OT--Virus warning!

[KKB]

TWICE in the last 2 weeks we have been sucked into this, so wanted to give others a heads up if you didn't know of it already.
A window pops up looking deceivingly like your computers security window & says you are in danger of a virus, click here to get it fixed--DON'T CLICK!!!!!
I stupidly did it while distracted a couple weeks ago; NIGHTMARE to get rid of. I finally downloaded & paid for trojan killer (a different program...I discovered through research) & all was good.
DD just clicked on something again (She says, "Hey, something just popped up that says you need to scan..." CLI...Me: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" -CK. DANGIT.
This stupid one won't even let me open the Trojankiller, internet, NOTHING on my account--it keeps prompting me to buy its product (of course). But I am running it on another account--hopefully will be solved. (tho 50% scanned it hasn't found it yet---crap)
Apparently this is getting to be a more frequent method for these companies. Basically disable your computer unless you buy their product. Sounds like blackmail to me....
OF COURSE DH's laptop is out of commission right now...I am on my work laptop.
ANOTHER discussion w/ kids to NOT click on ANY pop up!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas to me!!

 

[3boymthr]

Oh, I feel your pain. This happened to me last night only I never clicked on it. I ran my regular malware program and it removed it right away. 7 different files were on my computer and I never even clicked on it.

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

Me too! I opened my computer in the safe mode to run a malware remover. Total PITA!

 

[KKB]

It occurred to me that a tech had me run a System restore once before...worked like a charm!
Coulda saved my $40 to buy trojan killer last time if I had remembered. Oh, well, it was worth the piece of mind at the time.

 

[sam_gordon]

First, I suggest changing your kids accounts to "user" instead of "administrator". That should prevent them from unintentionally installing software.

Second, get firewall and virus protection installed on your machine. I use ZoneAlarm for firewall & AVG for virus protection (both free) on my computer. Avast is another popular free virus protection.

Last but not least, these kind of "security" popups have been around a long time. If you have internet access (through another computer) you can generally type the name of the program it wants you to purchase in a search engine, along with "removal", and you can generally get step by step instructions (for free). Majorgeeks.com (I think that's the name of it) is one I've used.

 

[MamaJessie]

I fell for a program like this about a year ago and just had another one up pop up the other day. This one was called system tools so I deleted it (it was saved FOUR different places on my computer!!) and the "click here" prompts went away before my kids could click there when I wasn't around.

Sneaky programs....

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going into the "tools" section on your browser and set it to prohibit pop-ups and set other fairly high-level security and privacy items. This really helps.

 

[disneychrista]

I have gotten this twice both times after doing a acrobat update.

 

[KKB]

And STILL got it!
Computer only recognizes us as admin...
We have firewall, antiviral, anti-everything else...
No pop ups allowed...
These are sneaky.
I did go online & the step by steps I found all wanted me to download a spyware program...which I don't need. BUT I could not open internet so that wasn't an option even if I needed it.
Systems restore was such a simple solution I'm surprised it isn't suggested more.

 

[sam_gordon]

To me systems restore is a next to last option (with the last being a drive reformat) because depending on how far back you go you might end up losing some "legitimate" programs.

I'm guessing the step by steps you found referenced 'malwarebytes'. That's killed a couple viruses on computers for me at work. It's been very good. If you do have an internet capable computer, but the one you want to clean isn't, you can save a program onto a flash drive and bring that to the infected computer.

 

[marsha123]

This happener to my kids laptop. I am computet illiterate, i have it in safe mode right now. What should i do first to fix this computer ? thanks any advice would be helpful.

 

[sam_gordon]

marsha... if you are truely computer illiterate, I suggest asking a coworker, friend, or other knowledgeable person for help. As far as the basic steps...

1) From an internet capable computer, download Malwarebytes and save to flash (USB) memory. (if the infected computer CAN get to the internet, you can download this directly).
2) On the infected computer, copy the Malwarebytes install file from the flash drive to the harddrive.
3) Before you install, you want to make sure the infected computer CAN get to the internet (so Malwarebytes) can get its updates. This could be 'safe mode with networking'
4) Install Malwarebytes. Allow it to update itself.
5) Run Malwarebytes on a 'Full Scan'. This could take a while depending on how many files on the computer.
6) Take whatever recommendation Malwarebytes recommends.

Good luck.

 

[sk8jdgca]

I had to run a program called rkill first then the malware one you spoke of-I like www.bleepingcomputer.com- they are very helpful there

 

[marsha123]

Thanks so much for the help. My nephew is coming over tomorrow and i am going to have him do these steps . i am scared to try. thanks for all the help.

 

[mistysue]

If it was antimalware doctor, I wish you good luck.

My work computer had a popup at about 2pm Tuesday. I ignored it, but it started acting strange. By 4pm, it had frozen and upon restarting- it no longer recognized that it had a hard drive.

Long story short, after a very long day we had to reformat and install ubuntu because it was refurbished and buying a full install of windows would cost more than buying a new computer all together. I haven't read that anybody else has had that issue, but we have protective software installed (including the rkill and malwarebytes everybody suggests for this EXACT problem) and it did nothing.

 

[jsmith]

Malwarebytes is not a particularly good malware killer-windows denfender is actually better.Spyware Doctor is one of the best-but its not a freebe. It also pays to remember when installing "free" fire walls and anti-virus that companies put developement into products which make the money first. The best anti virus protection is actually user awarness. The "virus" you are getting is actually a cross script -the best way to prevent re infection is to not visit the site from which you recieved it. Most common sources of cross scripting are peer to peer sharing sites -Limewire was notorious-and the sites that use Bit Lord are quiet bad as well. Gaming sites and "adult" sites are also common sources-however even the DIS can be the source of a cross script.
It is also a myth that MACS are less suseptible to virus infection than window-the truth is that MAC OSX is 10 times more porus than Windows 7-its just that the big impact is in writing virus for windows. MAC and most flavors of Linux-including Ubuntu can be infected by cross scripts-there just aren't as many of them written for them. For the user who loaded Ubuntu-i think you'll like it-its fairlly secure and easy to use.

 

[crazelion]

Malwarebytes is not a particularly good malware killer-windows denfender is actually better.Spyware Doctor is one of the best-but its not a freebe. It also pays to remember when installing "free" fire walls and anti-virus that companies put developement into products which make the money first. The best anti virus protection is actually user awarness. The "virus" you are getting is actually a cross script -the best way to prevent re infection is to not visit the site from which you recieved it. Most common sources of cross scripting are peer to peer sharing sites -Limewire was notorious-and the sites that use Bit Lord are quiet bad as well. Gaming sites and "adult" sites are also common sources-however even the DIS can be the source of a cross script.
It is also a myth that MACS are less suseptible to virus infection than window-the truth is that MAC OSX is 10 times more porus than Windows 7-its just that the big impact is in writing virus for windows. MAC and most flavors of Linux-including Ubuntu can be infected by cross scripts-there just aren't as many of them written for them. For the user who loaded Ubuntu-i think you'll like it-its fairlly secure and easy to use.

Darn right spy doctor is not free anymore. I finally had to unstall spy doctor program.

If nephew is a experience computer user he could use program called hijackedthis. Be warn that this is a powerful program and for advance users only.

 

[Ericandjenng]

It sounds like you all have been having the same problems that we have. It happened to both our desktop and laptop off and on since October. I have been arguing with Norton because this started happening just after I renewed my subscription. Until this year, Norton had worked really well for us. I even had to go as far as to use Netscape Navigator to get online and download Mozilla. I like Mozilla much better than IE as my browser but it got hit in the last week or so. I am going to try some of your all suggestions and see if I can get everything back to "normal"...

Thanks for the info

 

[sam_gordon]

I had to run a program called rkill first then the malware one you spoke of-I like www.bleepingcomputer.com- they are very helpful there

I'm sorry, I forgot the rkill step. That will stop the process from running so it can be cleaned. Bleeping computer is another one with step-by-step that I have used.

I haven't read that anybody else has had that issue, but we have protective software installed (including the rkill and malwarebytes everybody suggests for this EXACT problem) and it did nothing.

I've never used rkill or malwarebytes as a PREVENTATIVE measures, just as CLEANING measures.

 

[sam_gordon]

Malwarebytes is not a particularly good malware killer-windows denfender is actually better.Spyware Doctor is one of the best-but its not a freebe.

All I can say is when I've used Malwarebytes, it's cleaned the infection off. I haven't had to go to any extra steps.

The best anti virus protection is actually user awarness. The "virus" you are getting is actually a cross script -the best way to prevent re infection is to not visit the site from which you recieved it.

Of course, in order to not visit the site you got it from, you'd have to know which site you got it from.

I agree with you about "user awareness". I know what's installed on my computer and if I get a pop-up from a "security" program that I know I didn't install, the LAST thing I'm going to do is use that program to "clean" my computer.

If you're not the person responsible for your computer and don't know whether a popup is legitimate or not, ASK the person who IS responsible.

Other commonsense tips:
1) If you get an email from a friend or family member that simply says "Check this out" with a link or attachment, DON'T open it. ASK the sender if they actually sent something.
2) Along the same lines, if you send someone a link or attachment, put something (a nickname?) in the body of the message that indicates it's actually FROM you.
3) Keep your antivirus & firewall programs (whatever they are) updated. Most should have some kind of "automatic" check.
4) Have your antivirus program run a scan regularly. I have mine set for 3am every day.