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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Help!! I have a virus!
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Showing posts 1 - 15 of 15, (reverse)
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 07/11/2010 01:13:02 AM · #1
My computer was acting odd then I got the dreaded blue screen of death! I got multiple pop-ups which were from a fake spyware removal site so I googled spyware removal and downloaded a program from the Microsoft site. I thought it cleaned up the Trojan, but I'm still getting the "you have a Trojan warning" when I access the removal software. I'm not getting the pop-ups anymore but I'm not sure how to get rid of this thing. Thank God I downloaded the 1400 photos I took at a wedding I shot last weekend, on my external harddrive!
 07/11/2010 01:42:34 AM · #2
I use Avast Free - and have never had a virus get past it. I also run Ad-aware in the background all the time. Not all anti-virus software is the same. I had virus attacks when I used both Norton and McAfee. That was years ago though. I've been using Avast for the past 7 or 8 years now.
 07/11/2010 01:49:43 AM · #3
One problem with malware is that it has infected the operating system that is involved in doing the scanning, and so can hide. I'd suggest giving the AVG rescue CD a try. It boots and runs from a Linux OS on the CD, so the malware installed in windows is dormant. This allows you to "nuke it from orbit" so to speak.
 07/11/2010 01:56:56 AM · #4
once its gone this far its best, imo, to wipe the hard drive and reinstall windows. also everyone has an opinion, but in my professional opinion (yes i work in IT) nothing beats norton 360 for protection once you reinstall.
 07/11/2010 02:08:18 AM · #5
Originally posted by smardaz:
once its gone this far its best, imo, to wipe the hard drive and reinstall windows.

That is the only certain way of getting a clean system, though it's not the option most people want to take. The one time I knew my computer got a virus, it was what I did.

Originally posted by smardaz:
also everyone has an opinion, but in my professional opinion (yes i work in IT) nothing beats norton 360 for protection once you reinstall.

What I have been hearing about Norton lately, it sounds like the package has really been overhauled from the bloatware is was a few years ago. My approach is a combination of a few things:

-AVG antivirus
-Spybot S&D
-a custom hosts file to thwart web requests for known malware sites
-Firefox with the NoScript extension (Javascript is one of the easiest ways for malware to get into a computer.

Message edited by author 2010-07-11 02:08:36.
 07/11/2010 04:38:59 AM · #6
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=985558&highlight

maybe a similar problem check it out.

Message edited by author 2010-07-11 04:40:40.
 07/11/2010 05:40:00 AM · #7
Thank you all! We had a similar attack about six months ago and I was able to go into the start/run and remove the files manually. I would like to do this again, if possible, but I'm using Windows Vista and I'm not sure how to do it.
 07/11/2010 06:06:13 AM · #8
Originally posted by hojop25:
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=985558&highlight

maybe a similar problem check it out.

Thank you!!!! I just read through this thread. I already downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials and that helped but not completely. I just downloaded Malearebytes and so far out if 17k files I have 164 infected!!!
 07/11/2010 06:48:03 AM · #9
Originally posted by love:
Originally posted by hojop25:
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=985558&highlight

maybe a similar problem check it out.

Thank you!!!! I just read through this thread. I already downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials and that helped but not completely. I just downloaded Malearebytes and so far out if 17k files I have 164 infected!!!


i used malwarebytes yesterday, seems to have done the job.

07/11/2010 07:15:34 AM · #10
The system restore trick is what I used a few months back. I restored the system from a couple of days before the attack and I've had no problems since.

This from the previous thread:
Originally posted by Steveinnz:

A quick way of removing this threat.
Start in safe mode, press F8 on boot up.
Once in safe mode try and go to system restore, start - accessories - system tools - system restore.
With the system restore box up click onrestore to a earlier time and then select a date back about a month if possible. then click restore. This can take several minutes to do this. Once it starts up again it is extremely important you do the windows updates, open browser and go tools windows update. If this is not done you will almnost certainly reinfect your system. Your computer should now be free of the infection.

A better antivirus software is Microsoft security essentials, it is performing better than most paid antivirus softwares.
//www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/


Message edited by author 2010-07-11 07:16:47.
 07/11/2010 08:19:39 AM · #11
Malwarebytes has been scanning for 2h 16m - 203500 files and has found 181 objects detected. [sigh]
 07/11/2010 08:21:26 AM · #12
i hate to say this, but you may as well reinstall windows. i have never had any success getting rid of malware. i usuualy reinstall windows on all may machines every 6 mos or so at home. the internet is a dangerous place.
 07/11/2010 11:24:48 AM · #13
Well, after cleaning up the nasty for two hours last night and five hours this morning, I think my pc is clean!!! I've entered weathered and posted in my wallpaper side challenge just incase something goes crazy. Thank you all again for your help. : )
 07/11/2010 01:08:48 PM · #14
Glad it seems to be gone, but you might want to do frequent scans with different products for a time. It's possible that something could still be hiding and an update to one of the scanners will then find it.
 07/11/2010 01:10:05 PM · #15
Originally posted by mike_311:
i hate to say this, but you may as well reinstall windows. i have never had any success getting rid of malware. i usuualy reinstall windows on all may machines every 6 mos or so at home. the internet is a dangerous place.


Yikes, what the heck are you running, WIn98?? I've had one case of malware on our two machines (one Vista, the other Win7) and the "infection" was limited to a user-level account; took me 5 minutes to research and remove from the admin account.
If you are getting infected more than once in a great while, you have either nearly no security or you have really bad surfing habits (sorry, but it applies to more folks than you'd imagine).
You need to do the following:
0.) Before you do anything else, make sure your internet connection is secure in the hardware sense. If you don't have a router between your cable or DSL modem and the computer, get one.
1.) Make sure that you are running a modern version of Windows, e.g. something newer than 10 years old. Win7 is recommended.
2.) Make sure that you are running the built-in protection, that is, Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials.
3.) Make sure that you have automatic updates on for your OS, and make sure that software such as Adobe Flash Player, web browsers, etc. are updated to address any security holes.

If you follow the above, it does not guarantee that you will never be infected, however you should rarely, and by that I mean once every few years, have a problem.
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