Aboutblank, need assistance to delete

[maginsky]

Hi folks, I have about 8hrs invested looking at other posts on this AB attempting to get rid of it and no luck. I'm running w98. Here is the HJT log file. Please assist on how to get rid of this darn thing. Thanks very much.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.0
Scan saved at 8:50:26 PM, on 12/21/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SPOOL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCEVTMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCSETMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RPCSS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CSMSS32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCPD-LC\SYMLCSVC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCAPP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\HJT\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = about:blank
N2 - Netscape 6: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://home.netscape.com/"); (C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\38bflpjx.slt\prefs.js)
N2 - Netscape 6: user_pref("browser.search.defaultengine", "engine://D%3A%5CPROGRAM%20FILES%5CNETSCAPE%5CNETSCAPE%206%5Csearchplugins%5CSBWeb_01.src"); (C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\38bflpjx.slt\prefs.js)
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - c:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Companion - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\COMPANION\INSTALLS\CPN\YCOMP5_3_19_0.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - c:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [spoolsvr32] c:\windows\system\csmss32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec Core LC] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV CfgWiz] c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CfgWiz.exe /GUID NAV /CMDLINE "REBOOT"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ScriptBlocking] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Script Blocking\SBServ.exe" -reg
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccEvtMgr] "c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccSetMgr] "c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://c:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\MESSENGER\YHEXBMES0322.DLL
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\MESSENGER\YHEXBMES0322.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Dell Home - {9F5D15C0-C92F-11D3-AFE0-0050DAC36557} - http://www.dell.com/ (file missing) (HKCU)
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.windupdates.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.skoobidoo.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.windupdates.com (HKLM)
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.skoobidoo.com (HKLM)
O15 - Trusted IP range: 209.8.20.130
O15 - Trusted IP range: 209.8.20.130 (HKLM)
O16 - DPF: Serome Web2Phone - http://www.dialpad.com/applet/vscp.cab
O16 - DPF: Dialpad Java Applet - http://www.dialpad.com/applet/src/vscp.cab
O16 - DPF: Dialpad US Java Applet - http://www.dialpad.com/applet/src/vscp.cab
O16 - DPF: ppctlcab - http://ppupdates.ca.com/downloads/scanner/ppctlcab.cab
O16 - DPF: {2FC9A21E-2069-4E47-8235-36318989DB13} (PPSDKActiveXScanner.MainScreen) - http://ppupdates.ca.com/downloads/scanner/axscanner.cab
O18 - Protocol: cetihpz - {CF184AD3-CDCB-4168-A3F7-8E447D129300} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\HP\HPCORETECH\COMP\HPUIPROT.DLL
O19 - User stylesheet: (file missing)

Please assist on the next step, Thanks very much.
Maginsky

[crunchie]

Download: "StartDreck", from here:
http://www.niksoft.at/download/startdreck.htm
Unzip to its own folder and start the program,

Press 'Config'
Press 'Unmark All'

Check the following boxes only:
Registry -> Run Keys
System/drivers> Running processes
Press 'Ok'

Press 'Save' and select the location to save the log file
(default is the same folder as the application)

Post the log in this thread.

[HackR]

The file that is causing the problem is
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CSMSS32.EXE
I have had the same problem and found a fix which i posted to the following company.
They have updated their definitions over christmas and it now removes this new variant of about:blank which is to do with the Agent-AU trojan
Download adware away from here, once its installed, open it and click remove hijackers, on the left hand side

[crunchie]

Actually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CSMSS32.EXE is the Troj/Agent-AU. A Trojan designed to disable firewall applications.

From SOPHOS

Troj/Agent-AU will attempt to disable the following applications:

Agnitum Outpost Firewall
Kaspersky Anti-Hacker
Kerio Personal Firewall 4
McAfee Personal Firewall
Norton Internet Security Professional
Tiny Firewall Pro
Zone Labs ZoneAlarm

http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojagentau.html

http://computercops.biz/startuplist-6663.html

Please do not give misleading information in order to promote a certain product.

[HackR]

I am not in any way attempting to promote that product. Appologies if it seems that way.
I have emailed several other trojan removal companies including Mischel Internet Security which makes Trojan Hunter which i recommend as well, only adware away got back to me and fixed the problem for me.
It fixed my problem so i am recommending it.
I did not read the http://computercops.biz/startuplist-6663.html properly, i thought that the agent-au added this file, not that it was the trojan itself.
I have zonelabs and the csmss32 didnt kill it.

Appologies if my post was misleading, i only said how i fixed mine.
In future i wont bother helping