keep getting message computer affected with spyware

jamminjamaica

hi there

yesterday i kept getting a message that my computer may be affected with spyware.

first of all i know very little about computers.

what is spyware?
is the message coming from my anti virus software?

the only protection i have on my laptop is AVG free anti virus.

what do you all think?

intel

I suggest you get AdAware download it, Install it, check For Updates
then sacan your PC.... when sacanning leave PC alone.

http://www.intels.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ Adaware link and instructions at the link.

Then go into safe mode, Tap F8 on PC start up then run an AVG scan

LULUBELLE_2

jamminjamaica wrote:

hi there

yesterday i kept getting a message that my computer may be affected with spyware.

first of all i know very little about computers.

what is spyware?
is the message coming from my anti virus software?

the only protection i have on my laptop is AVG free anti virus.

what do you all think?

I've seen these messages, they are actually ads, they ask you to click on them and then direct you to a site which has naff all to do with spyware. In my experience, you NEVER get genuine messages saying that your PC is infected by spyware - the only way that you ever know is by running the programmes that Intel recommended.

faz7875_2

LULUBELLE wrote:

I've seen these messages, they are actually ads, they ask you to click on them and then direct you to a site which has naff all to do with spyware. In my experience, you NEVER get genuine messages saying that your PC is infected by spyware - the only way that you ever know is by running the programmes that Intel recommended.

Sometimes the message itself is the spyware. I once had a problem (spy-sherriff) that started out that way. Not any more tho....thanks to Intel! (and others!)

gunneradt

sounds like you may have a version of spyaxe/spy sheriff which, of course is spyware.

you need to download smitrem and run it

get it from here

http://noahdfear.geekstogo.com/

as far as I am aware it is the only tool that will remove this little buggar.

faz7875_2

gunneradt wrote:

sounds like you may have a version of spyaxe/spy sheriff which, of course is spyware.

you need to download smitrem and run it

get it from here

http://noahdfear.geekstogo.com/

as far as I am aware it is the only tool that will remove this little buggar.

Spybot and avast did for mine.

gunneradt

if they do it is a very recent addition. I can assure you trhat none of the spyware tools were removing this form just before xmas when I was called to remove it for someone.

pchelpman

gunneradt wrote:

if they do it is a very recent addition. I can assure you trhat none of the spyware tools were removing this form just before xmas when I was called to remove it for someone.

Agreed. Spybot will find it but can't fix it as it's resident in memory. Avast doesn't do it either.

More worrying developments here.....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=136974

faz7875 ... my guess is that you didn't have what you thought you had if Spybot and/or Avast fixed it for you.

faz7875_2

pchelpman wrote:

faz7875 ... my guess is that you didn't have what you thought you had if Spybot and/or Avast fixed it for you.

Yeah it was... combination of those two and hijack this see this thread

Definitely gone now.

tigermatt

LULUBELLE wrote:

I've seen these messages, they are actually ads, they ask you to click on them and then direct you to a site which has naff all to do with spyware. In my experience, you NEVER get genuine messages saying that your PC is infected by spyware - the only way that you ever know is by running the programmes that Intel recommended.

They sometimes come through the Messenger service (not the same as Windows/MSN Messenger) which is enabled in Windows by default for sending messages between computers.

If the message box that pops the message up has a title of "Messenger Service" or something similar then you should be able to disable the messenger service using this tool: http://www.grc.com/stm/shootthemessenger.htm

Although you should still check your computer for spyware these are ads every time as you can't receive a genuine message saying your PC is infected. (as yet)

comping_cat

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/index/0,00.asp
Lots of good downloads here
Catherine x