"Anti-virus On-line" Trojan virus

[scwirenut]

easy solution, buy a computer with a real OS , Mac OSX. I have NEVER had spyware, virus, trojan, ect. i have no "antivirus" software, no problems at all, ever. only straight forward powerful computing that always. "just works"

 

[macmikeman]

easy solution, buy a computer with a real OS , Mac OSX. I have NEVER had spyware, virus, trojan, ect. i have no "antivirus" software, no problems at all, ever. only straight forward powerful computing that always. "just works"

macmikeman agrees with that.

 

[mivey]

easy solution, buy a computer with a real OS , Mac OSX. I have NEVER had spyware, virus, trojan, ect. i have no "antivirus" software, no problems at all, ever. only straight forward powerful computing that always. "just works"

Being a smaller target might mean you are statistically safer, but not using protection puts the user in the same category as those using highly targeted equipment and not taking proper precautions.

 

[macmikeman]

Being a smaller target might mean you are statistically safer, but not using protection puts the user in the same category as those using highly targeted equipment and not taking proper precautions.

Ok you are right so here is my statistic - from 1988-2010 nada. To be honest about it, 1988-1993 was mostly sneaker net time but I did join a few electrical usenet groups back then and used the tel modem to communicate. That leaves 17 years remainder. How many times does the avg. "other" type system user get for the same number of years usage on just using the built in firewall and no third party blocker?

 

[qcroanoke]

Being a smaller target might mean you are statistically safer, but not using protection puts the user in the same category as those using highly targeted equipment and not taking proper precautions.

I agree with that.

 

[mivey]

Ok you are right so here is my statistic - from 1988-2010 nada. To be honest about it, 1988-1993 was mostly sneaker net time but I did join a few electrical usenet groups back then and used the tel modem to communicate. That leaves 17 years remainder. How many times does the avg. "other" type system user get for the same number of years usage on just using the built in firewall and no third party blocker?

No doubt PCs are attacked more. Just shows how small a target you are with a MAC. Virus authors want maximum exposure, just like terrorists. Why attack a little town with few resources and people that produces little world-wide impact when you can attack a major metropolitan area and be on CNN for much longer?

MACs target a small niche group of users. Nothing wrong with that. Most of the world is run by PCs. If most of the world used MACs, then they would become the primary target. It is just a numbers game for the virus community. If you want to be a small target for a virus, the MAC is the way to go. Beyond the virus issue, both have advantages and disadvantages that are better hashed out elsewhere.

 

[shamsdebout]

I have run into a scenario a while back where I had to get some help for my brother's computer (Trojan). I stumbled across this site that helped me out when it was "over my head". http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/

I had to use the info on this site with a nasty rouge software that took over my pc, completely incapacitated my vista security central. I was worried, got caught with a seemingly legit windows update, it turned out to be vista anti-virus 2010.

 

[KentAT]

My boss' PC became infected in Jan with a trojan that our corporate anti-virus software could not get rid of, no matter how many times it found it. Our PC support guy wasn't allowed to use any other software for removal.

Second time this happened to him. Also for the second time we ran the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware program - boom - gone. (free, BTW)

Me: "Hmmm...didn't you have an identical problem at the same time last year, around holiday season?"

Him: "Yep, but a different trojan"

Turns out days before both occurrances, he received a couple of of those online greeting cards from people he knew.

I don't care who sends them to me - aint gonna open them!

 

[jaylectricity]

Another thing, many viruses know how to avoid being removed by antivirus programs.

What I always do when fixing other people's computers (and I only have average knowledge myself) is I google the name of the virus, especially if it is masquerading as an anti-virus program. Let's say we're talking about Internet Antivirus Pro 2009. It's a virus that convinces you to install it by telling you that you're already infected with something and it promises to remove the infection.

Go to google and type in "internet antivirus pro 2009 removal" and a list of websites will will be returned with at least a few of the first results telling you the exact steps to remove the virus. Once you do the removal, get a little creative and do a search for the program names on your computer. Sometimes you'll find other copies of this same program in other folders.

 

[dduffee260]

It starts as an adware popup.

If anyone gets that popup, do not click anywhere on it, including what appears to be the "window" close button. Instead, press Alt+F4 (close active window) or close from the taskbar.

Just happened to me. I got that nasty little bugger a couple of weeks ago. You way works well on not allowing it. I actually waited and looked up here on on how to close it. Thanks for the help !

 

[kwired]

A virus or in some cases the type of activity of the virus must be recognized by the antivirus program to identify it. One of the challanges of the people who write the malicious programs is to find a way around the users security.

That is why antivirus programs data bases need updated regularly. It is still possible to be infected if the infection is newer than the data base. Someone has to make a new infection before they can make a cure for it.

You are never totally safe that is why data back up is important. The more important the data the more important the back up.

Even without software catastrophe there is still some risk of hardware failure and back up is still important.

 

[dmagyar]

Anti-virus and maleware

Anti-virus and maleware

I've ended up using a combination of Spybot search & destroy, Webroot anti-virus with spysweeper, then I've got a program called Bufferzone, which lets you browse in a "virtual" mode. I'm also using the latest version of IE, I think it's seven, which includes a pop-up blocker. Webroot spysweeper has a home site "hijack" keeper which doesn't let your home site get switched. I also suscribe to CPU computer power user that gives you some great tips on all of this.

 

[eric7379]

The PC that I use became infected with the "Antivirus Soft" virus yesterday. As with everbody else, I was not able to do anything except bang my head on the desk. It looked legit at first, but it didn't take long for reality to sink in.

Had to start using a different computer. After several Google searches as well as searches on Norton's website, I came across this website:

http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro

I downloaded the HitmanPro 3 to my USB stick and then inserted the USB stick into the infected PC. I ran the program off of the USB stick and the computer was back to normal in under 3 minutes.

One thing to mention: When the program is opened, the LEFT control key (CTRL) needs to be held down until the Hitman screen pops up. Then, just follow the prompts. This is totally free. You do have the option to buy it, but it comes with a 30 day free software license.

 

[wawireguy]

I don't get viruses on my computer. Run XP(windoze). Keep firewall up. Don't connect to the internet after a clean install untill the firewall is turned on. Keep your computer updated or turn on auto-updates. Use the pop up blocker in IE. If a screen does get popped up saying you need to do something and it has buttons on it and you can't use the back button use cntrl alt del and kill the window in applications, don't click yes, no or the x on it. Don't install any more downloaded software than absolutely necesary.