IDGSearch and CWS keep returning - Last resort... please help!

Hi there,

I'm having some problems with the browser hijacker 'CoolWebSearch' (CWS) and also 'idgsearch.com'. I'm trying to get rid off the following:
 
- AddClass
- CTFMON32.exe
- iedll
- inet delivery
- inet delivery_2
- internat conf
- loader
- msoffice
- mssys
- sys
- tapicfg.exe
 
I was using AdAware, which didn’t detect these. I have since installed Spy Sweeper, SpyBlaster, HijackThis, Spybot - Search & Destroy and CWShredder, all of which do not detect/remove these files.

HijackThis does detect settings to default the browser to http://www.idgsearch.com/iec and inet delivery_2 but these keep returning immediately after I remove them. Here's the log file:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.6
Scan saved at 13:22:42, on 18/11/2003
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

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:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Quicken\QAGENT.EXE
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-aware 6\Ad-watch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\mrtMngr.EXE
C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\NaturallySpeaking\Program\natspeak.exe
C:\Program Files\Quicken\QWDLLS.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\SpyWare\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchasst.htm
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.idgsearch.com/iec
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.hp.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.idgsearch.com/iec
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIModeChange] Ati2mdxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Cpqset] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Default Settings\cpqset.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PreloadApp] c:\hp\drivers\printers\photosmart\hphprld.exe c:\hp\drivers\printers\photosmart\setup.exe -d
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [srmclean] C:\Cpqs\Scom\srmclean.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MMTray] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccRegVfy] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccRegVfy.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QAGENT] C:\Program Files\Quicken\QAGENT.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ad-watch] "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-aware 6\Ad-watch.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Inet Delivery] C:\Program Files\Inet Delivery\intdel_2.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O4 - Startup: Billminder.lnk = C:\Program Files\Quicken\BILLMIND.EXE
O4 - Startup: Dragon NaturallySpeaking.lnk = C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\NaturallySpeaking\Program\natspeak.exe
O4 - Startup: Quicken Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Quicken\QWDLLS.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: AIM (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Messenger (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .mov: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/unicode/i...
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash...

Please does anyone have any suggestions for how I can remove these? It's driving me crazy!

Many thanks,

Alexis.

1.  Disable System Restore.
(How to? http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/doci... )

2.  Remove the following:

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.idgsearch.com/iec
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = http://www.idgsearch.com/iec
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Inet Delivery] C:\Program Files\Inet Delivery\intdel_2.exe

3.  Run the CWShredder tool (now that you've turned your System Restore off)

4.  Once you're satisfied that you're clean, reenable System Restore.  

In the future, turn System Restore off ANYTIME you are cleaning off malware, trojans, viruses, etc or you're going to be caught in an endless cycle.

Thanks for such a quick response! I've disabled System Restore and removed the 3 items but they still returned immediately. I ran CWShredder but it still didn't detect the CWS files present in my startup (detected by 'CodeStuff Starter').

Is there anything else I could try?

If you know what your prog is detecting, which it appears you do, then go to Start > Run, type in msconfig
Go to the Start tab and uncheck those programs from the list.  Restart your pc.

I've gone into the System Configuration Utility and disabled 'intdel_2'. I can't see any others with a name I recognise but there are nine blank entries - i.e. no startup item name or command. Just a location of HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Should I be deleting these?

Thanks!

Well...you're not really deleting anything, just removing it from running on startup -- effectively rendering it dormant.  No names?  How 'bout any file/path information other than the registry key info?
You can uncheck the entries -- since this only disables them -- and see if you get relief that way.  If no change, then render them enabled.

There don't appear to be any names or path file information. I have disabled all these but on startup they replicated again, so there are now two - one disabled, one enabled.

For some reason, there's still something there that keeps restoring the crud.  Try logging in as Admin, in Safe Mode, and retracing the steps for removal (i.e. the Shredder tool, Hijack THis, etc.)