infection galore

This is the first time I have ever seen a computer a sick as this.

---Begin Story------
A couple of nights ago a good friend of mine said that their computer and internet was lagging quite a bit. So I went over there to check it out. As soon as I opened up IE, I instantly knew what was wrong. Their menubar had dissapeared and their URL bar and quick buttons had been minimized to one side so you can't see them, Now the only bar that was visible was some help search. I couldn't move it, I couldn't remove it at all. So I figured that this was a browser hijacker. I downloaded X-Cleaner, and ran it. HOLY CRAP! It found a total of 10 spyware/adware/dialers/browser hijackers.
I removed them and I figured where there is spyware there is virii, so I ran Mcafee. Another HOLY CRAP! It found 8 virii/worms. Most of them were worms, and I'm pretty sure that they caused some of the adware or spyware. After cleaning and rebooting, Mcafee firewall poped up and told me that "abetterinternet.exe" was trying to connect to the internet. Of course I blocked it because that was one of the adware virii. Then the next day I scanned the computer again and it found 2 more virii. This computer needs serious TLC.
( Oh yeah, this computer has only been online for less than a month. )
---End Story------

1. If a strange search bar showed up on your IE an all other bars dissapeared. would you use it? Well my friend was. That explains how illiterate my friend is with computers.

2. This really pisses me off because my friends that don't know anything about computers are getting raped online by greedy, coniving bastards. And the computers only use is for multimedia. So why is the Internet so unsafe? I thought that the Internet was supposed to be this high-tech living growing being that was to help everybody.

3. Is there anything more I can do to try to help make the internet safe for anybody? Is it a losing battle?

The best way to fight this stuff is to spread the word... Tell people (and show them) how to protect themselves on the Internet... These people prey on ignorance, the only fix for this is knowledge.

It's a losing battle only if people refuse to grow aware.The attitude most people carry to a virus/malware problem is something like"Oh,why bother updating?It wont affect me".They fail to realise how many sites there're actually out there that do.What needs to be done is a general spreading of the awareness.It's spread over the years..I actually hear people use the word trojan even though they have no idea of what it means(yes,most of them are scrippies but that's besides the point).Ask your friend to get Adaware,Spybot S&D,a firewall,the google toolbar remover(if he uses google a lot),and a good antivirus..and make sure he keeps them all updated.You wont stay uninfected even with all these,but you'll have a better chance.Awareness is the key is my opinion
psst..and tell him to keep off the pr0n;)

mungyun,

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high-tech living growing being

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That does describe the Internet, however wherever a dollar can be made or a crook/deviant can hang out, you will find them there. So You and I, that are familiar with the pitfalls that may be present, have a duty and an opportunity, to assist our friends and others that do not possess the same understanding. At every chance, educated them about firewalls, spybots, adware, viruses, worms, trojans, hijacks, safer surfing habits, and the like. As with most things, it's all about education. Those that know - teach others.

cheers

Hey... Pr0n is safe as long as you go to the right sites, and run Spybot/AdAware.


If you stick to nice, clean, reputable pr0n sites, you'll be ok....


Come on people, pr0n is not evil.

Since your fiend is not that compatent with computers, i would configure mcaffe to do automatic system scans and make sure hercustic (forgive the spelling!) scanning is enabled.

Put a Firewall on for them Zone Alarm is excellent for beginers and free depending on what version you want.

If you are finding viri etc everyday I would proberbly format the hard drive and start from scratch, since the comp is only a month old, this may be a good course of action to take as there prob isnt much data that will be lost.

After formating install macaffe again, update it and enable: Auto update, Automatic system scan and hercustic scanning.

This should keep viruses worn etc at bay without much imput from your friend.

Then get a firewall zone alarm is good for beginers as i have said so your friend should get to grips with it in no time.

Install Spybot and anyothe adware removal tools you think necessary and show your friends how to use them!

You will just have to show them how to be a bit more "internet aware" and not to click on everything that says downloads this etc, and yup tell them to stay away from dodgy porn sites! Make sure they use the good law obiding. pillar of the community, fun for all the family porn sites!! :D

This should keep your friends as safe as he/she can be untill they get a bit more computer friendly!

Yes this really pisses me off too, but why would you think the internet should be a safe place. It allows you to get files from anyone at all no questions asked. Just like real life you shouldn’t just accept anything from anyone at all.

Unfortunately an unpatched computer will download and execute anything at all from anyone that knows how to use the vulnerabilities without you even knowing it.

The most important thing one can do is keep the computer updated with all patches. The computer your friend is using may be only one month old to him but its been in the store for a while and in a warehouse for a longer time before it got there. There’s plenty of holes in a supposedly new computer. With a windows computer the very first thing that should be done is install a firewall to protect you from the worms which you are not yet patched against then go to the ms-update site and get the fixes.

There is nothing wrong with porn? Would you recommend your sister pursue a career in it? I wouldn’t accuse someone that puts porn on the net for download of having a high ethical or moral standard. This act alone shows their primary concern in life is making money and too many of them will do much more than distribute smut to get it like distributing scumware for money.

Then you have the so called anti-porn lunatics that attack those that want to download porn with malicious programs.

It’s a jungle

Yeah, I just ended up reinstalling XP and adding all of the proper protection programs. The problem with explaining how to protect yourself online is when you tell them that they need specific software, you will have to explain everything. When I was telling him about this stuff, he gave me mostly nods and a few yeah and ok's. I don't know if he understands, or if he will. but I will make sure his computer is safe at least

Here is another problem..

You buy a name brand PC.. It is in a sealed box..

1/ how long is it since it was built?
2/ what patches are needed since the OS build
3/ is the antivirus installed (Acer don't on their cheap machines), is it a 60/90 day trial or a full year subscription.
4/ Instructions for assembly are includes and a quick how to of Windoze.. but do any include basic Security information?

With those thoughts in mind and the knowledge of the time between release of a patch and the release of a worm/virus ( I think sasser was less than 3 weeks) is getting shorter. What is the likleyhood of Joe Average getting their new PC home .. and connecting up to the internet and being Blasted straight back off again?

It would be nice if the big-guns IBM, H/P, Dell etc had a direct dial number for pre-internet connection patching (ok this will not be so good when patch and worm release is the same time or worse).. oh and a complimentery AV update (and activation)..

For the retailers that do care about the customers, they are now no longer in a position to help the customer when it comes to the "Pre-Delivery fixes", that is taking the TIME to apply any patches needed or even doing a complete MS update. As well there is the "Pre-Ownership Training" .. the security information, and how to configure the machine, recommending alternate browsers and email clients.. Disabling certain Services in the machine.

With the Profit in some of the name brand machines now being less than a hours tech labour per thousnad dollars.. Why would the retailer bother open the box to help.. "Yeh mate.. If Ya have a problem here is HP's phone number on the side of the box..Bye"

I just need to learn (among a lot of other things) how to setup a scripted install cd to apply critical updates and a few registry changes.. and sell that to customers ..

As for Pron sites causing problems..

The worst machines I have encountered for virii, trojans and Parasiteware have had pron sites in the history.. BUT I am encountering more and more WITHOUT..


Cheers

mungyun, how long have you spent working on that machine? and how much time have and would you expect to spend "Training" these people to safely use the machne.

The reason I ask is to add to my comments above.. A quick look at some US tech sites and I notice labour rates in the $45-65 hr range.. not cheap..(esp when I charge $45 Aus and the exchange rate is <70cents US = 1 Aus dollar and the going rate in Aus is also in the $45 - 65 range )..

I haven't spent much time on that computer before this, but i usually help my family and friends with their computer problems so they don't have to pay 45 dollars just to install ram, or to pay 50 an hour to have someone come and run a virus scanner and some recovery disc that you can download free. I don't really try to train them, I just try to explain

Also I asked about their pron usage and (truthfully or not) they said that they didn't go on much. only to laugh at it. I believe that none of them would purchase any porn either.

Also, my parents computer had some of the same adware&virii that my friends did and I know my dad doesn't go to those sites.

All adware/spyware etc dont necessarily just come from porn sites they can come from absolutly anywhere on the internet!!

About a year and a half ago i remember a patch for Operation Flashpoint from Codemasters had a virus in it!

You wouldnt expect to get a virus downloading a patch for a game from a very reputable company!

But hey, it happens!

All you can do is install a firewall, anti-virus and things like spybot and keep them updated ensuring you use them regularly and be very paranoid about everything!

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All adware/spyware etc dont necessarily just come from porn sites they can come from absolutly anywhere on the internet!!

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I would go along with that, I came across a machine used by a local hotel: old version of IE, using Outlook Express as the mail client with "preview" turned on. Because the hotel has an internet presence to advertise, the address gets picked up by spambots and the like ............preview was opening them all:rolleyes:

I got rid of 106 items of malware........................I know that the machine is not used to visit prOn sites, or for any sort of deliberate net browsing, just opening and sending e-mails.

The only reason I came across it was that the OE preview had opened a spam with a corrupt header and that just froze the system.

Anyway from what I have seen related to prOn sites, it is trying to get you to visit them.........if you are already there............................ :confused:

It is certainly education and keeping things up to date, but in this case it was virtually an automated process with no user interaction required!

Cheers

I think I know why companies (large or small) cannot distribute a "fix" CD with new computers. I used to go to a local small computer store to hang out (yeah, I was a geek). All the time people would come in with this virus or some spyware. The owner of the store would quickly run something like adaware or spybot and an anti-virus program and send the person on their way (it was free to people who purchased their computers from that store). I asked the owner why he didn't just throw a quick CD together with those programs and this was his reply:

"I would have to compensate (pay) the software creators for the product."

Some kind of intellectual property rights bull. Using their products for financial gain of his business would infringe on some of those rights. Even freeware couldn't be distributed that way. Only if he made the program could he distribute it. I'm not sure if this is true, as I’m not a lawyer, but I do wonder if anything can be done about this. Maybe there could be some agreement of distribution.

Now, I'm not fully sure with all of the laws and legalities out there, but what if you had a computer store and sold someone a computer with say, linux on it and gave them a update disc with free or open source software that the company allowed. It seems plausable with linux, for windows?

Mungyun,

I think the complication is that the store might be thought to be getting "commercial advantage" by providing the freeware/shareware?

I don't see any real problem in providing the links and a text set of instructions and checklist though? Then it is up to the private individual to get the software/upgrades.

I reckon that would be legal in most countries?

Thoughts anyone?

I came across a clients pc that had 164 virii and trojan programs. I had a hell of a time cleaning that mess up. What got me was that they were on dialup and not a broadband connection but they had never updated the OS or the AV dat files and their daughter had installed kazaa right after they got the PC. I believe that educating everyone you know that has a computer about security and even writing up a monthly maintenance schedule for them to follow is a responsibility of those of us that get it.

Now I will say that some people will just never get it and those people should be banned from using the internet.

nihil: I believe that giving an individual a written set of instructions with links to the mentioned resources would be legal in most countries. If the programs are freely available and you and I can find them and use them, why not educate the normal user in the availability.

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Originally posted here by ccKid
their daughter had installed kazaa right after they got the PC.

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That is the problem. People think that kazaa is safe and they'll run that before installing any virus scanners, anti-spyware, etc. The computer gets sick, then the person will install this security stuff on top of it all. and chances are that these people are not even using the right stuff to fix the problem.