PC help please - have run malwarebytes - what next

GunJack

moggy - if it's a spam filter you want, again available from majorgeeks.com for free, I use cactus spam filter....it works pretty well and you can train it

Conor - lol...lucky you !! that's partly why I changed to avast

Conor_3

Tried Avast, found it slowed the system after having NOD32.

moggylover

GunJack wrote: »

moggy - if it's a spam filter you want, again available from majorgeeks.com for free, I use cactus spam filter....it works pretty well and you can train it

OOOOh so it must be female then:D

Conor - lol...lucky you !! that's partly why I changed to avast

Thanks for this guys - I am much happier with how the puter is running - although MSE seems quite slow some of the time, but I think it is the site as others are not so bad.

I have to admit that I liked the Avast - but I did get a trojan through whilst that was on:eek: . It was certainly better than Norton though;) that not only let things slip past - it appeared to open the door:D .

Not sure which protection I shall go with! BIL is usually very good and is a software engineer so I don't like to "over-rule" him so to speak. Fancy the Cactus Spam filter though - I get so fed up with the carp.:D

GunJack

good luck whichever stuff you choose moggy...just remember, no single product is perfect, so keep surfing safely as a first line of defence. And if you do get a problem...you know where we are...(exits VERY quickly stage left )

moggylover

GunJack wrote: »

good luck whichever stuff you choose moggy...just remember, no single product is perfect, so keep surfing safely as a first line of defence. And if you do get a problem...you know where we are...(exits VERY quickly stage left )

Okay, have downloaded Spyware Doctor (free version) from the Geeks, it says I have 9 threats and 252 infections:eek: - and now I really do not feel well:o . The free version does not allow me to use that software to remove these. I cannot find the Spyware Bot on Geeks - do I just download that from a Google Search - as I assume that that one will let me remove all the threats etc., from the Computer - or do I use MB again to clean it up - and get shot of the flipping AVG and find something a bit more robust to keep the system clean.

I know I surf around a lot - and I think that was why BIL put AVG on as it is supposed to check sites on Google for threats and it gives me a pretty little green tick that says site is safe (doesn't seem to have worked though does it:D ).

Think I may well try downloading and saving Avast - disconnecting from internet and removing AVG and running Avast (I assume that is how one would do it so that you are not totally unprotected whilst changing software?)

Am beginning not to like puters!

Course, I do understand that they are fine if not in the hands of an idiot like me:o

aliEnRIK

moggylover wrote: »

Okay, have downloaded Spyware Doctor (free version) from the Geeks, it says I have 9 threats and 252 infections:eek: - and now I really do not feel well:o . The free version does not allow me to use that software to remove these. I cannot find the Spyware Bot on Geeks - do I just download that from a Google Search - as I assume that that one will let me remove all the threats etc., from the Computer - or do I use MB again to clean it up - and get shot of the flipping AVG and find something a bit more robust to keep the system clean.

I know I surf around a lot - and I think that was why BIL put AVG on as it is supposed to check sites on Google for threats and it gives me a pretty little green tick that says site is safe (doesn't seem to have worked though does it:D ).

Think I may well try downloading and saving Avast - disconnecting from internet and removing AVG and running Avast (I assume that is how one would do it so that you are not totally unprotected whilst changing software?)

Am beginning not to like puters!

Course, I do understand that they are fine if not in the hands of an idiot like me:o

Your not an idiot. weve ALL been there

Download MALWAREBYTES
http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html
UPDATE and FULL SCAN

Delete EVERYTHING it finds and post a log here (I did one last night on a friends computer and it found over 2300 nasties!), in sections if need be

Download SPYBOT (Im unsure if you said you managed this or not)
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html
UPDATE, 'IMMUNISE' (Stops pop ups etc when browsing) and SCAN

Then by all mean, download either AVAST or AVIRA to try in place of AVG if you so wish

Just bare in mind that most 'malware' is due to the operator ALLOWING it on. For example ~ downloading a little nasty program to playback dodgy 'videos' (Happens a lot with teenagers this one). Surfing 'pron'. And downloading using 'limewire' and suchlike

moggylover

aliEnRIK wrote: »

Your not an idiot. weve ALL been there

Download MALWAREBYTES
http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html
UPDATE and FULL SCAN

Delete EVERYTHING it finds and post a log here (I did one last night on a friends computer and it found over 2300 nasties!), in sections if need be

Download SPYBOT (Im unsure if you said you managed this or not)
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html
UPDATE, 'IMMUNISE' (Stops pop ups etc when browsing) and SCAN

Then by all mean, download either AVAST or AVIRA to try in place of AVG if you so wish

Just bare in mind that most 'malware' is due to the operator ALLOWING it on. For example ~ downloading a little nasty program to playback dodgy 'videos' (Happens a lot with teenagers this one). Surfing 'pron'. And downloading using 'limewire' and suchlike

Thanks Rik! I am currently running a full scan with malwarebytes at the moment - it is taking ages so will be a while before I get to the posting a log stage I think:D .

I haven't yet manged to download spybot - so thanks for the link, I will go and do that whilst I am waiting. I do know what you mean about us "allowing" it on - just not sure how to stop this, as it is difficult to assess where it came from. Eldest son and I use MSN, he has a Bebo, youngest likes to look around for computer games to play on the net - and I suspect that this is the worst culprit so may have to put a separate user account on for the kids so that they cannot download without "adminstrator permission" - me being the flaming hopeless administrator:rotfl: . I seem to have had more trouble since I was persuaded to sign up for Facebook - but not sure that it is fair to blame them:D - and Imesh which we have used to download some music tracks.

Will go and check how things are doing, and get back once the scan has finished.

Many thanks for your help - am more than grateful as I really do have to learn to do this myself, and keep us better protected. I don't have much more than my ID to be worth stealing:D

We do not do the videos thingy I don't think - but now you have me worrying about u-tube - which would be entirely my fault:o

aliEnRIK

moggylover wrote: »

Thanks Rik! I am currently running a full scan with malwarebytes at the moment - it is taking ages so will be a while before I get to the posting a log stage I think:D .

I haven't yet manged to download spybot - so thanks for the link, I will go and do that whilst I am waiting. I do know what you mean about us "allowing" it on - just not sure how to stop this, as it is difficult to assess where it came from. Eldest son and I use MSN, he has a Bebo, youngest likes to look around for computer games to play on the net - and I suspect that this is the worst culprit so may have to put a separate user account on for the kids so that they cannot download without "adminstrator permission" - me being the flaming hopeless administrator:rotfl: . I seem to have had more trouble since I was persuaded to sign up for Facebook - but not sure that it is fair to blame them:D - and Imesh which we have used to download some music tracks.

Will go and check how things are doing, and get back once the scan has finished.

Many thanks for your help - am more than grateful as I really do have to learn to do this myself, and keep us better protected. I don't have much more than my ID to be worth stealing:D

We do not do the videos thingy I don't think - but now you have me worrying about u-tube - which would be entirely my fault:o

'Youtubes' fine to use
Im talking more about 'pron' videos. Some sites will say FREE pron, then ask you to download a little program to view them. The program does work, but also makes a mess of the computer (So the user continues to use it without realising the damage its doing)
Id hazard a guess your right about your youngest. Its normally sites that offer FREE GAMES etc that are the worst for malware.

I recommend downloading FIREFOX (Instead of using internet explorer)
http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/
and use the NOSCRIPT plugin
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722
NOSCRIPT blocks all sites with 'javascript' etc from working until 'unlocked'
(For example, youtube would need 2 seperate parts unlocked for it to play flash vids). If your kids go broswing on 'dodgy' sites, it WILL initially stop the computer from any harm.
Youll also need FLASH plug in etc for firefox to work properly ~
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7

As for 'IMESH'. Id guess its fine actually (Will know more once you post the 'malwarebytes' log.)

aliEnRIK

Forgot to add
Facebook is fine so long as you dont add any extra software (applications)
So you can upload videos, add friends etc with no problems.
Just use common sense though. Dont put telephone numbers or addresses etc (ID fraud is rife on facebook and bebo)
The one thing you must be careful of is the APPLICATION requests
The VAST majority are safe. But some are there purely to steal information off you (If in doubt, just dont 'add' it), whilst LOOKING like theyre legit

In fact id happily work through a thread to see if theyre 'legit' or not, if someone was to post links to said applications theyre unsure of (Where possible)

Your kids would probably love BOWLING BUDDIES actually

One last thing, be careful of your ACTUAL friends sending 'dodgy messages'! They will have some dodgy 'link' to click and usually have really bad spelling mistakes. DO NOT CLICK it. Send them a message back (Via their main page) telling them you think theyve been infected with malware. And if theyre unsure how to get rid, send them the link to MALWAREBYTES

moggylover

Thanks again Rik! That info is really helpful. We only have the one computer connected to the internet, and that is in the sitting room so neither son has easy access to click on "pron" sites - and DS1 is only 13 - so it will be a while before he has my permission to look at those here:rotfl: . He did get caught once looking at something his "dear little friend from school" had sent a link for! I think the embarrassment of his mum catching him looking at some very large boo*ies was enough to put him off that idea for a while:D .

I am still waiting for the MB scan to finish - over an hour and a half so far so we are obviously too busy on this puter (but then we have had the poor old thing for 3 years now). Will do the log asap - and then get started on some better protection and so forth. Looks as if this is going to take me nearly all day:o