*comfort* There, there. The best thing I can think of is to get a nicely-sized external hard drive, transfer all the files you want to keep, and then nuke your computer. That's what I did. A less expensive way would be to grab Norton Antivirus or something, even though it hasn't really worked that well for me in the past. Made my computer reboot randomly.

You know how you like different food to some people? It's like that. Some like helping people out, others like causing ANGUSH AND DESTRUCTION.

That's just how it works. My sadism branches off into that sorta thing, but I supress it. Some people don't have the strength to do that {and at the same time have the programming skill to carry it out, which I don't, but that's not the point anyway}.

Too many programming geeks with antisocial tendencies and bones to pick with society?

Don't blame programmers for your problems. Your issue is with giggling 14 year olds with nothing better to do and 30 year olds living in mom's basement with oversized ego's.

Virus's are only the second worst thing on todays problems list. Adware and Spyware are on the top, in fact most virus makers have their programs hide IN spyware since its so prevalent on systems today.

Personally I use AVG antivirus (Norton is too much of a RAM hog to use with a gaming system), Spybot with both of its resident shields on, I have ad-aware on and updated to scan when I need it, I always have 'Hijack This!', CWS shredder, a registry cleaner, and CCleaner all on hand to deal with problems.

But that alone doesn't do it completely. You also need to learn safe surfing habits, what do allow to install and what not a allow, and learn to recognize first signs something got past your anti-malware programs.

It sucks but in order to be the safest you can be against malware you have to be knowledgable about it.

~Rico

They exist because of pranksters and idiots. As Rico said, it's a combination of a good program and net smarts that'll save you.

By the way, does anyone know the correct plural? I thought it was virii.

Rico. DUDE. I wish I had your knowledge of those sorts of things. I'm a pretty adept computer user, and I can hack around most obstacles, but as far as viruses and malware and spyware... I don't really know the difference. Say, what is malware, anyway?

I knew there was a plural form of "virus", but I really don't know exactly what. Virii. Hmm. Sounds right.

The plural of virus is Viruses

malware (malwr) (n.) Short for malicious software, software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus or a Trojan horse.

I don't 'hack'. I don't claim to be a programmer or even to know basics of coding VB, C++, or PHP like Vector and Lighthead do. I'm an expert on troubleshooting and fairly decent in network security and domain administration.

~Rico

The only bit of software I'd like to add to Rico's list of goodies is a good firewall. If you are on broadband using the firewall on your router just isn't enough, get a personal computer firewall that can block both incoming and outgoing IP requests. If malware gets in it usually tries to report to somebody, and your firewall will let you know that a program you haven't listed as safe has made a request. Agnitum used to offer a free version of it's firewall software, and it's pretty robust, haven't checked in a while tho.

Jimro

You know as much as a lot of viruses etc come from lowlife tech heads with about as many friends as a housefly on sleeping pills, I think an increasing ammount of things like that are actually created by highly respected and famous companies!

Sure it's illegal, but if it sells software or something, why not use it?

You know the stuff I mean, programs saying things like "Hackers have access to your computer they know X, X and X about your computer! Click here to get something to combat them!"

And yeah, I feel for anyone who has been attacked...my computer's still recovering from a spate of Spyware too, as Rico and The Bizzbomber will testify.

Wraith

Ah yes, I recommend Sygate. I don't need it due to a hardware firewall. Forgot about that.

~Rico

I just recovered from an IE-borne trojan and about 30 spyware in two weeks. Family over, they're all using IE on my computer. Crashed it. Had to do a system restore.

You'd probably get more responses to this in MFC, Marble Garden is a sort of weird place for this thread.

All of my friends have that stupid AIM virus right now so I get repeated IMs (that the virus sends) with the virus link in it. I almost clicked on it the other day.

The only bit of software I'd like to add to Rico's list of goodies is a good firewall. If you are on broadband using the firewall on your router just isn't enough, get a personal computer firewall that can block both incoming and outgoing IP requests.
Better yet, an Athlon 1.2 box running Redhat Server.

And I though 800 bucks for a hardware firewall was expensive.

You can make a Linux firewall out of a spare computer for REAL cheap if you don't mind doing the work yourself. If you don't know how to do the work yourself, contact a LUG, Linux Users Group, in your area and they will usually help you out.

Jimro

Yeah, Marble Garden was an odd place, but it was the only place I could think of at that particular moment.

I ended up just reformatting my entire computer. I had back-up files at home, so I'm good in that aspect. However, I'm having some people at my college reconfigure my wireless card back into the network, since reformatting the system wiped that as well. And I'm also in the market for a new security system. Those that ya'll suggested sounded good, if not expensive. OfficeScan was loaded on my computer when I got the Trojan. OfficeScan just quarentined it so it duplicated itself 15 times over. And when I loaded McAffee it was too late...

Oh well, live and learn....

Removing viruses with McAfee is about like killing weeds with scissors. I just have never had any luck with it at all. AVG, Symantec, Trend Micro's PCCILLIN, those I have had much luck with in terms for viruses.

~Rico

Quote:

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My computer is recovering from the trojan Nail.exe file, which is somehow connected to Aurora.

---

So, is this like the ultimate spyware? Unremovable by any normal means sans a full hard drive wipe?

There is no such thing as an unremoveable virus or malware. Formatting is just the lazy way out. As such, I do it very often.

You too? Wait, Questern you DID get rid the trojan right?

~Rico

The only time I don't recommend a format is for those who have data that needs to be backed up, and as soon as it's backed up I format as soon as possible and do a clean install. If you get a real nasty virus on a drive that has irreplaceable data I usually recommend turning the computer off and pulling the drive then installing the drive in another computer, protected either with antivirus or different OS, and copying the files needed. Rarely does a virus infect non system files as a course of action. I've done this for a friend twice now.

Jimro

You better believe I got rid of it. But I also wiped my wireless card, which has yet to be restored. And all my college provides is a wireless network. But, other than having absolutly no access to the internet (except through computer labs), it works. I'm hoping the tech support people here will be able to restore my computer to its former glory days... T_T

I use a combination of ZoneAlarm (which comes with anti-spyware, anti-virus and firewall software, and an update feature) and regular Spybot checks. I also clear out my temp files about once a fortnight.

Do you guys think that's enough to protect me from most of the malicious stuff on the net? I surf reasonably safely.

It's not too bad; I don't know how good Zonealarm's antivirus functions are, but the firewall's pretty good. If you clean out your temporary internet files that'll get rid of most of the tracking cookies, and Spybot's fairly efficient.

It's all horses for courses really. Sure, there are other programs and hardware firewalls you could buy/download that'd make your computer safer, but unless you're on your computer all the time I doubt you'd need it.

...yeah, but all it takes is one stupid, all-powerful virus to totally screw up your computer....

The only real prevention for malware is user knowledge. If you know what do to when, you can solve most problems before they start.

~Rico

Firewall: Kerio or Zonealarm (Harware firewalls are always handy)
Antivirus: AVG Free does a great job
Spyware Remover:Webroot Spysweeper. I havent seen a better program. = 3