AntivirusXP 2008

I've still got my dos 6.22 setup discs (6, on good old fashioned floppies), and it wasn't that long ago that I used them.. I just found out that you can still get that stuff from m/s ! http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=96cc3197-b7e5-4b31-badb-ddaac771295f&displaylang=en

Summary of thread - end result

Final score. virus 1 elnav 0 Lost - one whole month of income.

Using the information posted here and on CNET regarding manual removal I tried my best. Lacking transportation I was not able to get into the nearest town and get a computer store to help. I ended up with a non bootable computer. Getting another computer going and then adding the infected HD as a second drive simply resulted in two infected drives.

Using Knoppix I tried to look at the infected drive and as soon as I tried to examine the first folder; the whole drive vanished as if it wasn't there. Someone had mentioned that you should NOT reboot the computer in SAFE mode since this was apparently known to cause the malware to make all the files hidden. Didn't realize it could apply to whole drive. Talked to a couple of computer IT guys who admitted this virus also gave them conniptions. If you catch it early enough befoere it mutates, Microsoft may be able to eradicate it. But plugging in a new HD loaded with the original Software gets your knuckles rapped by MS for having an "illigal second copy" running on a non authoreized machine. At least that is what Microsoft Tech support told me by phone. They demanded $199.95 USD payable in advance to fix my problem by first re-registering a new software XP package. .

As a result I am now going to get a LINUX machine. Am presently using a borrowed machine for email. Oh yeah, also got black listed for spamming. I have to get a new IP address since my old one is now blacklisted by industry watch dogs. I tried to fix the problem while leaving the machine running online. Unbeknownst to me the malware was spewing spam all over the globe, while I was trying to find a solution. My service provider recieved numberous complaints and had to shut me down. The only effective approach is to use a second computer to download remedies and removal tools. I didn't have a second computer up and running.

Now with a clean machine, I have no problems reaching websites offering free malware defense etc. It is obvious that my previous attempts were all redirected by the malware since none of the websites look the same as what I saw with the malware present.

Thanks to one and all who tried to assist.

end of thread!

A Russian virus posing as antivirus software attacked my AVG protected computer recently. It was very professional looking, put icons everywhere. The icon looked like the Windows defender icon, but it was red. I first checked my system with AVG and it found no problems. I googled 'System Suite' and found out it is a virus. Malwarebytes antimalware was recommended, I used the free offer and it worked.

I had to re-install my AVG, and maybe a few threads are still there, but overall the computer seems ok. I have since purchased the Malwarebytes software, just as a reward to them for a good job. They offer a pro version, I think, will have to check it out.

What a coincidence! It just happens to be 'go back to school' time and guess what? The computer folks are gearing up for major sales in new computers.

Coincidence? I think not! Why do we see annual malware attack peaks coincide with the push for major volume computer sales as new college students gear up for their first year. "gotta have a lap-top!" Oh my old computer got infected and the cost to clean up is almost as much as buying something new. But wait! the new models have so many nifty new features. What is a few hundred $$ extra when you get so many new features. . . . . . Yeah sure. Just call me an old sceptic.

For the first time I have seen an infected computer that only has dial up. It was my impression that the current generation of malware that attempted to exploit computers as 'botnets' didn't bother with slow dial ups. In any case this particular computer had the usual array of fre protection software including Microsoft Defender installed. This was done by a dealer back in July 2009.

The unfortunate aspect of dial up use stems from the fact most updates are so large you simply cannot accomplish a download from one day to the next. And while the download is happening,the phone is unusable for anythign else. This makes a user very reluctant to accept updates.

Regrettably people now seem to accept malware infections as something they just have to put up with and to spend lots of money for protection. The typical argument is why bother to try and hunt down the perpetrators, you can't fix it so just put up with it. There are still large areas where high speed low cost internet access is not possible.

In the past month I have been bombarded with emails saying I should 'click here' for a 'free' computer check. they suggest my computer has slowed down as a result of undesirable malware, etc. etc. By now I know this is just a smoke screen. Why can't we hunt down these b****rds and put them out of business for good. Since the email requires you to click and link to their website to initiate the computer 'scan' it must be tracable.

'Traceable' is the big question. I once used a program to trace a trojan. The program traced the ip address right back to the street address in Atlanta, a software company no less. I stopped there, because I did not know if they initiated the trojan or maybe one of their computers was infected with this problem and now was just a slave. That can happen, so your trace can lead you to another victim, not the original perp. Telling the difference is a real challenge. Directly confronting the victim may have any response, an unknown. Confronting the perp can either drive him underground to another ip address, or just reward you with more viruses, another unknown.

One thing that seems to work somewhat is complaining to the credit card companies. You can get a perp's account shut down if enough complaints come in. Of course, he will just move on to a new name, that seems to be the case. So many all too similar cases are popping up, it's probably the same a******s just changing their name. These creeps have all day to remake their website, the profits are undoubtebly sweet.

Another tip I found. Some viruses can hide in the Restore program. If you have a particularly troublesome problem, you can just turn off Restore for a minute. That will remove all previous restore information, so make sure you want to do that.

Mike K wrote: 'Traceable' is the big question. I once used a program to trace a trojan. The program traced the ip address right back to the street address in Atlanta, a software company no less. I stopped there, because I did not know if they initiated the trojan or maybe one of their computers was infected with this problem and now was just a slave.

I wasn't talking about amateur DIY attempts. A friend worked with several federal agencies on bosth sides of the border tracing such things. And in several cases it led to the arest of perpetrators. It can be done.

Make the creation of malware as in programm writing; as well as control of botnets a federal crime with UN signatories plus placement of extradition treaties , then watch the fur fly. Any nation that refused to become a signatory would automatically find sanctions levied against their internet access . That will get their attention.