Hundreds of ICONS are faded - Cybot.B attack

matterofgravity · 11 Jul 2011

11JUL11 - Windows7Professional - 3 days ago my PC was attacked by Cybot.B which took 6 hours to remove. Afterwards, most of the Windows Icons, all my work file folders and Word, Excel PPT etc file icons were faded. Thanks to advice from this forum, I selected my "Apps" Folder, above My Documents, in Windows Explorer, then TOOLS, Options, General, and unticked HIDDEN. This unfaded ALL the icons on my PC.

Cybot.B came via a "Business Expansion" Site on Google, created the BLUE SCREEN of DEATH and an Anti-Virus Screen "Personal Shield Pro" and ran an unbreakable recursive cycle - "Continue without Protection?". Eventually after restarting in SAFE MODE several times, I could run Windows Defender (luckily available as it was pinned to Task Bar) and after the 5th clean up with Defender - the PC re-booted normally. But I am still finding virus effects - one being that on updating my website from folder Index_Files, it updates with a different Folder name - and the uploaded file reports "faulty" on the internet. I am about to run Microsoft Security Essentials for the 3rd time - it seems to find all the glitches.

richnrockville · 11 Jul 2011

Welcome Matterofgravity to the windows 7 forums.

You seem to have gotten a real bad one BUT, this is even one more reason to make an image backup of your hard disk. They say the most important 3 things in computers are BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP.
Outside of a complete re-install of windows, what your doing is probably the best remedy outside of restoring your windows image.

Rich

DBone · 11 Jul 2011

I would run Malwarebytes and SUPERantispyware. Both are free and should find the rest of your malware traces.

matterofgravity · 11 Jul 2011

Thanks DBone. I'll take a look at those cleaners. You wouldn't perchance have the address of the Cybot.B "Personal Shield PRO" creators; I'd like to personally call and congratulate them on their cleverness.

Corrine · 11 Jul 2011

Hi, matterofgravity.

I agree with DBone's recommendation to run another anti-malware application. In addition, make certain third-party software has been updated (Adobe Flash, Adobe Reader, Java, alternate browser, etc.)

As to contacting the makers of Personal Shield PRO is just one of hundreds of rogues, many "re-purposed" with a different name. S!Ri has been documenting rogues and similar malware for some time. This will give you and idea of the "family" of rogues: S!Ri.URZ: Rogues

Here's additional information about Personal Shield Pro that you encountered.

Borg 386 · 11 Jul 2011

You may want to consider running a bootable AV disk just to be sure. Steer clear of Kaspersky as it is reported not to play well with windows as of lately.

FREE Bootable AntiVirus Rescue CDs Download List

And as richnrockville said, always make sure you have some kind of system backup. A system image can be a lifesaver when you run out of options.

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

DBone · 11 Jul 2011

Lastly, when you think you have it all removed, run a scan with HitMan Pro. It's a great scanner that finds things that even Malwarebytes can miss, but it's not "totally" free. The scan is free, but if it finds something you have to register to get a limited trial to actually remove the malware. I use it nightly as an "all clear" scanner to make sure I am clean. I have never had to use its removal function, so I don't know all of the details on the limited trial to activate the removal tool..........I hope I never do!