Date: 08/07/07 (Computer Help)    Keywords: software, browser, java, virus, antivirus, web, microsoft, google

Okay, so somehow my laptop was infected with a fairly harmless, but annoying program that randomly pops up a web browser for "amerires.com".

I ran HijackThis but can't find anything that would be affecting any of my browsers. I've run LavaSoft's Ad-Aware with the latest updates and a full system scan with Avast Home with latest updates as well. Nothing is detected. I ran SpyBot Search and Destroy and nothing was detected either.

Here's my HiJack This log file for review:
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 1:54:38 AM, on 8/7/2007
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:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\NICServ.exe
C:\Program Files\TightVNC\WinVNC.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp\Winampa.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Launchy\Launchy.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinVNC] "C:\Program Files\TightVNC\WinVNC.exe" -servicehelper
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPLpr] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] "C:\Program Files\Winamp\Winampa.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: distributed.net client.lnk = C:\Program Files\distributed.net\dnetc.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Launchy.lnk = C:\Program Files\Launchy\Launchy.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Copy to Semagic - C:\Program Files\Semagic\copy.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Semagic - C:\Program Files\Semagic\link.htm
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\MICROS~3\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
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
O16 - DPF: {C4847596-972C-11D0-9567-00A0C9273C2A} (Crystal Report Viewer Control) - http://www.spartancomputer.com/viewer/activeXViewer/activexviewer.cab
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1150\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: NICSer_WPC54G - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\NICServ.exe
O23 - Service: VNC Server (winvnc) - TightVNC Group - C:\Program Files\TightVNC\WinVNC.exe
O23 - Service: X10 Device Network Service (x10nets) - X10 - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\X10\Common\x10nets.exe

--
End of file - 4595 bytes

I have searched google but apparently this is a pretty new thing. There are mentions of the Amerires toolbar, but that's not installed, and I scanned my hard drive for an amerires.dll with no joy there either.

Any ideas? Thanks.

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/804779.html