Re: NAT Router



What makes you think that it removed all malware from your computer? A good malware comes in packages: the good stuff is well hidden somewhere and knows how to circumvent the software firewall while it also some primitive malware bundled which may be detected quickly. The user thinks the firewall blocks everything and the malware removal tool reports something removed.

I guess you are using an AV and PFW and the trojan still got past all this. Either you know that you have installed it with some software or it must be fairly good to get past AV and PFW. Malware designed to get past AV and PFW onto the computer will not be that easy detected except for some part for diversion. The only really secure thing to do would be to reformat the drive and reinstall windows.

Gerald

I continued to scan my system with different antivirus, antispyware and anti-Trojan software and couldn't find additional problems. I also noted that there were no more attempts by unknown software to establish outbound connections. I guess it's possible that there was still malware on the system, but I didn't think so for the above reasons, plus the computer continued to be stable and normal in every perceivable way and that was good enough for me.

As far as how the Trojan got on my computer, remember that firewall software would not block it being downloaded. The only initial protection was antivirus which apparently missed it, but that's not so unusual. It was a few years ago when this happened and then it was the norm for antivirus software to update only once or twice a week. That left a window of a few days when new viruses (or Trojans) were invisible could easily infect systems. There's also the fact that even the best antivirus software does not detect 100% of all viruses. That's why a multilayered defense is necessary(and I think personal firewall software is one of those layers).

In the course of doing my job I have often had to clean computers that have been infected with viruses/Trojans/spyware. It's been my experience that the computers can be restored to normal functioning in most cases. A combination of multiple antivirus and antispyware scans does a very good job of removing malware. I only remember one case where the computer was so badly infected it was unrecoverable. It got that way because the user neglected to update the subscription for his antivirus - it hadn't had new "signatures" for many months.

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