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Tarq57

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Posts posted by Tarq57

  1. I use Limewire. It's clean.

    Files you download using it may not be, especially if you elect to download programs or (some) movies.

    (The downloading of cracked programs is particularly fraught, and the user is likely to get what is deserved.)

    Take the time to learn, maybe on the Limewire (or any p2p) forum how to more easily recognise such files.

    Whatever you download, scan it before running it.

  2. Seems you have a multi-faceted problem, which could have more than one source.

    Possibilities:

    --you have one or more infections.

    --your file associations for some operations have become corrupted/absent.

    --your autorun has become corrupted.

    --other.

     

    Normally it would be appropriate to post a full HJT log, having gone through the malware removal proceure. It seems this needs to be rushed a bit, though.

    I'm reasonably well versed in the ways of Windows, this is what I would do, considering the time budget.

    --Reconsider using system restore for the problem. I have had the odd situation where it hasn't functioned correctly, nothing approaching a nightmare, though. It should be straightforward.

     

    --Download MBAM, install it, during the install, tick the boxes to check for updates and scan the computer. It's possible that if malware is detected, it will ask to delete files on reboot, answer yes, and reboot promptly.

     

    --Download the Autoplay repair wizard to your desktop. Run it, go through the prompts.

    --Check if anything is better.

    --If the camera came with a software installation disk, try reinstalling the software.

    Good luck.

  3. This is the second informative video I've seen put out by F-secure.

    I found it interesting,too. Good wide-view sort of round up of where the malware writers are at at the time of making. Quite eye-opening.

    I would bet the average user who happens to be hosting part of a botnet wouldn't have the foggiest idea that the resultant profits are supporting insurgents in places like Iraq.

  4. I've had a couple of offers from a lovely sounding lady in Nigeria to help her spend her fathers' inheritance. :P

    (Actually, I think it was two different ladies. Both extremely christian sounding, both had fathers with goldmines. Strange coincidence.)

  5. I was put off using paypal a two or three years ago, having read of a very large number of significant disputes.

    I'd never look at using them.

    Like it or not, the organization has a name, now, that is far from popular with many.

    An alternative means of donation (for all sorts of software providers) would be welcome.

  6. MBAM is antimalware, like Superantispyware. They are both very good, and similar in function, for spyware, rogues, trojans etc, not so much viruses. Use whichever you prefer. One might be better than the other for different malware, depending on what it is, on the day. (Which is why, with this type of "traditional" malware scanning it has usually been recommended to have more than one scanner. Which isn't a problem if you have plenty of drive space. Since you don't, you might have to choose. Superantispyware occupies ~15MB on my system, MBAM ~3Mb. (Check "add/remove programs".

    Re your Q on Cureit, Yes. It also detects and is capable of removing a fair bit of malware. But mainly an AV.

    Your approach is probably fairly good given the resource constraints, but the problem with this sort of reactive approach is that it's a bit like shutting the door after th horse has bolted. Yes, you might find something parasitinc on the computer, and remove it successfully, but the question is: what has it sent to the evil mothership from the time it installed to the time you found it?

    A software, two - way firewall can prevent this. Doesn't have to be fancy, like Comodo 3 with D+, a simple firewall like Kerio 2, or even Filseclab would make a huge difference in this area of protection. Indeed, I would consider this absolutely essential.

    (Don't ask me for a recommendation for a very basic or rather "low resource" firewall, I think the two I've suggested would do, but I don't really know.)

    Another mitigation would, of course, not having anything on that computer you're not prepared to have stolen.

  7. 160MB RAM,

    There's your problem, I reckon.

    MBAM is a (very good) antimalware scanner, rather than an AV scanner.

    Try Dr Web's Cureit.

    Standalone demand scanner. Good. No install. Use, then delete. Re-download anew when you need it updated.

    Do I understand from your post above that you have no resident AV installed?

  8. I had a look at the update process while using Process Explorer, but the danged thing closed before I could locate the port used. (One of the problems with being up to date all the time.)

    The only thing I can offer is that the updater is called "SDUpdate.exe", not Updater.exe, maybe if you change that in the firewall it may make a difference.

    Not used this firewall.

  9. One thing I can think of that fits with that sort of report is that your PC is using a lot of virtual memory, which might not be a virus.

    Do you use a RAM optimizer?

    What are the system specs?

    If you are short on RAM for the programs you run, it would be expected for the swap file to be working hard. (You'd hear some HD thrashing- many read/writes.)

    What else have you tried scanning with?

  10. MalwareBytes is indeed good, despite the fear-inducing marketing quoted. (...Whether you know it or not, your computer is always at risk...)

     

    To me the problem appears more behavioral than technical. Your AV is considered pretty good, if not amongst the best. You could do with some system hardening/immunizing, Defender seems to have a mediocre detection and cleaning ability, and the built in firewall only blocks inbound. Each of these subjects is worthy of further learning and consideration.

     

    One of the patches for the behavioral problem involves password protecting your own account, and only letting your son use a limited user account. See control panel>user accounts.

    This can be got around, quite easily by a determined and semi-knowledgeable user.

     

    Bottom line is, you can have security on the box that is the "best", but a user is quite capable of inflicting malware on it, despite your efforts.

    Educating your son (and any other users), or restricting access, is one of the keys, here.

  11. Try turning autocomplete off.

    IE: Tools>Internet Options>Content>Autocomplete-settings.

    Firefox Tools>Options>Privacy then the top three checkboxes. The autocomplete in Firefox is also related to "pages visited" history. So if you un-tick the second box but leave the history intact, autocomplete will remember the pages logged as having been visited. (Those can individually be deleted from the history.)

  12. What firewall are you using, Atnes?

    Email connectivity problems seem to be most frequently caused by either an incorrectly configured firewall, or the mail SMTP/POP3 settings altered from the defaults.

    The former can be fixed by firewall config, the latter by (as suggested above) talking with the ISP, or looking at their online setup instructions/FAQ's etc.

    First thing I'd troubleshoot if neither of those actions bears fruit, is to temporarily disable (pause) Avasts email shield, then try the OE "send/receive mail" function. (To pause the relevant shield, right click the blue ball, mouse over "pause provider", sect "internet mail", left click.

    What "lavasoft" did you install?

  13. I've read one or two fairly good reviews about NetNanny , but don't really know.

    Depends a bit what sort of age they are, and how savvy. Past a certain age (which apparently is getting younger) if they are determined to look at "inappropriate stuff" there may be little you can do to prevent that happening. There are ways around most parental software. There are ways of resetting the admin account password, which quite possibly the average 12 year old might be au-fait with. And it's quite easy.

    Parents I've spoken with, and sensible articles read suggest things like: Have the computer in the family room; not in their bedrooms, Educate, warn, set boundaries (mainly regarding how much information should NOT be shared on line, and why, malware possibility aside, and NEVER to "meet" an internet friend unless accompanied by an adult)... all pretty sensible and logical stuff.

    One of my best friends let his kids pretty much surf wherever they wanted, just gave them graphic and realistic (but not too gritty) warnings about the pitfalls, and cautioned them that if malware crippled the computer, it would be re-formatted/ fresh installed.

    With the "forbidden fruit" aspects removed, maybe the temptation is less, don't really know. The kids were girls, too, so maybe not the best example...

  14. But in this case I can do without AdAware and remove it, I suppose?

    Not quite. Context.

    Adaware is an antispyware scanner. SpywareBlaster isn't. The former will scan when commanded and attempt to remove malicious software detected. SpywareBlaster prevents quite a lot of known bad spyware from loading in the first place.It doesn't scan, it's a run once, update occasionally, and forget it application. Hence the word "immunity".

    So it's a different category of application.

    Do you need AdAware?

    I think it's a pretty good idea to keep one or two demand scanners ready and waiting, and scan with them occasionally.

    Whether you keep AdAware or replace it (or add to it) with something else is up to you.

    The frequency of scans, also, depends on how often you get "stuff". I don't mean cookies, here, they're relatively harmless;can be easy deleted via the browser (or CCleaner), but if you find with a reputable scanner that you're getting malware often, scan daily. (And learn safe browsing.) If not (which is, hopefully, the majority experience,) maybe weekly or fortnightly, just as a check.

    Why more than one scanner? They all have different detections, and one may be able to find something that another can't, on any particular day. Some have better removal capabilities, for particular types of malware.

    Avast should stop most of the nasties in their tracks. Additional scanning is just like a safety audit, or in the unlikely event you get something that Avast doesn't cope with.

  15. I think you need, as a minimum, an antivirus and a firewall. Some users are happy with the built in XP firewall, but this only controls inbound. Definitely worthwhile, IMO, using a two way firewall, so you have control over what attempts to connect from the computer to the world.

    Avast 4.8 includes spyware detection. There is also a webshield module in Avast that will (if running) prevent pages from loading, if the webshield detects a known exploit within. To me, this makes BHO's such as Siteadvisor rather superfluous.

    Definitely doesn't hurt to have another demand scanner or two, to be sure to be sure. Superantispyware, and MBAM are excellent, and a significant upgrade from AdAware.

    If your trial of ZoneAlarm is the suite, it includes AV. This will conflict badly with any other AV you install. But I imagine you're referring to the firewall, which, from accounts, is very good. (Other popular firewalls include Comodo and Online Armour.)

    Chuck in a little immunity, like the excellent free SpywareBlaster (particularly useful if you use IE), and you should be pretty secure.

    Winpatrol is a very good computer monitor for detecting changes to various aspects of the OS, and reversing those changes, should you choose. The paid version operates in real time.

  16. I am using it without ill-effects. Downloaded the full installer, rather than going through Windows updates. Reason: this will make a re-install of Windows much more streamlined.

    Quite a lot of the Windows updates can be removed via add/remove programs, so that in itself is no reason for alarm.

    The AMD processor issue was specific to a particular type of HP computer, I believe, using intel drivers.

  17. Does WMP 11 add a "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service" or something similar in XP's services?

    It does, but that service is set to manual, and doesn't start when the player is open/playing.

    Given that, I didn't test whether disabling it makes a difference. Think I should?

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