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Richard
Richard, Software Engineer
Category: Software
Satisfied Customers: 44591
Experience:  Software Systems Specialist.
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I am running Windows 10 on a Surface Pro 3. I have started

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I am running Windows 10 on a Surface Pro 3. I have started getting random new user accounts created, with names such as 'utfvvcpkfyed'. The mystery accounts have no password. I have eset and Malwarebytes installed, which have identified no threats. Can
you tell me what is happening?
Richard
Hi there and welcome
This can occur from installed programs, that create user accounts in order to access the system
If you delete the account, does it stay deleted?
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
yes but another one appears - with a different name. When I first noticed this last night there were at one time 2 extra users. How can I identify the cause and stop it happening?
What did you install around the time this started?
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
To my knowledge nothing new for about 2 or 3 weeks, and then it was an app called Staffpad from the MS App Store. is there a way to find out if any other apps have been installed recently?
yes, press the windows key + X and click on control panel
Then uninstall a program
then click on date installed and it will then show you there.
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
Last three programs installed were:
1) Microsoft Office 365 en-us on 25/11/15 - I had been testing software for an American customer and used Office before I set the localisation settings back to UK,
2) GotoMeeting 7.6.0.4007 on 22/11/15 presumably an update
3) Displaylink Core Software on 8/11 again presumably an updateI suppose the mystery accounts might have been there longer, as I normally just log in without thinking into my everyday (not admin) account. But I can't see any sinister programs there.tbh I have been having a problem with screen settings recently (one screen keeps reverting to portrait mode) but that is presumably to do with the Displaylink update.
ok, press CTRL + ALT + Delete and click on Task Manager
Click on the Startup Tab, and disable all items.
Then remove the accounts.
Restart the computer and tell me if they come back please
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
OK disabled all startups except the following which wouldn't let me:
mcci+McciTrayApp(3) (Alcatel-Lucent)
ituneshelper (Apple Inc)
Eset main GUI (Eset)
hpwuSchd Apliccation (Hewlet Packard)
Then restarted as Admin and deleted the accounts.
Then restarted. No mystery accounts. Logged in as everyday account. and immediately a new account was there.
whats the name of the new account?
and where exactly do you see it?
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
utfvvcpkfyed - interesting - its the same as last time!
If I press the windows key and then click on my login name I can see it. fyi I can see my login name, admin, the fictitious name I chose for Eset anti-theft, and the new name.
Its being done by a program installed.
Try disabling all services as well and then remove it and see if it reappears.
To do that, press the windows key + R and type in
msconfig
and press enter.
Click on the Services Tab and click "Hide All Microsoft Services"
Then click Disable All
Click ok, restart and let me know if it appears again
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
Nope They are still disabled (except for Eset) , but the account has come back. I'll just delete it again to make sure I didn't screw up.
not start, this is now services, this is different to what I asked you before to do.
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
No - I did disable all non-microsoft services. The only service that re-instated itself was Eset Service. I have checked and repeated the sequence. Account disappears, is not there when logging on after restart, then instantly reappears.
ah ok, was just confirming
there is a program thats doing this. I could see nothing against this type of account name, but your going to have to start uninstalling programs around the time this problem started to see which is doing it.
Office you can leave as this will not be the one.
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
real question is - if this is just set up as a local account, can it cause harm - i.e. spy on passwords etc?
If you had not run Malwarebytes, then potentially, but you ran a full scan so no, your safe from this, its a program using the account for a service.
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Customer: replied 2 years ago.
OK thanks
your welcome
If you would like any additional information or assistance or see any issues arise from it (ie: more accounts being made), please do not hesitate to let me know.
And if you can take a second to rate my service by clicking one of the stars at the top of the screen then submit, that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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