Computer Viruses

[Steel Shootin']

I have always been pretty careful about scanning my drives for viruses, but it has become more important than ever to do so. When the performance of my computer started slowing down to a snail's pace, I suspected it was not a hardware issue, but corruption of OS file, or corruption of files in other applications I was running. My virus scan software was a little old.

I went to McAfee.com and paid the $29.95 for their one year of online service. I liked the fact that it's updated daily and constantly watching the computer. I think that is especially important given the contant connection through roadrunner.

Anyway, I immediately had it scan all drives, and, sure enough, almost 400 corrupted files. That surprised me. Once McAfee cleaned everything up, the performance of my computer immediately returned to 100%, confirming my suspecian.

I'm just passing this along as an FYI. Some of you guys have corrupted files, which I know because you end up unknowinglysending emails to me at webmaster@spearboard.com. It's a klez virus that automatically does the sending of the email. Some of the more popular emails try to trick the recipient by telling them to install a klez virus, stating that "it just looks like a klez, so that it can fix your computer." Believe it or not, many people have fallen for this.

I estimate getting 20 bad emails a week that contain viruses. I am doing McAfee's 30 day free trial of their anti-spam software, which monitors every email that comes in, and kills any viruses. So far, I'm impressed with it. It does a lot more than Outlook, which is supposed to have some anti-virus capabilities, but has not worked well for me. I'm sure Norton is good too.

Bottom line: If you don't have good, current software scanning for viruses, you should get it asap. Hope this helps.

[201proguide]

thanks for the heads up. i think ill look into that 29.95 a month deal with nortion anit-virus.

[richhermes]

Macaffee and Norton are both good anti-virus software.
I personally run Norton Antivirus2002 and have it automatically update the virus definitions daily. I also run a full system scan weekly.
You can set Norton to scan all incoming AND outgoing mail. That way you know you're not spreading any viruses.

There is some serious shit out there. Trojan Horses that will let the unfriendlys get right past any firewall or router you may be running.

[johnhermes]

My Norton catches that Klez virus at least 10-15 times a week. Klez can kiss my ass.

[Steel Shootin']

Originally posted by 201ProGuide
thanks for the heads up. i think ill look into that 29.95 a month deal with nortion anit-virus. The $29.95 covers one whole year.

[richhermes]

The 29.95 deal is the upgrade offer. If you have no previous version of Norton, I think you have to pay $10 more.

[Steel Shootin']

yeah, I was referring to McAfee. I'm not sure about the pricing of Norton. The McAfee online scanning and monitoring is $29.95 a year, regardless of whether you have had their software in the past.

[GROUPER55]

Maybe I have been lucky over here, I have Macafee that I try to update at least weekly and I have never recieved that klez shit....that or maybe my computer is the outbreak monkey of viruses and its hiding...I was lucky enough to recieve that ****in Nimda virus.....I think it is a favorite of these ****ers over here. I don't know if it would save any headaches, but maybe if you recieve one of those viruses inadvertly you could im or post a pm to the user that computer it originated from? ****, i shit you not, my virus just popped up as I was typing this.......ok now ill send lol.

[richhermes]

Must be slow in Korea. You've been hanging out more often.
Good to see ya!

[GROUPER55]

No just really friggin cold! Its a real pain in the ass walking to the juicy bars in this weather, so most of us just sit in the rooms and plan the next trip to town...

Oh by the way, one of my buddies that runs the small computer shop here on base said hands down, the best way to protect your computer is to get a firewall. I guess I pissed someone off and they actually CREATED A FRIGGIN FOLDER on my computer as a shared file and then started loadin me up. Something I never would have thought of in my simple little mind. Well anyhow, I purchased ZoneAlarm after I posted this am and it has already stopped three little ****ers from China, and one little cocksucker from Seoul from getting on my computer and looking around. Blew my mind, it will actually map out where the distant end computer is and you can report them...its great. After what he told me he could do to a computer if he wanted to "one that did not have a firewall" it scared the shit out of me...he actually made me feel like shit when he said "What, you didn't know that"? Anyhow, theres my 1/2 cent worth of info for today.....Im going to drink some more now, take care all.

[richhermes]

I just got a router. Gotta love a hardware firewall. The router will pull the roadrunner IP and issue separate IP's to my computer's. So when these geek ****s try to scan ports all they get is a dead ip from their viewpoint!

HAHA

[Steel Shootin']

McAfee offers firewall protection, too, but it's extra $$. See http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/mpfp/default.asp

Think I'll get it, though.

[richhermes]

You always have to watch out for software firewalls. Sometimes they can bugger up your registry and keep you from getting online at all, ever after you uninstall it. I have seen a ton of people get hosed systems from Zonealarm and end up reinstalling the OS.

Turn on the built in firewall in XP or get a router.

[Steel Shootin']

I just did the McAfee firewall, and was surprised at what it found immeditately upon restarting my computer. At least four programs internally on my hard drive that request access to the web, including the notorious Gator Corp., which violates your privacy by constantly monitoring all sites you visit on the web, and then reporting those findings to vendors who can target you with pop-up ads. I have now blocked access to all of these requests for access, but didn't even know it existed before.

[inletsurf]

This is what you all need...

http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/fskingme/PhotoImages/StoppingViruses.jpg

[inletsurf]

Scott,

You can get free firewalls off of downloads.com, where I have Zonealarm....it allows you to select which programs can penetrate the wall and which can't.

Also, Gator corp. is a ADWARE (SPYWARE) company that is always downloaded on your computer if you have Grokster or an equivalent file-sharing software. It is most likely attached to one of those programs. The only way to remove it is to also remove the host program, such as Grokster.

In case you're downloading music, there are no worries. You can find some software on downloads.com that are spyware-free, but my suggestion is to use Kazaa-lite, which is Kazaa that has the adware cut out of it by individuals. A search engine should be able to find out where a free download of that is.

Also, get Ad-Aware off of downloads.com. This program will detect and will remove all spyware programs such as Gator. Spyware, although not a virus, sucks because it monitors all of your internet activities, sends it back to a server so that marketing analysts can see what is being looked at.

[Charlestondivin]

There are 3 basic categories of problem code.
Viruses/Worms, Trojan Horses, Spyware/Adware

Viruses
I much prefer Norton Antivirus over Mcafee. Best bet for preventing viruses is to use NAV and set it to update automatic virus defenitions often.
I work as a Network Engineer supporting 400+computer workstations 800+ email users 25+ servers and 2 mainframes. Only once has Norton missed a virus. It was a brand new virus that One of my email users got before Norton added it to their virus defenitions. I have scanned known viruses with Mcafee and it did not detect it.

Anti Virus programs do not detect or remove spyware and trojans.

For that spyware try
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ Great little proggy for removing spyware.
Gator, Time manager, Date Manager, etc. are all key logging spyware crap that should be removed immediatly.

For Trojan Horses try http://www.simplysup.com/tremover/download.html

Where a firewall helps is being able to see these trojans and spyware trying to get out and send data. Make sure you change the default password and ip if using a router. Some of the trojans are programmed to alter your router/firewall.

A hit from the outside on your firewall are people port scanning for easy to hit stuff. Absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Sorry for the long winded post. Not trying to sound g-bag like, thought i could maybe help a bit.




Virus:
A program that self-replicates. Viruses may damage data, cause the computer to crash, display messages, degrade system performance, or lie dormant for an indefinite period of time before activating. It may attach to other programs, it may create copies of itself, It may attach itself to any executable code, including but not limited to boot sectors and/or partition sectors of hard and/or floppy disks.

Trojan Horse:
A Trojan horse is a program that performs some unexpected or unauthorized (usually malicious), actions while hidden inside an authorized program. Typically it relies on someone sending it to you or downloading the authorized program via the web, it does not email itself, it may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort. Its payload is to do damage to or compromises the security of the computer which enables others remote access to the system to do things such as displaying messages, downloading/erasing files or formatting a disk. A Trojan horse usually doesn't infect other host/system files.

Spyware:
Spyware also known as Advertising Supported software (Adware) is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. Spyware is additional tracking software installed on your system via a software virus or as the result of installing a new program, which is continuously "calling home", using your Internet connection to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties.

[Steel Shootin']

Hey Inlet and Charleston, thanks for that good info. Man, it's like a mine field on the web. I'm starting to think I wasted my money with some of these McAfee programs. It's doing its job, but I'll check out the free stuff and maybe take advantage of the 30 day money back guarentee.

When Gator was detected, it prompted me to find it on my hard drive and remove it, so I'll look around for it. Evidently, when you block it but don't remove it, it can cause problems. I'll check out those links and give my computer an enema. :D

[201proguide]

in my previous post, i meant to say 29.95 a year. i accidently said month. but i do like that condom idea:D