Virus warning

[Velma Dinkley]

My husband was Googling for fishing websites earlier (don't ask... !!) and after clicking on one, a page came up looking like 'My Computer' with details of all the hard drives, saying that my lap top had 69 trojan horses. There was a button to click to fix it, but when he clicked on it he had to give permission to download a programme. Thankfully he asked me, as alarm bells started ringing...

I cancelled that box and immediately did a Norton scan which, surprise surprise found just the one 'virus' and fixed it automatically. Looking again at this 'false page' - the web address included an IP address.

Luckily we realised that things weren't quite right - but I thought I'd warn others that what you see on the screen isn't always what it appears to be. And if it's telling you that you have a virus, don't follow these instructions, but get your anti-virus to sort it for you...

[TrevorFranklin]

As before I have warned people about fake 'infections' pop-ups and not to click on them.

This type of attack is known as a 'drive-by' and clicking on them will install the base virus that will then produce the fake message.
If you get the message, you ARE already infected by an Adware/Malware virus.

Likewise, the latest 'pest' is Internet Security 2010 pop-up.
The way you first get infected is by clicking on something that will install the application,(such as a banner advert), which will then produce the fake infection warning and want you to pay to clean the PC, it's most common method is if you visit a site that has YouTube type movies (YouTube is NOT infected), and you will get a message "You need to update your media player/Flash player to version (xyz)" click on that 'update' and you are infected.

For a better understanding, read this article
Misleading Applications - Rogue Antispyware - Smithfraud Anti-Spyware Removal | Norton

Basically:
To protect from virus's that damage your pc, you need anti-virus software
To stop hackers gaining access to your PC, you need a firewall

To stop Spyware/Adware/browser hijackers, you need a good anti-spyware application (The paid for ones run in background and warns if infection trys to install)
AND I REALLY ADVISE that you download and install either Superantispyware or Malwarebytes, so, if infected, you can use that scanner to kill it, as Anti-virus does not always find and kill all these infections.

AND not install files that you are 'advise to do', download software from sites other then the main manufacturers and if a little known manufacturer Google and check first.

[Velma Dinkley]

Thanks for the advice Trevor... much appreciated

I'm just in the process of downloading both of those and running scans.... many thanks

[Margaret N]

Trevor,

The biggest problem with all these anti virus programmes is that aleast on my PC it takes ages to turn a page. I no longer appear to be able to flick from one thing to another.

I suppose the only way over this is to buy a more powerful PC or the AppleMac that I have been talking about for years (but they are so expensive).

[Wallaby]

Trevor,

The biggest problem with all these anti virus programmes is that aleast on my PC it takes ages to turn a page. I no longer appear to be able to flick from one thing to another.

I suppose the only way over this is to buy a more powerful PC or the AppleMac that I have been talking about for years (but they are so expensive).

Hi,

It wasn't until I bought my Mac that I became more confident on the internet, I just never trusted it before. I bought a MacBook Pro & I agree they are so expensive. I paid about £1,700 3 years ago. BUT I saved myself about £20k on a website for my business. That's what I was getting quotes for. So, I bought a Mac & paid an extra £79 for one years training on Apples "One-to-One" training plan. One hour, once per week, on a One-to-One basis for a full years training! Private lessons are about £30- per lesson. The training can be on whatever you want it to be & you can buy the training package before you commit to a Mac, to see if you like them & I think they will deduct the £79 off your Mac. I asked if they could teach me how to design a pilot website for my business & it took me a year but saved me about £18k, plus I love this Mac & would never go back to a PC again, I find this much easier & they never get viruses. It's warned me a few times over websites I was about to click onto with that - Malware virus. The Apple shop in Trafford Centre Manchester has a Sale Day on Wednesdays when they sell off any "Refreshed" machines. I would imagine all their branches do the same. Sorry, this is starting to sound like an Apple add now, but I'd sooner buy a second-hand Mac than a PC.

Wallaby

[Stella]

Velma, I had the same happen to me yesterday and I just completely ignored it. I did a virus scan and there was nothing wrong.

[Velma Dinkley]

Have you downloaded and run either one of the two downloadable software packages recommended by Trevor? I thought Norton had dealt with it and this software found that it hadn't. It also found something on my PC which Norton had also missed.

[Stella]

No Velma I haven't - haven't got around to it yet. Will look into it though - thanks.

[Sooz]

I had a similar thing happen a few weeks ago when i visited Genesreunited. It seems quite a lot of others had problems too. I ran my virus scan and it found nothing. I was recommended the free programme Malwarebytes, which you can find if you google. I downloaded and ran this and found 6 problems, which it fixed immediately. This was all for free.

Sooz

[TrevorFranklin]

A virus is different to adware/Malware.

Anti-virus software often misses/ignores malware, as, by its nature is is not what is defined as a virus (something that self replicates and transmits to others)

Malware is an application that you have been 'tricked' into installing, which then takes control of your browser, creates pop-up etc.

I use McAfee anti-virus and firewall
But use superantispyware as my protection against adware/malware

[Stella]

Would Spybot Search and Destroy be protection against these things?

[TrevorFranklin]

Would Spybot Search and Destroy be protection against these things?

Yes, but Spybot is very 'resource hungry', so you may find it slows the system down a little.

Out of all the anti-adware programs, I have found that superantispyware and malwarebytes are the least memory hungry and are the best at finding and killing problems.

Trev

[Stella]

Thanks for that Trevor.

[Liz from Lancs]

The computer technician who installed my free software AVAST also installed Malwarebytes, Anti-Malware - I take it that is okay...worried now.

[Velma Dinkley]

Malwarebytes was the one I downloaded Liz - which found and dealt with the offending item!