Zone Alarm is a only firewall, not an antivirus program; it can block unwanted network activity, but it doesn't detect and remove viruses or spyware.
I'd suggest downloading and installing the free AVG antivirus program; it works very well. It would also be a good idea to install Microsoft's antispyware program , which is also free. Both programs not only scan for and remove malicious programs, but they also monitor your system in real time and alert you the moment they encounter suspicious activity.
Since you've been running without any antivirus or antispyware protection installed, you should probably perform the following general detection and disinfection steps:
1. In addition to AVG and Microsoft Antispyware, download and install:
CCleaner - www.ccleaner.com
ewido Anti-malware - http://www.ewido.net/en/download/
- Open ewido. In the main screen, click "Update" and click "Start Update". After the update process completes, exit from Ewido.
- Open MS Antispyware beta. Make sure the "AntiSpyware Autoupdater" feature is enabled, and that it has downloaded the most current antispyware updates. Close the program after you've verified this.
- Open AVG and use its online update function to make sure that it has the most current virus definitions installed. Again- don't scan yet, just close the program once it's updated.
2. Reboot into safe mode (you get to the safe mode boot option by hitting the F8 key as your computer is starting up).
Open CCleaner.
- Go to Options-> Advanced: Uncheck "Only delete files in Windows Temp folders older than 48 hours"
- Go to Options>CustomFolders>Add Folder>Navigate to these folders (click on bold file once and hit OK) :
* C:\Windows\Temp
* C:\Windows\Prefetch
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ (This will delete all your cached internet content including cookies.)
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Temp
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Temp
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Cookies
* C:\Documents and Settings\\Cookies
Hit OK
- In left pane, scroll down to "Advanced, Custom Folders", put a check in Custom Folders
- Click on Run CCleaner
It may take a while for the program to perform its cleaning, so be patient. Close the program when it has finished.
- Run AVG, MS Antispyware, and ewido; have the programs fix all malicious items they find.
When ewido finds the first malicious object on your system, it will ask you if it should clean it. When it asks this, put a checkmark in the lower left corner of the box that says "Perform action on all infections", then choose clean and click OK.
Save the log file that ewido will create after it finishes scanning; you'll be including that log in your next post here.
3. Empty your Recycle Bin, reboot normally, run HijackThis again, and post the new log. Also post the logs that ewido generated.
