WindowsDef.exe

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 February 2011 09:07 Tuesday, 22 February 2011 08:54

Trojan - Win32 VBInject

The file name WindowsDef.exe has appeared in a virus analysis report. You can see it  on this link

• The installer is of about 332 KB. It is identified as a virus Win32 VBInject. Some antivirus programs detect it as
  W32/Generic.worm!p2p [McAfee]
  VirTool:Win32/VBInject.gen!DG [Microsoft]
  Trojan-PWS.Win32.VB [Ikarus]
• It is a virus written in Visual Basic, and is usually found in encrypted form.
• It has a keylogger program that can capture all user keystrokes (including confidential details such username, password, credit card number, etc.)
• It connects to other harmful sites and download more harmful files.

It creates WindowsDef.exe and other files on the infected computer that you need to search and delete. You should end running processes named WindowsDef.exe from Task Manager. And also remove the file's entries from windows startup.

Warning: It is possible that some legitimate software may be using the same file names as that of the virus files. You do not have to delete these files if they belong to some legitimate program installed on your computer. Use Windows Defender or SysInternals Process Explorer  to differentiate between them. The information in this article is presented without making any claims regarding its usefulness or otherwise. If you are a software developer and the file names mentioned here resemble to the names used in your software, please send a note by adding a comment at the end of this page, or mail on support(at)comprolive.com

Preventive measures

• Most of the viruses enter your computer when you visit some harmful website. If you use a browser plugin that warns you about harmful websites, you can prevent this from happening. A popular browser plugin is called Web Of Trust (WOT), you can install it from its website on this link. 
• Some of the viruses are downloaded in Internet Cache or in the Temp folder of the windows. The viruses get activated when these files are executed. You can reduce the risk of virus infection if you empty your browser cache and remove windows temp files occassionally, ideally at the end of a browsing session or before closing down your computer. Some programs like CCleaner can be set to do these things automatically. You can download CCleaner for free from this link
• Do not leave your computer infected and insecure. If you doubt that there could be some undetected virus on your computer, don't leave it like that. Format the hard disk and reinstall windows and all other programs. That is the sure way to clear doubts.

 

 Using System Restore

If you know the duration since your computer is infected, you can try to restore your computer at a prior date, that will be an easy way to undo the changes done by the virus

• Using system restore in  windows XP
• Using system restore in  windows Vista
• Using system restore in windows7  

 Boot in safe mode

Sometimes you can not delete a file. You should boot in safe mode and then try to delete it.

• How to boot in safe in windows XP
• How to boot in safe mode in windows Vista
• How to boot in safe mode in windows7

  View Hidden Files

• You need to enable to view hidden files and folders before searching.
• How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows XP
• How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows Vista
• How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows7 

 Remove Processes from Task Manager

Press Ctrl Alt Del keys to open the Task Manager.Select Processes tab. You will see a list. Look for the names WindowsDef.exe in it. Select if found and press the End Process button. It will ask for your confirmation to end that process. Select Yes. You can end one process at a time. You can find out if a process in Task Manager is good or bad by using Windows Defender in XP and Vista. It shows the path of a process and its publisher. Harmful processes may be shown under Unknown Publisher in windows defender. Whereas in Windows7 you can find that out from the task manager itself

• How to use Windows Defender in windows XP
• How to use Windows Defender in windows Vista
• How to use Windows Defender in windows7  

Or you can use Sysinternal's Process Explorer. How to use Sysinternal's Process Explorer

 Removing entry from windows startup

The system configuration can be started in xp and in vista by typing msconfig in the run box/ start menu search box. 
In xp by clicking on Start > run . The windows startup is reversible. You can check / uncheck any entry from windows startup any number of times.

Open system configuration window.Click on the Startup tab. You will see a list all the programs that are scheduled to start with windows. Expand the middle column using your mouse pointer. That will show you the full path of the program. Locate and uncheck the boxes in front of these names "WindowsDef.exe" (also look for any other suspicious names)Press Apply , Press Close/Ok , Select "restart" at the next prompt. 

 Deleting files

The computer will restart now. Delete the following files and folders. Boot in safe mode or boot in the dos prompt if needed. Below are some places where this virus creates its files

C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Application Data
You can delete any EXE file found at this location. The virus may create several EXE files at this location.

C:\Windows\Tasks
You can delete any JOB files found at this location. The virus may create several JOB files at this location 

Files
C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Application Data\data.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Application Data\WindowsDef.exe

Files in the Temp folder

(Files in the Temp folder can be automatically removed by cleaning the Temp files using windows tools or a separate software)

Folders
-

Installer File [file and pathname of the sample #1] (We do not know the name or the location of sample #1, it could be in your default download location or on the desktop or in a Temp folder. The files and folders in the Temp folder can be automatically removed, if you use a freeware temp files/ registry cleaner software like CCleaner)

Repairing Hosts file

To repair/ edit the hosts file. Login as administrator. open the following file in notepad
C:\ WINDOWS\system32\driver \etc\hosts
remove anything other than 127.0.0.1 Localhost, and save and close the file.

Registry Keys

Some of the registry keys  will be automatically removed if you run Registry menu of CCleaner. For others you can see the report mentioned at the beginning of this article .

 Using CCleaner

You can easily remove the files in the temp folder by running CCleaner. You can set CCleaner to run automatically each time the computer starts. Do not forget to run CCleaner > Registry menu to remove the obsolete registry entries.

more about CCleaner on this link

 Free tools to repair disabled folder options, registry, Task Manager etc

Whereas you can repair disabled Folder Options, disabled Registry Tools, disabled Task Manager, Disabled System Restore etc using these free tools

• Tools for Windows Vista
• Tools for Windows XP
• Tools for Windows7  

 Use the System File Checker

To repair altered deleted or modified windows system files.

• How to run System File Checker utility in windows XP
• How to run System File Checker utility in windows Vista
• How to run System File Checker utility in windows7

 Reprinted with permission from Threatexpert.com