Typically Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> Show Hidden Files and Folders -> [HELLS YES!].lRookiel said:
So I've got a virus....
- Thread starter lRookiel
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If you have no clue what you're doing, google and dedicated forums are your best friends. From what I've seen on Youtube so far, a lot of approaches there are either silly or incomplete, and even though you get to watch a nice little movie clip, I prefer forums dedicated to the matter because they usually tend to go for a more holistic approach, with proper step-by-step and mostly rather instant feedback of where you went astray and got the nasty bugger in the first place.lRookiel said:
The one you got is relatively harmless by itself, but what tends to make the situation really unpredictable and hairy is the fact that it comes with backdoor functionality (if I am not mistaken) - opening up limitless possibilities to worsen your infection experience, and allowing for any given bad guy to exploit the system to the fullest.
I've seen many an infection on any given Windows platform, some keyloggers on OS X. I tend to want to understand what I am dealing with and how it got here, and it usually starts with dem warez, naked titties or religious propaganda with an explosive payload beyond what was expected.
There is a number of specialized (free!) software around that helps get rid of most of the threats that are currently out in the wild. Every case needs an individual approach if you're not just going for a lose everything, backup nothing, start from scratch gung-ho way of no remorse.
For daily basis on personal computer equipment that runs any sort of Windows, I've been using Kaspersky (just the AV, not the IS Norton-like bloatware) with great success, as it can be customized to fit your needs. The Microsoft "integrated" anti-malware software is getting better and better, even though some options still seem hidden and some things are still a bit too clunky and unwieldy, making it hard if not impossible to look under the hood and understand properly what's going on. On client Windows computers, non-admin user accounts and that darn UAC are a blessing in dinging disguise.
I would also recommend making use of the integrated Windows firewall that comes free with Windows 7 - it really works. Best approach is to start out with blocking EVERYTHING, and then unblock the apps and services that really need to be able to go online one by one. That way, even if you have some not too elaborate critter on your system, it won't be able to do squat except being a very local pain in the nether regions.
I haven't had a virus in years. My new desktop was built purely for games and only accesses a few remote sites that I know are safe. My laptop can be used for anything fishy, but it has sufficient protection to keep it out of harm's way.
I use Eset NOD32, so I never get viruses. Ever. Before I had that though, I got the one that poses as something like the Windows Cleanup Tool and slowed my computer down to a crawl. It said that my computer was having problems and it could "fix" them with the pro version you have to buy. I thought something was off about it though, because I couldn't close that window. I already planned on upgrading my computer and OS, so I just wiped the hard drive.
If you're running an ADMINISTRATOR-type account per default, every nasty critter making it into your system can basically run with Admin-privileges for free, it's like asking the old-school vampire in for a cup of tea. It might not be an issue, but once things degrade, they can do so at an amazing pace. Think horror movies.lRookiel said:
To most people not able (family) or willing (clients, reception, friends) to develop a thorough strategy on safe surfing and best practice, I suggest they pretty please with ponies on top switch on the UAC and, if not already fixed by support, only run USER accounts, with the Admin password being about as important as that PIN to your ATM card. But, alas, that one already pretty much failed on OSX, when some keylogging malware kindly had to ask users to enter the password, and, well, a lot of people obviously did just that.
Be vigilant.
COMBOFIX is a sweet sweet melon farmer.Techsmart07 said:
However, people have already managed to severely mess up their computers with it, even if there was no infection to start with. It doesn't come with much of a manual, but usually there are instructions. People tend to not follow instructions.
Haven't had one since Windows 7 was released. Since that time I just got a new computer with Windows 7 and rarely get even small little things like spyware.
Get something stronger, mate. Microsoft / Windows is not allowed to give out the best things for free because then its Anti Capatilistic and against the law. Malwaere seems to be a favorite, a good combo is Malware and AVG.Lumber Barber said:
Removing payment information, certainly. Changing password, maybe. Forgetting I changed the password the moment I realized I didn't register... Definitively not. I did manage to trace my thoughts though. I learned from xkcd that the best password is a short sentence rather than jumbles letters and numbers. Easier to remember, harder to hack.Necroid_Neko said:
Really? In my experience Norton has been fucking useless.PurpleLeafRave said:You should stop watching those videos then.
I have had one nasty virus. It was a virus posing as anti virus software saying I needed to get rid of a virus I didn't have. Up until the virus of the anti virus.
Then I installed Norton Anti Virus. Problem solved.
I got it free with my laptop, and soon after I got a similar virus to the one you had - where it says install this antivirus to get rid of the virus. I tried to get rid of it using Norton, didn't work. Contacted their customer services, and they told me it would cost £70 to get rid of it. Told them no thanks, googled it and got rid of it in less than 10 minutes. Ergo, Norton are moneygrubbing, useless motherfuckers.
Funny thing is, the people who have absolutely no clue all 'have Norton', even though it usually is of the preloaded kind, and they manage to click away any and all notifications without reading a single one of them over the course of years.Kalezian said:
Norton was number one when people were emulating MacOS on Amiga computers to enjoy some Netscape goodness when the internet was fresh... yeah, it's been a while.
I'm using Avira, but that shit's the paranoid freak of the antivirus world. According to it, I've got a bucketful of bad DLLs across my infrastructure. Unfortunately, all of them are files I know to have installed myself or to have been installed by legit programs.
I recently nabbed Saints Row: The Third on PC, and the CD install made Avira go freaking insane. It's a *legit* CD, and the antivirus somehow mistook every other file for some sort of trojan. It went to the point where my PC was plodding along and Avira bugged me with the need to make a restore CD.
*sighs* Kaspersky's the best on the market, currently. It's not bloatware like Norton's stuff, and it's adequately complemented by Malwarebytes. Everything else pretty much sucks. Tried AVG before, and it was blind as a bat. Avira's good, but it's way too sensitive at times. Either that or the team responsible for its virus definitions is made up of paranoid idiots.
"Oshi-! We have a Paul.dll! Paul.dll! That does *not* sound legit! ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON THE MOTHERFUCKING SHIP!"
Which is ironic, seeing as the PC port of Fable 3 actually installs a Paul.dll to the system. Don't ask, I had to install it for my cousin who'd just received it for birthday and couldn't wait to get home to try it out.
I don't visit shady sites, so my machine's mostly clean. My father's all over the place, though, so I have to nuke the family laptop from orbit two or three times a year. Same story as the guy with his ignoramus grandma.
"Yeah, but the site had some real info about TAMA drums! It was professional!
- Dad, what does a forum dedicated to enthusiast drummers know about PC scans?
- Well, it *looked* legit...
- You want to scan the PC? Use the stuff I installed, and nothing else."
That sort of exchange happens more often than you'd think. Which is kinda depressing.
I recently nabbed Saints Row: The Third on PC, and the CD install made Avira go freaking insane. It's a *legit* CD, and the antivirus somehow mistook every other file for some sort of trojan. It went to the point where my PC was plodding along and Avira bugged me with the need to make a restore CD.
*sighs* Kaspersky's the best on the market, currently. It's not bloatware like Norton's stuff, and it's adequately complemented by Malwarebytes. Everything else pretty much sucks. Tried AVG before, and it was blind as a bat. Avira's good, but it's way too sensitive at times. Either that or the team responsible for its virus definitions is made up of paranoid idiots.
"Oshi-! We have a Paul.dll! Paul.dll! That does *not* sound legit! ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON THE MOTHERFUCKING SHIP!"
Which is ironic, seeing as the PC port of Fable 3 actually installs a Paul.dll to the system. Don't ask, I had to install it for my cousin who'd just received it for birthday and couldn't wait to get home to try it out.
I don't visit shady sites, so my machine's mostly clean. My father's all over the place, though, so I have to nuke the family laptop from orbit two or three times a year. Same story as the guy with his ignoramus grandma.
"Yeah, but the site had some real info about TAMA drums! It was professional!
- Dad, what does a forum dedicated to enthusiast drummers know about PC scans?
- Well, it *looked* legit...
- You want to scan the PC? Use the stuff I installed, and nothing else."
That sort of exchange happens more often than you'd think. Which is kinda depressing.
I got what i think is the autorun virus, was fucking hell. luckley only was on one account, so i could still the computer to find how to get rid of it.
I had an especially nasty one a while ago that essentially stopped me form using ANY programs. Just after logging on, everything would look fine until you tried to run a program. The program would then attempt to run, and fail to do so. I'd then get a black error screen within a few minutes. Damn thing stopped me from using Avira to kill it. So I eventually managed to rewind my system back a couple of days while keeping it busy fighting Avira. I have no idea how that worked, but it did.
Fixed it for you.PurpleLeafRave said:You should stop watching those videos then.
I have had one nasty virus. It was a virus posing as anti virus software saying I needed to get rid of a virus I didn't have. Up until the virus of the anti virus.
Then I "uninstalled" Norton Anti Virus. Problem solved.
Not to wave my tech-wanger around too much but I deal with widespread virus infections on a large scale very regularly. Worse case I ever saw was some poor sucker who picked up a virus that spoofed the gateway to his network segment sniffed all the traffic on his network. Unfortunately he was on a large residential network that had minors connected so we had to call in the police. Now we did try to convince the Police that the guy was probably just another kid with a virus but they didn't buy it and that kids browsing habits got him arrested in front of all his housemates.
I've only ever had one infection and that was when I installed a dodgy mod for Call of Duty United Offensive that changed the games menu's to Russian and played an admittedly cool Russian song instead of the correct music.
It is piss easy (technical term) to get a low level infection even if you aren't visiting dodgy sites etc, but in most cases recovery is not that difficult. AV is worthless unless its up to date and tbh I run a few Windows boxes without it, they are mostly gaming rigs that I don't surf on or access mail etc. When I do have to poke around the less friendly bits of the internet I'll use a Linux install, possibly a Live CD if its high risk.
Your best defence is preparation, restore points are you friends, use them. Backup anything you can't stand to lose in a separate location (external HD's are ideal just don't leave them connected constantly) and re-install your OS if you don't trust or don't have a restore point.
Pro-tip: backup your Steam game library so you don't have to re-download 100's of gigs if you need to re-install.
I've only ever had one infection and that was when I installed a dodgy mod for Call of Duty United Offensive that changed the games menu's to Russian and played an admittedly cool Russian song instead of the correct music.
It is piss easy (technical term) to get a low level infection even if you aren't visiting dodgy sites etc, but in most cases recovery is not that difficult. AV is worthless unless its up to date and tbh I run a few Windows boxes without it, they are mostly gaming rigs that I don't surf on or access mail etc. When I do have to poke around the less friendly bits of the internet I'll use a Linux install, possibly a Live CD if its high risk.
Your best defence is preparation, restore points are you friends, use them. Backup anything you can't stand to lose in a separate location (external HD's are ideal just don't leave them connected constantly) and re-install your OS if you don't trust or don't have a restore point.
Pro-tip: backup your Steam game library so you don't have to re-download 100's of gigs if you need to re-install.