Win XP - how to rid virus

Jazzycat

Hi,

I have recently converted to XP pro and have not put a firewall on yet as I want to get the best free one around. I have Spybot and Adware to check for baddies but have somehow got a something called...surf..... I try to quarantine and delete but it says its being used by another application although nothing else is open. I find the file its in but again can't remove it.
I get very annoying internet popups and think it must be related to this.

Anyone know how I can get rid of this with free software and any advice on which is the best free firewall.

Many Thanks!

f3lix

I'm by no means an expert and I'm sure someone with more knowledge will reply, but Zone Alarm does the job just fine.

Don't know about your virus, but are you running any anti-virus software?

Browntoa

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269

Browntoa

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=3356

Jazzycat

many thanks!!

pchelpman

Jazzycat ... your reference to "...surf..." causes me to think you may have one of the SurfSideKick malware family. If the infection - whatever it is - is resident in memeory then you won't be able to remove it easily.

Work through the steps in Browntoa's Malware Removal Guide then post a hijackthis log here with an update on how your computer is working now.

We'll take it from there.

Jazzycat

thanks pchelpman.

Did the first stage last night and I couldn't believe the amount of infected files it found over 6000!!!!!!!!!

There's a worm in there as well which seems to have generated hundreds of corrupt files under setting and documents in my folders names "complete"???

I have only got part way as the full scan with Ewido took nearly 2 hours. When I went to clean the files it appeared to freeze and the file was called "SurfSideKick". I pressed the pause button and it closed. I will try again tonight when I get to my pc. I can't believe how much it has picked up and am very concerned as to how I sort this.

Browntoa

persistance will pay of, ot may take a little work but we can clean the infection for you in the end

pchelpman

As I guessed... the dreaded SurfSideKick infection. I doubt anything in Browntoa's Guide will fix it.

A good fix for that specific infection is here ...

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic9549.html

You will need to work through it carefully. I recommend you print out the instructions first, work through the fix THEN carry on through Browntoa's Guide.

There must be reason why your machine is so infected but keep trying to clean it out. Browntoa's Guide has many steps in it, as you know, but, if you can't complete any of them, move on to the next one and let us know how you get on after all is done.

When fixed up you reallly should see what has triggered all these infections and we'll let you know what steps you should take in the future to help avoid a recurrence.

Post back when you're ready.

Browntoa

snap, was just reading those instructions on Bleeping.....

Quincy_3

Jazzycat wrote:

Hi,

I have recently converted to XP pro and have not put a firewall on yet as I want to get the best free one around.

Well I would get Kerio Free