mov: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll O16 - DPF: Dialpad US Java Applet - http://www.dialpad.com/applet/src/vscp.cab O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://active.macromedia.com/flash2/cabs/swflash.cab O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/bcd48c18cb7498/housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/xscan53.cab O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\VxD\MSTCP: Domain = mydomain.com O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\VxD\MSTCP: NameServer = 69.57.146.14,69.57.147.175

See if this applies: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html

Did you try the Trojan.Qhosts Removal Tool? And or, tick and fix all the O17 entries. See if you have a file C:\WINDOWS\Help\hosts. If so, delete it. Don't forget your Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (828750) Good luck

Thank you for your input, I tried the symantec tool and it only removed the 017 lines of the Hijack This log. I also deleted the hosts file as suggested, and the bugger is still there. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You need to remove the last R0 and all the ones marked 01

Merijn has now developed a beta version of HijackThis which is designed to detect and correct this. It is perfectly stable and will soon be released. Get it here: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/beta/hijackthis.zip It will report a misplaced hosts file, show the contents, and restore the normal hosts location.

Thank you! I deleted the last R0 and all of the 01 lines and it worked. I'm going to look into the other Hijack This version as well, in case this sort of thing should happen again. I can't thank you all enough for your assistance.