Virus Alert, help needed please?

Lizbetty

Hi everyone

I was checking out mobile phone deals and clicked on a website which had been recommended which I have used before, suddenly a new window opened up, a virus alert sprang up saying I had been infected and I should click on the box, and lots of things started happening - I freaked out a bit and came out of the internet pretty quickly.

I have Zone Alarm, Avast and Spybot..my pc seems to be working ok, but I'm worried there may be something lurking without my knowledge.

Are there any other freeware programmes anyone would suggest to double check that there's nothing sinister happening that I don't know about, please?

I'm running an Avast scan but it is taking FOREVER! My pc has slowed down since I put Spybot on I think..I'm looking at alternatives at the mo.

All suggestions on what I can do to make sure I'm not harbouring any viruses would be very welcomed!

Thanks

Best wishes
Lucy

juliescot

Was the virus alert from avast or anther pop-up on the internet/
Might be no more than pop ads.

GunJack

Download latest verion (top right of page), install, UPDATE, and full scan with MAlwarebytes Antimalware

http://www.filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/

run, let it fix what it finds (may need to reboot to complete) and post the log up here.

Then do same for HiJack This

http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/

run a scan and save a logfile (takes seconds). DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX in HJT at present, but post the log back here for more advice/assistance.

p.s. Spybot's Immunise feature is good, but rn OFF the Tea Timer function, which is probably why it seems slow. Find it under Advanced - Tools - Resident. Untick the box

Lizbetty

I'm not sure...I've never had a virus alert before with the freeware I have now. It was just a box with 'you have been infected, click here' (no other text to say where it had come from), and lots of other things happened that I didn't take in, lots of boxes opened. It's strange how a new tab opened and then the virus alert came on? A bit worrying, as if the pc had a mind of it's own!

I hope it is just a pop up, I'm not very up on viruses, etc and find them a bit scary

Luce

Lizbetty

Thanks Gunjack, will do that right now :beer:

juliescot

If you do as GunJack says that will help.

Avast is pretty good at pointing out when you have a virus or are visiting a suspected site and it is obvious that it is an avast pop-up

Don't think that it was Avast from what you say

kwikbreaks

The chances are that the site in question was genuine enough but had been hacked. No AV is 100% effective so it will certainly pay to scan your machine with a couple of scanners as they aren't 100% effective either.

This is why I keep the opsys separate from data and backup regularly. If this was my own machine I'd just restore the opsys from my last backup then I wouldn't need to worry how effective the AV was.

GunJack

kwikbreaks wrote: »

This is why I keep the opsys separate from data and backup regularly. If this was my own machine I'd just restore the opsys from my last backup then I wouldn't need to worry how effective the AV was.

That's fine for experienced users, but in cases such as this I think we need to take a slightly easier approach

m_13

Recently Gaia Online (a popular gaming site where you dress your own avatar) was plagued when an advert was shown on the site which popped up an infected message and then started doing a fake scan. This was coming from a reputable advertising provider but as soon as one advert was removed another took its place.

Gaia Online hadn't been hacked, it was the advert and it caused mayhem for at least three days.

It may be the same issue on this website.

kwikbreaks

The problem is that little nagging doubt that the AV fix didn't really work.

If there is no recent backup - and for the majority of folks there won't be - then the only option is to scan and hope. Perhaps after this experience there will be one less without a backup routine in place.

kwikbreaks

m_13 wrote: »

Recently Gaia Online (a popular gaming site where you dress your own avatar) was plagued when an advert was shown on the site which popped up an infected message and then started doing a fake scan. This was coming from a reputable advertising provider but as soon as one advert was removed another took its place.

Gaia Online hadn't been hacked, it was the advert and it caused mayhem for at least three days.

It may be the same issue on this website.

It may well be so but otoh it may not - especially as few online shops run ads let alone annoying ones for rather obvious reasons. I certainly wouldn't ask for a link to the site in question so I could check it out though

Being a smug git I should also mention that I run AdBlock Plus :A