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I have searched the site and the web for an answer to my problem without any luck.
Not sure if this is possible but an unknown, hidden program/script/malware/rootkit keeps adding \??\ to the image paths in the registry for security programs/firewall/antivirus I have running running on my computer. For example:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ksapi\ImagePath
\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\ksapi.sys (Kingsoft ksapi module.)
This in effect disables without the user's knowledge whatever Kingsoft's Antivirus ksapi.sys does. So for instance a program might show that its real active protection is enabled but in fact is not since the \??\ alters the image path thereby nullifying it's execution and effectiveness while rendering it totally ineffective and most importantly it fools one into a false sense of security. I keep deleting the \??\s particularly annoying annoying since it needs a reboot for the changes to take effect in the registry but they keeps coming back.
This rogue program also does the same to antirootkit programs which neutralizes their detection capacity and also sometimes actually deletes their drivers (sys files).
Would anyone know if there a script (or program) that can loop the registry and the keep track of image path keys, find out what program is making the changes, intercept it, perhaps lock the keys so that they cannot be changed and or if they have changed to delete the \??\ and refresh the registry without having to reboot so that the keys become active immediately.
It would be great if a script could be run at log off and log on and report its findings and results to a log or text file.
I am using Tiny Watcher which originally and continues to alert me to these changes but it only reports them after they have been made and the free version of Registrar Registry Manager to delete the \??\s
Thanking you in advance for any assistance or in pointing to resources that may be of help.
You can try to track the registry changes with SysInternals' Process Monitor (http://technet.microsoft.com/pl-pl/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx) And you can try to tweak permissions on that registry key (leave modification rights only to an account different that you normally use)
– MBu – 2014-01-15T13:18:03.967I installed latest Kingsoft Antivirus version on a Windows XP SP3 virtual machine, and although I don't have the exact same registry keys (different version perhaps?) I can see the default values do include
??
, e.g.\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\kavfm.sys
. I've to add you can't change thoseImagePath
values unless you turn off the antivirus Self Defense feature (enabled by default). – and31415 – 2014-01-18T11:26:24.460