Virus PUP not discovered by F Secure

dontdrama

Something like a PUP is interfering with my google searches and no anti virus service has been able to detect it, including from an FS scan. 

 

Symptoms: 1. I have something appearing and disappearing on my task manager called "COM SURROGATE" and keeps reappearing no matter how many times I end the task. As many as 4 in a row sometimes appear. 

 

On googles main search page, it normally shows the thumbnails of my previous searches in order of how many times I searched them. I connect with ebay dozens of times a day but ebay never appears as a thumbnail. In the past, this indicated that I probably had a PUP and I could always get rid of it (no matter what it was) by clearing my cache and restarting computer. This doesn't fix the problem anymore.

 

I researched something called 'com surrogate virus' but have found no solutions for detection or removal of it. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Simon

Try: http://www.malwarebytes.com

dontdrama

I did but got nowhere.

dontdrama

I don't want to pay for a service that refers me to someone else for an answer so I canceled my subscription to "F-Secure" and went back to MWB because they actually tried to give me an answer.

Ukko

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@dontdrama wrote:

I don't want to pay for a service that refers me to someone else for an answer so I canceled my subscription to "F-Secure" and went back to MWB because they actually tried to give me an answer.

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Hello,

 

Sorry for my reply -> I'm also only F-Secure user.

 

But it also was a friendly suggestion by (also) only F-Secure user (and F-Secure Community contributor). I'm not sure that you pay to him or to this kind of service.

There was ability to contact official F-Secure Support Channels (like chat as example):

https://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/contact-support

for proper investigation and certified suggestions (maybe with 'remote help' if needed).

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And just as my own unofficial suggestions and feelings about your situation:

I have something appearing and disappearing on my task manager called "COM SURROGATE" and keeps reappearing no matter how many times I end the task. As many as 4 in a row sometimes appear.

COM Surrogate is likely normal safe system 'process' (triggered by Windows).

 

But it is also likely that malicious software can be 'hidden' under this name. I'm not sure, but maybe it is possible to choose such process by rightclick under Task Manager and to choose something like 'destination of file'; then doublecheck does it system folder ?! or suspicious place; then it is possible to 'investigate' this executable?-item by manual steps like check properties or something else (then 'copy' this file to another folder and, for example, upload to Virustotal as potential doublecheck that it is valid system file OR it is unknown suspicious item).

 

On googles main search page, it normally shows the thumbnails of my previous searches in order of how many times I searched them. I connect with ebay dozens of times a day but ebay never appears as a thumbnail. In the past, this indicated that I probably had a PUP and I could always get rid of it (no matter what it was) by clearing my cache and restarting computer. This doesn't fix the problem anymore.

Does it about Google Chrome browser? If yes -> does it possible to check with some else browsers?

 

Or, for example, doublecheck something about settings or installed addons/extensions?

I'm not friendly with Google Chrome and not sure how it should works; but likely that Google with Knowledgebase articles about most popular troubles (what if it is listed under some of them). Like if 'stuck' with thumbnails or so. In general, I think that clearing cache and restart (if it is about 'reboot') computer is not always enough for fix situation against PUP. So, maybe your current experience is still about something like it was with previous tries (and not about PUP).

 

If your situation/experience with more information already - you may back with replies there (if you want).

// while suggested third-parties (someone else tools) doublecheck scanners is partly required step -> if full security solutions did not find anything; and only 'too' specific tools may be more useful.

 

Thanks!

Simon

My suggestion to scan with Malwarebytes was because F-Secure won't detect some PUPs, if they are not considered to be viruses.  

 

Malwarebytes would have given you a second opinion as to how to deal with the problem, but if it had also found nothing, then there probably wasn't a problem to begin with.