Posted on: 30-04-08 08:56:54
Need Information!
From yesterday it started.
My PC is showing some kind of Alerts with Yellow Triangle with ! Symbol inside.
Every minute or so, it blinks with message like
System Alert
System has detected no. of active spyware applications that may impact performance of your PC. Click icon to get rid of unwanted spyware by downloading an up-to date anti-spyware solution
System Performance Monitor
Summary:
System perf slowed down by 45%
Internet speed decreased by 40%
Probable reason: spyware applications/Adware popup windows
Click this to download spyware scan tools to remove spyware /Adware applications
Security Alert- spyware found
Your PC is infected with last version of PSW.x-virtojan. PSW Trojan steal your private info such as password, IP address, credit card info etc
Click to remove PSW.x-virtrojan
All this 3 pop up windows come every minute or so alternately
So my questions are:
Is this real virus or problem or just fake?
How to remove this from PC?
I am using IE 7.0 & have Windows XP
I have McAfee 90 days anti virus installed on PC
Also some time it shows IP address & location as Canada. Not sure if that is my IP address.
Whenever I tried to click on this message to see what exactly that means, it takes me to some private companies anti- spyware or Melaware anti- virus/spyware etc. & tells me to download software by paying say $40-50
So just confuse what to do? Unfortunately my Add-Remove function on PC is not working ( not sure if its related to this issue)
Can some one guide me?
Thanks
Quote:
Originally posted by mumdxbcan
So my questions are:
Is this real virus or problem or just fake?
Your computer is infected for sure - most likely by spamware/malware and not necessarily a virus.
The popups that you are seeing are being generated by the malware.
It's intent is to scare you into paying money online to download even more malware.
Quote:It could be.
Also some time it shows IP address & location as Canada. Not sure if that is my IP address.
It's very easy to detect IP address and lookup the location where the IP address belongs to.
It's actually possible to narrow it down to the city and not just the country.
Usually that doesn't mean that your entire system is compromised - it is merely another scare tactic.
Quote:Don't. It's just a rip off.
Whenever I tried to click on this message to see what exactly that means, it takes me to some private companies anti- spyware or Melaware anti- virus/spyware etc. & tells me to download software by paying say $40-50
You will end up installing even more powerful malware.
Quote:
How to remove this from PC?
I am using IE 7.0 & have Windows XP
I have McAfee 90 days anti virus installed on PC
So just confuse what to do? Unfortunately my Add-Remove function on PC is not working ( not sure if its related to this issue)
Take the following steps -
1. First of all, stop using this computer for your regular browsing, esp. confidential and secure stuff like your work email, bank accounts, etc.
Use a different computer or create a new partition on this computer until it is cleaned up (that could take anywhere from a few mins, to hrs. to a few days).
2. Secondly, change the Internet settings on this computer to stop any further damage, as follows -
a. Make sure you remove any sites from the safe zone in IE
b. Turn up the security settings for Internet Zone to High in IE
c. View the list of installed objects in IE (there is a View Objects button).
Uninstall any objects listed by right-click and select Uninstall.
d. Make sure security settings for other zones are also set to high (until this is all cleaned up).
3. Now to the cleaning itself. You have several options -
a. Install Windows Defender from Microsoft site and allow it to scan your system
b. Microsoft site has a few other tools to scan and repair your system. I particular, there is an anti-spyware utility for Windows 2000 and XP.
Download and run it.
Make sure you ONLY download from Microsoft website.
If the above 2 steps haven't worked, that means Microsoft tools cannot help you any further.
Now, you have following options -
c. Purchase full license of Norton or McAfee and install those
d. Clean on your own.
This step will require you to investigate what type of malware it is, and how to remove it.
Try goggling the symptoms of the malware.
Usually google searches will turn up web sites that list the steps you can take to manually remove these.
Make sure you don't go to any site and download other software products that claim to remove this - you may end up download worse malware.
Also, run utilities from Sysinternals.com, esp. autorun and regmon that show system activity - those are very handy tools.
This is all I can say at high level.
Let me know how it goes and I can give you further pointers.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
Thanks Pratickm for valuable information
I will follow steps what u told me. Lets see
Few more things.
I have two PC at home. One which is infected with Modem connected
While another with Wireless
Can I use 2nd one with out any problem for regular surfing even for email, bank purpose etc
Is there any risk or is it safe to use?
Also as per Alerts, is anyone really hacking information from my infected PC
As I used for almost everything before infected like email, bank transaction etc
Or its only to scare you?
Can u confirm me
Thanks again
Quote:
Originally posted by mumdxbcan
Few more things.
I have two PC at home. One which is infected with Modem connected
While another with Wireless
Can I use 2nd one with out any problem for regular surfing even for email, bank purpose etc
Is there any risk or is it safe to use?
If the first computer only uses modem to connect to the Internet and there is no possible connectivity between the two PCs, then there is no cross infection.
However, if you have used the 2nd computer to browse the same sites as the first one, the second one may already be infected.
I suggest that you turn up the security settings in IE to High for Internet Zone and remove all unknown sites from Trusted Zone on the second PC.
Quote:It's hard to say exactly without knowing what kind of malware it is.
Also as per Alerts, is anyone really hacking information from my infected PC
As I used for almost everything before infected like email, bank transaction etc
Or its only to scare you?
Can u confirm me
Thanks again
All I can say is chances are low that it has harvested financial information, because those kinds of malware are rare.
Try googgling the symptoms and see if you can determine what kind of malware it is.
More common are the ones that scare you by various techniques (like showing your IP address, location, computer name, etc.)
However, as a precaution, please continue watching your credit card and bank account statements on a daily basis and if you see any irregularities, take immediate action.
Also, inform your contacts that your computer may be infected and they should not click on links and emails from you unless it appears genuine.
Depending on how far you want to go, you can install tools from sysinternals.com that monitor the registry and files.
That can tell you what files and registry keys any program is accessing.
I forgot to mention another option to clean your system - if you have the original install disk, you can wipe and rebuild your system.
That will guaranteed get rid of any malware.
If you decide to do this, make sure that you have to wipe your entire system (i.e. soft format) and not just re-install the operating system.
Hope this helps.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
Hi
I tried various steps what is written earlier
While downloading defender from Microsoft website
after clicking on Run, it say another version is already installed on your PC
It says go to add/remove function & then do necsssary things
Unfortunately I can't use add/remove function in my PC
Is it something related to McAfee which I installed in that affected PC.
So now what are options with me?
I found few softwares in best buy & futureshop for spyware & antipvirus like Norton or similar kind.
Can I try?
If then only option is to format complete disk after taking back up for important files & then re-load operating system etc
I don't have disk for operating system as its an assembled PC & that person never gave me disk
Lets see
Thanks
If nothing is working then you can also try this.
Install SPYBOT Search and Destroy from here http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html
It is a freeware and a very good tool for removing spy ware and malware from your system.
Also if you do not have any anti virus program installed on your computer then you should install AVG free addition from here http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition
and scan your system properly. If you install AVG free edition anti virus you may have to remove (uninstall) any other anti virus program already installed in your computer.
I hope it will help you getting rid of any malware, spy ware, Trojan and viruses without any costs. Till such time you are able to remove these spywares etc, do not use the computer for any banking or credit card transactions.
Good Luck.
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Pramod Chopra
Senior Mortgage Consultant
Mortgage Alliance Company of Canada
I tried everything as adviced by most of you.
Unfortunately nothing is working for me.
I even discuss with few friends & almost everyone told me to install some anti-spy ware etc etc. from websites FREE
But...not possible
Problem is I already have McAfee installed(again Free from internet) & everytime I tried to install something else, it says REMOVE McAfee first
and my 'Add/Remove' function is not working on PC
So now only options is format PC & reinstall Windows XP
Also I have one Laptop along with this PC. I already bought genuine Norton 360 from Best Buy & installed to my laptop so atleast that is protected
This Norton 360 is for 3 computers so I can easily installed on affected PC,
correct? provided I first format & install XP again
Unfortunately I don't have Window XP CD to re-install. I tried many of friends & no one has this CD
I am trying to contact PC technician, but they are quoting price as $50 minimum per hour for PC repair or installation etc etc, but not telling how much time it may take.
Naturally if they take 4 hours & charge me $200.00, the its not worth!
So if anyone knows good PC technician in Calgary, let me know
Also what different options I have in regards to Windows XP CD if I want to do myself?
Thanks again everyone
