Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- From: "Charlie Tame" <charlie@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:32:38 -0600
These strange emails are to avoid spam filters, I use a program called
Popfile to filter them out before they get to Outlook Express and since I
was helping to test it I use a real email address in newsgroups. I get about
half a million (Literally) junk emails a year :) Fortunately Popfile
succeeds with 99.0 % of them. Most of them are not "Dangerous" but of course
you could fall for those that claim you have won a lottery or something and
lose your identity. It goes without saying that any attachments are to be
treated with extreme caution.
I think all the Antivirus listed run in the background scanning files as you
use them, you should not really need to scan the whole machine often at all,
but if the system you got has the option to scan individual files that may
not be a bad idea, do it as you get them.
I doubt that anyone here would advise going back to Norton, generally it
seems their products cause more trouble than they are worth unless you have
the "Corporate" edition which seems better (At least it used to).
Both AdAware and Spybot will find lots of minor things like cookies. You do
not really need to worry about those things too much, they are not really
much of a risk. Certainly don't become paranoid. You obviously have
reasonable surfing habits or else would have had problems before. These
groups are a good place to ask about software you plan to get.
Charlie
"Clueless blonde" <Cluelessblonde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:7B4E59B7-94CA-4CD1-8EBD-9E19EC1DD7DF@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thank you Charlie, you're very kind! I have Windows XP and get automatic
updates as and when. I never use Outlook Express and instead use my
Internet
Provider's email facility but I have noticed in the past few months
strange
emails arriving which make no sense (I only opened the first couple that
came
but deleted them straight away when I realised they were some sort of
spamming) so someone out there has my email address and is sending me
nonsense! How often do you think I should be doing scans for all the
various
programmes I downloaded today (7!). My old Norton Anti Virus package did
it
automatically and I didn't have to think about it and I'm beginning to
think
I should have shelled out the money to save the hassle! Luckily today I
had
the time to do these things but most days I don't have a minute. Anyway,
thank you again to all for the fabulous advice you have given me today.
This
site is fantastic and I am very grateful for all the time you have taken
to
help me with my problems! I still have to clean up my system but at least
I've installed all the necessary stuff to help prevent it happening again.
"Charlie Tame" wrote:
The main thing is not to panic and don't get to feeling you can't work
through it. You are nowhere near as "Clueless" as you think because you
express the problems very well and unlike some people you respond when
things either work or don't. If you were truly "Clueless" you probably
wouldn't even realize that there was a problem.
Everything suggested so far is reputable and if you have a recent OS like
XP
the default settings are pretty safe anyway. Be very careful with mail
attachments, especially from a source you don't know, and consider
setting
Outlook Express to read in plain text only. If nothing else that defeats
a
lot of junk mail. Set Automatic updates to at least collect them ready
for
install... and as David always suggests watch the Java you have
installed.
At this point the Microsoft security stuff is okay but not complete and
if
you use an instant message program tell us so we can offer advice on what
to
avoid.
"Clueless blonde" <Cluelessblonde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:11F27464-C0B9-4C8E-8DF5-BCEF82B5EFB1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The main thing that worries me is the possibility of my personal
details
being hacked into and identity theft. I could put up with the ads if
they
were not harmful though they are annoying. I have just downloaded the
Avira
anti virus though it's not as easy to use as others as I can't work out
how
to do a full system scan. I have also just updated to latest version
of
Java
so I'm working through the easier bits of all your previous
instructions
which has taken up most of the day! In idiot speak, what are the
basics I
should install - I have Avira anti virus, windows firewall, spybot,
superantispyware, ad-aware personal already installed, is there
anything
else?
"Charlie Tame" wrote:
You haven't exactly been stupid, it looks like a reputable site, even
including a privacy policy which when missing is often a clue.
There are 3 issues you need to learn about. Viruses are malicious
programs
designed to propagate or "Spread" themselves. Sometimes they carry
other
things and do damage but the main function is to spread. Sometimes
they
are
combined with what's called a Trojan (Horse) program as a payload.
Trojans do not usually have any automated propagation, instead they
are
"Planted" by someone with access to your machine or by persuading you
to
download them from a website or maybe as an email attachment or some
instant
messenger. Trojans have some motive such as collecting your passwords
and
sending them to a remote operator, or perhaps they give the remote
user
some
control over your machine.
Although some bad software is a combination of the two, you see that
they
are not the same. Anti Virus may not protect you from Trojans and Anti
Trojan will not protect you from virus. A firewall will most
definitely
NOT
stop you getting infected by these things, but it may be useful in
preventing them from communicating with a remote operator or possibly
prevent some viruses from spreading. The most useful aspect of a
software
firewall is that it can be set to warn you if something on your PC is
trying
to connect to a remote operator so in the case of a password stealing
Trojan
for example it might save your info although it will not get rid of
the
Trojan.
The third nuisance is spyware / adware which is a commercial product
designed usually to monitor your activity and bombard you with ads
they
think you will be interested in. For example if you visit Ford and
Chevrolet
dealer websites they might send you car ads. I should ad that is only
an
example, reputable companies like Ford and Chevy would steer clear of
this
crap. This kind of software behaves a lot like a Trojan in that it is
often
hidden in something else and can send information to other places.
More
"Legitimate" versions may be used to "Pay" for free software but again
you
would be asked to install those versions.
No matter how much "Protection" you apply in the form of software you
can
still get caught by new versions of these things, so your best
protection
will always be your knowledge. Some of these things can be installed
by
"Exploiting" vulnerabilities in the operating system or some other
software
so it is important to have the latest updates always installed.
"Clueless blonde" <Cluelessblonde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:0E03E978-114B-47CB-A55B-F80298BE9A88@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Oh my God, this is worse than I thought. I paid and downloaded from
pcsecurityshield.com from a recommendation on another site for their
value
for money and ease of use (one of these comparison sites). My
Norton
Anti
Virus etc had just run out and I was trying to find a cheaper
version.
If
I
remove these from my system I am going to have nothing protecting
the
system
so do you recommend I have a back up ready to install when I remove
the
Shield. Going from what you have all said The Shield is not
protecting
me
then but instead threatening me. I can't believe I've been so
stupid.
"Panda_man" wrote:
"Clueless blonde" wrote:
I stupidly dowloaded Drive Cleaner which popped up on my computer
today. I
am absolutely clueless when it comes to computers and need to
know
what
to do
next. I have the Shield Anti Virus and Firewall already
installed
...
I just paid out for
Shield anti virus 2 weeks ago which I thought would have
protected
me
...
What do you experts think? Please please help me!!!
Who did you pay for this pest *Shield Anti Virus* ?
Start by removing all of them from Add/Remove programs
Then -> click here http://pandaman.my.contact.bg/Gen_MRI.htm
--
Panda_man
Silver level Contributor
.
- References:
- Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- From: Charlie Tame
- Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- From: Clueless blonde
- Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- From: Charlie Tame
- Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- From: Clueless blonde
- Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- Prev by Date: Re: http://www.spyware(url snipped) *SPAM*
- Next by Date: Re: Virus Help Needed Bad
- Previous by thread: Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- Next by thread: Re: Downloaded a virus HELP!!
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
