HELP! My Computer is INFESTED !!!!!!!!!!!

[MR Bulk]

Hi John,

I had a lot of similar problemas at one time or another, despite using both PC-Cillin (came with the Sony computer I have now) as well as GriSoft's free AVG anti-viral software. Also downloaded Spybot. The last straw came one day when something infected my files to the point where they were unrecoverable.

I broke down and reformatted, then installed (bought and paid for) Norton's Anti-Virus with the daily automatic updates, deleted PC-Cillin and never brought AVG back in, and have not had a problem since. In fact I just paid the annual renewal fee, it's been that long and I am that satisfied.

I bring all this up only because I noted your only mention of anti-virus software was the AVG one (didn't specify if free or not).

The Norton program, after identifying some new bug, will either

1) repair any infected files

2) delete it if it has not attached itself to a file, or

3) not allow access to it (quarantine).

It will pop up a message immediately no matter where I am in the computer, to let me know something is up. Well worth $39.95 (or whatever it was). HTH.

 

[Saaby]

Jtice, just because it's you--and more importantly--just because AdAware and Spybot have already been suggested....

Just give up and get a Mac /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

(CPF et all, don't flame me--I just have to give ticey in particular a hard time. I'm not trying to turn this into a PC vs Mac thread)

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Once you get your box straight:
Turn off JAVA,
Get Mozilla so you can fine tune what Javascript can do to you,

Consider using a top-notch privacy service. This is the 21st century and this is not going to get any better -- it can only get worse. Bite the bullet. Look at the time you've wasted trying to straighten this stuff out -- over and over.

I use the best, most highly configurable service on the web and it cost me only $5.95/mo -- and the price will never go up. For that small amount I get bullet-proof email with more anti-spam options than anywhere else, unlimited email aliases that I can make up on the fly and cancel at any time, 50MB space for a personal website, 50MB email storage and much more.

I connect to one of their proxies through stunnel for everything, mail and all surfing. Their proxy filters out web bugs, referrer tags, E tags, malicious Javascript and many other attacks. They destroy their logs on a 5 day rotation.

I really can't do it justice here -- that was just a very small sample of their services.

Check out their Features page here. Link Removed, see note below.
If you read the whole page it will blow your mind. It's a good read. Look around a bit. Check out their Privacy Policy.
Give yourself a break, especially if you're running Windows.

I'm paid up for years.

EDIT: Took out business link. Sorry, it never occured to me that it may have been inappropriate. PM me for the company info if you are interested.

 

[eluminator]

I would never hook up to the internet with NT (Win2k, XP, etc.) without a firewall. Something is trying to access my internet port 135 about once a minute. I assume it's the Blaster worm. It's also a very good idea to disable the Messenger Service. Not to be confused with Windows Messenger on XP, which I also get rid of.

The current version of Zone Alarm will configure itself and should install easily.

Be careful what you download. I'm told the file sharing services like Kazaa will pollute your computer in a hurry.

 

[Floating Spots]

Any open shares (even with passwords)?
Firewall on internet?
Drive by downloads (always click cancle on popups)?

 

[jtice]

OK, heres an update.

I used to use Zone Alarm, its not TOO bad,
i am trying Outpost now. Seems better.

When Windows boots, it says it cant find C:\WINDOWS\System32\services\services.exe

these trojans are in the recycling bin,,,,, which is MISSING !!!!!!!
dmproxy.dll
dmserver.exe.
DMUpdate.exe

The search function in Windows Explorer,,,,, is MISSING !!!!!

I am even more pissed than before.

I really dont want to format this thing.

Im going to go cry now.

 

[eluminator]

I'd forgotten about popups. I haven't seen one since I installed the Google toolbar.

 

[_mike_]

You might want to do a search for System File Checker, also known simply as sfc. It's a utility that comes with Windows (all flavors, I think) and can replace corrupt system files with good ones from your Windows CD, or CAB files.

Do a search to learn how to properly use this utility for your specific flavor of Windows (though they are all probably run exactly the same, not sure).

It sometimes works, sometimes not ..... but at this point it is worth a try.

Mike

 

[dano]

Re: HELP! My Computer is INFESTED !!!!!!!!!!!

Bunch of coolstuff, here: http://grc.com/default.htm


--dan

 

[Negeltu]

Re: HELP! My Computer is INFESTED !!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes when the security of a system has been compromised to such an extent... it is best just to do a full reinstall. Otherwise i can assure you that you will be working on this for awhile and still not be certain that you have cleaned your system. I would rather go through the suffering of reinstalling than to worry constantly about the security of my system.

 

[Moat]

Re: HELP! My Computer is INFESTED !!!!!!!!!!!

If you do end up doing a clean reinstall, it might be worthwhile to also install a "ghosting" program (PowerQuest Drive Image or Norton Ghost) which creates an image of the hard drive exactly as you set it up (clean!). It saves that "image" as a separate file, and can re-load the image in just a few mouse clicks and about 5 minutes. You can also take multiple images as you go along in the fresh install, and reload any of them back to where you like. Images can be saved to CD and re-loaded at boot-up, if it's necessary. Handy program.

 

[BuddTX]

[ QUOTE ]
Greymage said:
I've never had a virus on my home computer, even though I usually keep Norton off since it slows down the system. If you're careful about the things you run on your system and make sure you're behind a firewall, you don't really have to worry.

[/ QUOTE ]

Respectfully, I USED to think just like Greymage. For years I never had a virus, and hated AVS. And I did surf the net, and did download stuff.

But now, I fully believe that AVS, kept up to date, and "spyware removal" software are necessisities.

Look at the thousands of corporations that have been hit with viruses (virusi?) in the last few years. Sure some of them were lax, but not all of them, their firewall did not protect them.

And Spyware! Find a computer that has been on the net, and chances are, that there is some spyware on it.

I have "cash registers" that are W2K boxes, and people don't even know that they are PC's, and I run NAV software and Ad-Aware software on them.

 

[Icebreak]

Saaby -

The Mac stuff has finally gotten on my nerves. No matter how it is qualified, when an MS user is drowning, about to lose communiction with the group, "Get a mac." finds no humor with me.

jtice -

Message sent.

 

[Negeltu]

Finds no humour with me in any situation. I've had a mac and prefer a pc over one anyday. Hope you get your problem taken care of. I would seriously consider a clean reinstall...and next time make sure you are "adequately" protected.

 

[DrGwat]

I've fixed several computers like yours... without reinstalling Windows or formatting. Actually, my windows 98se machine is going on 5 years of daily use, running great with no problems. Never reinstalled windows or reformatted.

1st, do a disk cleanup, removing all windows temp files and internet explorer temp files.
2nd, install zone alarm firewall so you know what's going in and out.
3rd, run spybot and adaware with newest definitions. Get rid of all the crap they find.
4th, install the google toolbar with popup blocker. It'll help you with next step.
5th, remove some startup programs using msconfig. This requires a little bit of web research to decide which programs can be removed. Google toolbar's search features really help with this process.
6th, Install Norton virus scan (not system works!) and AVG virus scan. Run them both through.
7th, run scan disk and defrag utilities. Diskeeper works better than the older windows defrag utility, but may not do as thorough a job.
8th, run a program called regcleaner or similar to clean out unecessary registry stuff.
9th, Go to www.pcpitstop.com and let them go over your machine. I've found that website to be really helpful with tweaking my computer's performance.
10th, most of this stuff is part of my monthly maintenence schedule. I use Macs alot also, and never have to do any of this stuff with them. But despite this, I still find that I can do way more and more quickly with PCs running windows. Still haven't tried any other OS.

 

[x-ray]

jt,

Try running Spy Sweeper, it found and removed spyware on my system that both Ad-Aware and SpybotS&D missed.

Also worth trying Spy Audit , it's a fast online spyware/trogan scanner.

Good Luck

<font color="blue">*** EDIT ***</font>

Also once your system is clean and running properly, I would highly recommend that you install Spyware Blaster. It does not remove or scan for any existing spyware but offers good protection against any future infection.

 

[jtice]

Thanks so much guys !!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I am at work now, but when I get home, I will try everything here, that I already havent tried.
Lot of good info and resources here! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I got it running alittle better last night, at least Windows wasnt using 90+ meg, and 99% CPU any more.
Recycling bin is back also. lol

Some of these sites look really good. I will check them all out tonight.

Jeff- Got your email, will be reading over it tonight also, thanks alot.

I will keep you guys posted.

Thanks again.

-john

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Make sure AVG is set to scan ALL files on ALL drives (complete scan), and try HijackThis. Go to http://computing.net/ in the security and virus area, plus the XP area. To post, you need to be a member (free).