Desktop background hijacked-NEW Problem

Question

pleasehelpme-7 0 Newbie Poster

20 Years Ago

I believe that this may be a relatively NEW bug/problem after checking several tech support forums and finding nothing related.

After surfing I picked up some sort of problem. This first started out by replacing my desktop screen with a warning that I may have been infected with spyware. After clicking on the link provided it brought me to a webpage that advertised "Smart Security Privacy Protection Tool" and provided additional info to attempt to frighten someone into purchasing the software to remove spyware. The web address was 213.159.117.130/?affid=NAT-5.

Desktop icons, browser and other software all function normally.

New desktop icon/shortcut was "! Smart Security"-I have since deleted

After deleting this and a couple associated files my desktop background changed from the warning to an alternating gray and white.

I have used Ad-aware, spybot, and norton (latest versions) with no additional success. However, abnormal files in c:\program files\internet explorer were dchxuqbd.exe, gcdmkhfu.exe, and gkwfryiw.exe which I could not delete or uninstall but are no longer found (after ad aware).

Hijack log does not appear abnormal.

Right clicking on my desktop background and selecting view source provides the following notepad document:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"></HEAD>
<BODY
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"
bottomMargin=0 bgColor=#000000 leftMargin=0 background="" topMargin=0
rightMargin=0>
<DIV
style="LEFT: 0px; WIDTH: 1280px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; HEIGHT: 1024px"><IMG
style="LEFT: 0px; WIDTH: 100%; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; HEIGHT: 100%" cache
src="file:///C:/WINDOWS/9600_1024.bmp"> </DIV><IFRAME id=0
style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; LEFT: 0px; WIDTH: 1280px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 1px; HEIGHT: 993px"
name=DeskMovrW marginWidth=0 marginHeight=0
src="file:///C:/WINDOWS/desktop.html" frameBorder=0 scrolling=no
subscribed_url="C:\WINDOWS\desktop.html" resizeable=""> </IFRAME>
<OBJECT id=ActiveDesktopMover
style="LEFT: 0px; VISIBILITY: hidden; WIDTH: 0px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; container: positioned; zIndex: 5"
classid=clsid:72267F6A-A6F9-11D0-BC94-00C04FB67863></OBJECT>
<OBJECT id=ActiveDesktopMoverW
style="Z-INDEX: -1; LEFT: -1px; VISIBILITY: hidden; WIDTH: 1282px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; HEIGHT: 995px; container: positioned"
classid=clsid:72267F6A-A6F9-11D0-BC94-00C04FB67863></OBJECT> 
</BODY></HTML>

Right clicking on the desktop background and clicking properties provides
Type: HTML Document
Connection: Not Encrypted
Address: file://C:\Windows\desktop.html

Still the background of my desktop is alternating gray and white and may send me into a seizure before long.

I would appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance.

web-browser

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5 Months Discussion Span
Latest Post 19 Years Ago Latest Post by dlh6213

JC7 1 Newbie Poster

20 Years Ago

Hi,

If you are running windows XP try going into 'display properties' -> 'desktop' tab -> 'customize desktop' button -> 'web' tab. See if you can unselect the check box for the html file that is currently displayed.

JC7 1 Newbie Poster

20 Years Ago

'Display properties' is the place where you set things like screen resolution, desktop background image etc.
There are several ways to get to the Display properties dialog box, here is one of them:

Go to the Start Menu at the lower left corner of your desktop. Click 'Settings', which will bring up an extended list of further options. Click 'Control Panel', which will open a window with a long list of shortcuts to various sytem settings. Double-click on 'Display' from this list, which will bring up a smaller dialog box (the 'Display Properties' dialog box).
This dialog box has several tabs at the top to choose different types of settings according to what you would like to change.
Click on the 'Desktop' tab, which will show the basic options for changing your desktop.
Click on the 'Customize Desktop...' button that you see here. This brings up yet another dialog box called 'Desktop Items'. Here you should select the 'Web' tab at the top. Now with a bit of luck you will see that there is an entry here for the grey and white html page you have on your desktop. It could be called 'Desktop.html' but may not be. Just make sure you un-tick anything that is ticked here. (If nothing is ticked here when you go in then this method will not help you)
When you have finished click 'OK' on the open dialog boxes to accept your changes, and close the 'Control Panel' window.

From what you have said it is possible that you have already removed the intruding software that caused this problem, but you have just been left with this anoying HTML page selected as your desktop. If this is the case then this method should help you. However, it may not work either.
Let me know how you go.

dlh6213 27 Posting Maven

19 Years Ago

See post #19

realnightshade 0 Newbie Poster

19 Years Ago

i'm not here to offer any help in fact i just love dlh6123's comments on computers. reaaly computers can be messy that they leave you at the hands of their mercy. :rolleyes: :)

crunchie 990 Most Valuable Poster

19 Years Ago

Ahh, but it's dlh6213 :D.

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pleasehelpme-7 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 1 · 2004-11-02T10:17:55+00:00

JC7

I appreciate your interest in my problem. I am running XP but do not know what you mean by 'display properties'. Could you please clarify.

Thanks

pleasehelpme-7 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 2 · 2004-11-05T11:26:30+00:00

JC7
You are the man. This took care of the problem immediately. I am very grateful for your help.
Thank you so much
:cheesy:

crunchie 990 Most Valuable Poster Team Colleague Featured Poster · Answer 3 · 2004-11-05T14:53:04+00:00

crunchie 990 Most Valuable Poster

20 Years Ago

JC7, I agree :).

marksniper 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 4 · 2004-11-14T03:02:29+00:00

:cheesy: :::::SOLUTION:::::: :cheesy:

Follow these steps :

1. Click on Start -> Setting -> Control Panel -> In this new window -> open "Display icon"

2. Open "Desktop" the sheet (tab) which is the second one.

3. Click on "'Customize desktop" the button at the bottom of this window.

3. Click on "Web" tab in this new window.

4. Uncheck all the squares that you will see and delete it right after. Mine was mark as "Security".

5. Press ok and everything is suppose to be fine!

That's a clearly simple plan may be easier to follow.
Thanks again guys for help to find this problem!

:cheesy:

java115 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 5 · 2005-04-04T05:12:41+00:00

I have similar problem. My desktop is red and in the middle of it is big advertisement of SmartSecurity. I'v tried your solution but it doesn't work in my case. After opening "web" tab i have "my current home page" unchecked only. Delete tab is inactive. Any idea?
java115 :(

marksniper 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 6 · 2005-04-04T06:18:36+00:00

Hummm...
You might not have the same problem than me!
But You can try to explain your problem a little more than the other message you just write to know what's really happening with your computer !

;)

java115 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 7 · 2005-04-04T16:30:11+00:00

There isn't much more to say. Some time ago all icons except "me computer" and "recycle bin" disappeared, few days later my desktop turned red. I can't changed it in properties (background is inactive), nothing is checked under "web" tab in "desktop items. I did run anti-virus, spyware, adware, nothing works. heeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
java115 :sad:

antihijack 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 8 · 2005-04-07T02:40:58+00:00

Having exactly the same problem now, trying to get an app to restore the icons and fix right click ability. Will post it asap

mastry34 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 9 · 2005-04-07T04:34:14+00:00

hey guys,

I'm having similar problems. I managed to take care of the Smart Security Background issue (don't know how), but I'm left with:

double desktop icons
inability to right-click desktop
inability to view wireless network connections!

PLEASE, any help with this would be soo much appreciated!!

java115 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 10 · 2005-04-07T05:50:08+00:00

My right click works, but i'm having problem with restoring my shortcuts.

antihijack 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 11 · 2005-04-07T06:31:35+00:00

I recommend checking out:
http://www.smart-security.info/removal.html

The bastards are doing a bit of illegal advertising and are just covering themselves by making out their not responsible and are willing to help.

Or if you know when you got infected try a system restore if you have xp to undo any changes made to your system.

mastry34 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 12 · 2005-04-07T11:01:44+00:00

antihijack, thanks for the suggestion. The 'removal' worked to restore my desktop icons (only one of each now too) and the right clicking works, but I'm unable to:

-actually change the desktop (under 'Properties' then 'Desktop')
-view my wireless network connections (so bizarre)

thanks to everyone for your help. If I could fix these last two issues (especially the internet problem), I'd be so grateful!

I recommend checking out:
http://www.smart-security.info/removal.html
The bastards are doing a bit of illegal advertising and are just covering themselves by making out their not responsible and are willing to help.
Or if you know when you got infected try a system restore if you have xp to undo any changes made to your system.

KidCase 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 13 · 2005-04-08T22:20:16+00:00

I did this, and it went away, then came back a little later. Also, when doing this you cannot change your desktop from the blue background, the main feature I want to get back the background freature that is greyed out on the desktop tab under display. I have nothing checked on WEB and my problem still persists! Any help would be usefully, this is by far the most annoying virus i've ever gotten.

KidCase 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 14 · 2005-04-08T22:24:51+00:00

I did this, but still have no control over changing my desktop background to what it was! any ideas?

mastry34 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 15 · 2005-04-11T00:09:18+00:00

any ideas guys? thanks!

antihijack, thanks for the suggestion. The 'removal' worked to restore my desktop icons (only one of each now too) and the right clicking works, but I'm unable to:
-actually change the desktop (under 'Properties' then 'Desktop')
-view my wireless network connections (so bizarre)
thanks to everyone for your help. If I could fix these last two issues (especially the internet problem), I'd be so grateful!

dlh6213 27 Posting Maven Team Colleague · Answer 16 · 2005-04-11T14:56:25+00:00

This particular thread has been 'Solved,' anyone (besides Pleasehelpme) who has a similar problem should start a new thread so they can get individual assistance. Thanks :)

jackolos 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 17 · 2005-04-12T20:04:47+00:00

My problem is very similar to everyone elses. i have removed the ads etc and am now left with a blank wallpaper.

so right click on the desktop, properties. oh? thats different, yes thats not right. Yes thanks to some furry sausage wallet i no longer have any settings. meaning i only have screensaver and setting tabs, all the others aren't there.

oh and i cant shift the yellow warning triangle in the taskbar (which likes me to buy gash software) i guess this is not a geniun warning message

if someone could advise or tell me where the little punk who made this lives it would be greatly appreaciated, im willing to do time

Cheers Jack :mad:

irie18806 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 18 · 2005-04-13T00:25:30+00:00

I recommend checking out:
http://www.smart-security.info/removal.html
The bastards are doing a bit of illegal advertising and are just covering themselves by making out their not responsible and are willing to help.
Or if you know when you got infected try a system restore if you have xp to undo any changes made to your system.

Wonder if you could help me with this - I am running Window 2000 and my desktop has been hijacked and a "Security Warning" is permanently displayed on my desktop. The warning states "A fatal error in IE has occured at 0028:C0011E36 in VXD VMM<01> + 00010E36. Error was caused by Trojan-Spy.HTML.Smitfraud.c....* System can not function in normal mode. Please check you security settings...* Scan your PC with any available antivirus/spyware remover program to fix the problem."

When going to Display properties and try to change the background on my desk top, several taps are missing from the dialog box, including the background tap.

Also, from time to time I get a pop up Microsoft error #317 message instructing me to click to have they system scanned for spyware.

I've ran Ad-aware 6, Office scan, etc. but the problem persists. Any help would be much, much appreciated.

jackolos 0 Newbie Poster · Answer 19 · 2005-04-13T17:03:51+00:00

jackolos 0 Newbie Poster

19 Years Ago

that is exactly what i have.

dlh6213 27 Posting Maven Team Colleague · Answer 20 · 2005-04-14T16:30:32+00:00

This thread is being closed as it was solved last year and people continue to add posts with the same problem. If you have the same, or a similar, problem, please start a new thread.