Java 'byteverify' virus

LizEstelle

Ok - NEXT question concerning my steam computer.

My daily AVG scan has shown an 'embedded object' infection (for the past 18 moths at least) in the form of this 'byteverify' virus. The automatic 'healing' process can't budge it.

Just recently, having shown the infection in 6 files for all that time, this has jumped to 12 for some mysterious reason.

The curious thing is that there appears to have been no degradation, slowing down or other impairment of the pc throughout all this period right up to the present moment. It works fine and does everything I want, just as per usual.

Questions: should I try to get rid of this thing? Is this possible? Given that, on the face of it, the system ain't broke, should I even try to fix it?

For the sake of completeness, I am the the world's last remaining user of Windows 98...

alanrowell

It's a trojan, not a virus. To get rid of it read the following - http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2003-090514-4048-99&tabid=3

It's the way you should remove ANY virus

I'd also follow the advice in the Malware/Spyware removal sticky

LizEstelle

Thanks Alan. Will give it a go... was just wondering whether I OUGHT to bother, that's all.

magic_pants

As alanrowell says, it is not a virus but more an exploitation of a security weakness in the micosoft virual machine. What you SHOULD do is to make sure your IE and associated components have all the revelant microsoft patches applied which you will fine on microsofts website. These will plug this particular security weakness.

LizEstelle

I think I mentioned I have Windows 98.

Haven't both Grisoft and Microsoft given up on the likes of poor ol' moi, didn't I read somewhere?

magic_pants

I believe the virtual machine should be platform independant so the patch will work for all windows os's. YOu can get all the info and patch from here...

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS03-011.mspx