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Using BdSysLog to submit forensic information and suspicious files for analysis

Overview

If your computer seems to be infected, but Bitdefender does not detect any malware and you are uncertain of the source of malicious behavior, or you just want to be sure that your computer is not infected, an analysis made by our Bitdefender Labs is most likely necessary.

This section explains how to use the BdSysLog system diagnosis tool to submit suspicious files and forensic information for malware analysis.

This tool selects different types of files according to certain filters and sends them to our Bitdefender Cloud Services, where they are processed. In the end, a local archive file called bdsyslog.zip is generated. It stores a detailed log containing multiple pieces of information that could indicate active malware or malware effects present on the system.

This tool is standalone, which means it can be used even without having our Bitdefender product installed.

Prerequisites

It is recommended, even if not vital, to have a good internet connection while using BdSysLog. Otherwise, scanning efficacy is considerably lower. Also, files considered to have high priority are gathered in bdsyslog.zip, but cannot be sent to our servers and cannot be scanned automatically.

The following steps are available only if you have Windows as your current OS.

Gather the information

To use BdSysLog and provide us with the necessary information, follow the steps below:

  1. Download the BDSysLog tool to the computer with issues.

  2. Run the BDSysLog_i.exe file.

  3. Click the Create log button to generate a log.

    A progress bar indicates the progress status. When complete, a Window Explorer opens at the location of bdsyslog.zip. Usually, the archive is saved to the current user's Desktop or Public Desktop (C:\Users\Public\Desktop).

  4. Take a screenshot displaying the malware or the effects of the malware (if applicable).

  5. Update the security agent.

  6. Run a Full scan task as described in the Malware scan article and save the scan log.

  7. Create an archive with the logs and the screenshot.

  8. Go to the Contact Customer Care page.

  9. Fill in the information requested in the form. Be sure to provide us with the following information:

    • A description of the suspicious behavior that led you to believe that your computer is infected

    • The previously created archive (uploaded via Choose Files field)

      Important

      If the archive is bigger than 25 MB, mention that the logs are exceeding the upload size limit. You will receive a link that you can use to upload your files.

    Note

    All this information that you send to us will be used for malware analysis only and will be treated accordingly.

  10. Click Submit. A Bitdefender Support Engineer will contact you shortly.