Kaspersky maybe causing high CPU usage?

[TiffanyDiamondclaw]

Hi there,

I'm not sure if this is actually a malware problem, but as it regards my antivirus program I thought I'd start here. Please let me know if I should repost somewhere else, I'm happy to do that.

I have a Toshiba Satellite L775 laptop, running Windows 7 Home. I have Kaspersky 2013 as my antivirus.

Today I noticed things really hanging up a lot, very laggy, more than normal. I checked my Task Manager and was startled to see the CPU usage at 100%. The drain on the system seems to be avp.exe *32. It's there twice (don't know if that's normal...). The first one has a CPU usage that ranges in the mid to upper 90's and the second one bops in and out with a range from 0- 3 or 4.

I'm a bit perplexed by this all. It has read 100% CPU all day, yet the lag effect seems to come and go regardless of what the Task Manager says.

Did something creepy happen here? 

Thanks very much.

[Allan]

We'll be happy to work with you on this, but I'd suggest that you're probably better off posting on the Kaspersky Forum as well, just in case it isn't malware - they are very responsive (http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php)

Now, to work with our malware specialist please follow the instructions in the following link and post your logs:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

[TiffanyDiamondclaw]

Thank you Allan. 

I followed the Kaspersky link you provided and wrote them as well. Haven't heard back yet, but will include their info here as it becomes available.

Following the step by step on ComputerHope however, went like this:

1) Ran CCleaner, both the cleaner and the registry tidy-up. Nothing major to report there, though I think I saw "McAfee" something or other on the cookies list. I only note that because I thought I had removed all things McAfee some time back as it was causing some conflict probs before. Anyway, all cookies removed and the house is "cleaned."

2) Was unable to download ADWCleaner. Don't know why, but it would start the download but when it got to 2 seconds to go, it just stayed there. And stayed there. And stayed there. I cancelled that download and tried again, but the second time, absolutely nothing happened. Searching my system for it provided no results as well.

3) MalwareBytes. Love it. You guys turned me on to that years ago...thank you.  Anyway, the log from the quickscan:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70.0.1100
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: v2013.03.20.12

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 x64 NTFS
Internet Explorer 10.0.9200.16521
Terri :: TERRI-PC [administrator]

3/20/2013 7:33:40 PM
mbam-log-2013-03-20 (19-33-40).txt

Scan type: Quick scan
Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM
Scan options disabled: P2P
Objects scanned: 207055
Time elapsed: 5 minute(s), 24 second(s)

Memory Processes Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Files Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

(end)


4) Ok....that's interesting...DDS Cleaner won't download either. Not from the links you provided, nor from other sites I found after a quick Google of the name.

Am I doing something wrong? I have never had this issue before with this computer.... 

..........(time passes).............

Well now, this is even MORE interesting. Tried a couple different sites to download AdwCleaner and DDS, but nothin', nowhere. Then, as I was feeling guilty for not having more logs to send you I went and tried to download Hijack This, and whatta ya know. It won't download!  Hmmmm.....

Still no word from Kaspersky yet, but I'll keep watching.

Thanks

[SuperDave]

Hello and welcome to Computer Hope Forum. My name is Dave. I will be helping you out with your particular problem on your computer.

1. I will be working on your Malware issues. This may or may not solve other issues you have with your machine.
2. The fixes are specific to your problem and should only be used for this issue on this machine.
3. If you don't know or understand something, please don't hesitate to ask.
4. Please DO NOT run any other tools or scans while I am helping you.
5. It is important that you reply to this thread. Do not start a new topic.
6. Your security programs may give warnings for some of the tools I will ask you to use. Be assured, any links I give are safe.
7. Absence of symptoms does not mean that everything is clear.

If you can't access the internet with your infected computer you will have to download and transfer any programs to the computer you're using now and transfer them to the infected computer with a CD-RW or a USB storage device. I prefer a CD because a storage device can get infected. If you use a storage device hold the shift key down while inserting the USB storage device for about 10 secs. You will also have to transfer the logs you receive back to the good computer using the same method until we can get the computer back on-line.
*************************************************************************
Download Combofix from any of the links below, and save it to your DESKTOP. 
If your version of Windows defaults to you download folder you will need to copy it to your desktop.

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

To prevent your anti-virus application interfering with  ComboFix we need to disable it. See here for a tutorial regarding how to do so if you are unsure.

• Close any open windows and double click ComboFix.exe to run it.
  
  You will see the following image:
  

Click I Agree to start the program.

ComboFix will then extract the necessary files and you will see this:



As part of it's process, ComboFix will check to see if the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed. With malware infections being as they are today, it's strongly recommended to  have this pre-installed on your machine before doing any malware  removal. This will not occur in Windows Vista and 7

It will allow you to boot up into a special recovery/repair  mode that will allow us to more easily help you should your computer  have a problem after an attempted removal of malware.

If you did not have it installed, you will see the prompt below. Choose YES.



Follow the prompts to allow ComboFix to download and install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console, and when prompted, agree to the End-User License Agreement to install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console.

**Please note: If the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is already installed, ComboFix will continue it's malware removal procedures.

Once the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed using ComboFix, you should see the following message:



Click on Yes, to continue scanning for malware.

When finished, it will produce a report for you. Please post the contents of the log (C:\ComboFix.txt).

Leave your computer alone while ComboFix is running. ComboFix will restart your computer if malware is found; allow it to do so.

Note: Please Do NOT mouseclick combofix's window while its running because it may cause it to stall.

[TiffanyDiamondclaw]

Hi all,

Well, things have miraculously fixed themselves. Today when I turned on my computer and checked the Task Manager, CPU was still at 100%. I tried to download Combofix but as with yesterday's attempts, it just hung there, lonely and unable to complete. The Kaspersky forum had asked me to download GetSystemInfo, and just for the heck of it I tried to download that. And to no big surprise, it wouldn't download either.

Then, just as my patience was nearing its end, a little pop-up, uh...popped up, and said that my Kaspersky was out of date and needed and update. "Ok," I thought, "why not give that a try?" And so I did and there too, it would not load. In fact it froze everything and I could do nothing but restart my computer (again). When I restarted...everything was fine. It said the update was complete, CPU is running in the low 20's...so, I'm not really sure what happened there, but all seems to be fine.

For now. 

Thank you all for your help and I apologize for having bothered you guys with such a weird problem.

Happy Weekend to you! 

[Allan]

No problem. Glad you've got it all sorted out and thanks for the update.