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anyone else having new malware issues?
Topic Started: Nov 24 2010, 01:15 PM (1,519 Views)
nerys
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Grr

I have had 3 machines pop up this new "security software" fake scanner stuff to infect my computers.

I have NO clue where its coming from. I am an intelligent computer user IE I don't get viruses because I don't install them.

so how are these infecting my system? last night I thought maybe someone in the house was using my computer but now a work machine and my laptop have it ??? (different but similar)

malware bytes took care of it but still I need to find the point of ingress so I can prevent it from happening or stop doing whatever I am doing to permit it.

whats REALLY odd is my firewall DID NOT detect the executable running !! that is really scary.

at home it was called "hotfix.exe" as the origin I think and I NEVER install hotfixes. in fact I disable windows update before any machine touches the internet.

ideas? anyone else having this issue?
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iplaybass
Member
[ *  *  * ]
you go on myspace? about half the time i go there their adds come up it looks like one of their pages but if you click on it it installs hotfix or security scanner or some other crap
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nerys
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Grr

no. I THINK I found the source. a program I use I got a new version from a potentially "shady" source and at least one copy malwarebytes claims is infected. Since I installed that on the 3 machines it "popped up" on it might be it.

BUT I also used that same file on 2 other machines and they are clean. so I am not sure whats going on. For now they are all clean again but I am freaked that a virus or trojan managed to get onto my systems.
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Stately
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Geo cheerleader

Linux or MacOS for browsing--just say No to Windoze!
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nerys
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Grr

Do you know why Mac has FEW viruses and such? 5% of the worlds computers run mac. LESS run Linux (home computers not servers)

thats why and thats the ONLY reason why.

almost all viruses are INTENTIONALLY installed by the victum whether they realize it or not. (I have more fingers than the number that can install WITHOUT permission and running anything newer than ME and not using Internet Explorer kills all of those)

I have no doubt at all that "I" installed this virus. I just need to find the source.
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Stately
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Geo cheerleader

nerys
Nov 25 2010, 01:41 AM
Do you know why Mac has FEW viruses and such? 5% of the worlds computers run mac. LESS run Linux (home computers not servers)

thats why and thats the ONLY reason why.
99+% of viruses are Microsoft specific exploits.

Just say NO to Windoze for *browsing*! Only use it for the apps u have to use.

BTW -- Unix based systems are *much* more incredibly hard to crack!
Edited by Stately, Nov 25 2010, 02:34 AM.
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mazade
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
[ *  *  *  * ]
I "recently" had a bout with an autorun/usb rootkit that got into mine & my family's systems... nothing ever picked it up except this program, which I'd highly recommend if you're wanting to search for 'freakishly hidden' kinds of things.

http://www.regrunreanimator.com/security/download_reanimator.html

It's free, too. I hafta admit that it is a messy looking program/interface, but it managed to root-out this very pesky thing I had plaguing our stuff.
Be prepared when running the program... it will initially confront you about all sorts of things including your registered media codecs and stuff that nothing else bothers with - it is thorough.

I have seen the fake warning thing on my mom's machine once this year, it is unnerving as to how it can slip in sometimes.
It's always nice to know what's running on your machine and to be confident that, somehow, it's not working against you. ^_^
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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Speaking as one of those less running linux, you are perfectly welcome to keep running Windows :) The bigger target you remain, the lesser target I will have to worry about being :rasp
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Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer

I never have an issue on my machine, but I run a lot of things people are not usually willing to put up with. I have Firefox with the Noscript, Adblock, Better Privacy and HTTPS Everywhere extensions. These seem to keep most of the problems and exploits from ever being able to run on my machine.
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CityConnection
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Sir, yes sir!

Wow. Never thought I'd run into OS snobs on this forum. Talk about a virus...
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Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer

I will also add another tip: NEVER run using your administrator account in Windows! Always run as a limited user and stay out of the administrator account. Why? Well, the administrative account is the only one that can download and run new executables from the web. Stay away from it and the OS will deny access to the program. You can still use the admin account when needed by logging out of your limited account and logging in as admin and then doing your downloads. As for what OS I use, I am on Windows XP Home and have never had an issue with viruses while following my simple strategy to lock down the machine. I do have anti-virus, but it is Microsoft Security Essentials which is free to anyone with a legit copy of a Windows OS. I like it over some of the others as it has heuristics built in that let it find some zero day exploits before they hit the updates.
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Coche Blanco
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Troll Certified

inb4 this becomes an OS debate.


Windows is fine, so is Mac's OS, and so is Linux. Use what you want, don't complain that we use something else.
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3tech
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nerys
Nov 25 2010, 01:41 AM
Do you know why Mac has FEW viruses and such? 5% of the worlds computers run mac. LESS run Linux (home computers not servers)

thats why and thats the ONLY reason why.
It doesn't matter what the reason is... does it?

Virus, and malware free, and loving it :rocker



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nerys
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Grr

well not free just less likely 3tech. and that will only last as long as mac is a small percentage of the users. once it accrues more users IT WILL be attacked.

either way I have never had a root kit on my system. why? NEVER EVER USE AUTORUN. its really that simple. the only way to get rooted is to either run an executable or to well run an executable (which happens when you autorun)

I am pretty sure I nailed it down to an infected program I downloaded though still unclear how it effected some but not others. I am not going to experiment to find out - file deleted secured clean copy :-)
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3tech
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No, I'm free of it, and all of the (hundreds, if not thousands) stupid little glitches that you guys seem to be OK with.

It was a lot of money for cheap SOB like me to spend, but it was so worth it, it's not funny.
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