Riddled with ramnit

closed

to stop your backups getting infected

debitcardmayhem

superman909 wrote: »

One last thing :)when Googling the problem most people are saying there is no cure for this worm my laptop has, so what is the point in using Kaspersky if the only realistic way is to reformat/reinstall Windows 7?

You also say about it spreading to the DVD..... If I am copying photos, movies and word docs how likely is it the infection will be copied over, after both bootscans, since the virus will STILL be on the system no doubt based on the difficulty of all the other posts about this found on various forums?

I would use a live unix cd/usb to copy the stuff from windows , obviously usb version would be better since it would free up your DVD writer although some live cd's allow you to remove the cd once booted.

superman909

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

I would use a live unix cd/usb to copy the stuff from windows , obviously usb version would be better since it would free up your DVD writer although some live cd's allow you to remove the cd once booted.

Thanks very.much for the help, I jave no idea what you mean hence why I'm on here.... Please can you explain in basic terms - live unix?

debitcardmayhem

superman909 wrote: »

Thanks very.much for the help, I jave no idea what you mean hence why I'm on here.... Please can you explain in basic terms - live unix?

Was just about to go to bed but briefly, linux is another operating system ie Like Windows or osX (macintosh) which runs your PC, A live version is one that runs from usb/cd without changing your hard disk and your windows, unless you wish it to. So if you run that at boot time it will be able to read (and write if you so desire) your windows files eg pictures Docs and videos and should not be affected by the virus, and also the virus will not in theory interfer with it. If the files are on your pc (pics etc) are infected it won't disinfect them but it is unusual that they are infected per se. It should not therefore copy the infection on to a DVD/USB stick/External disk. In theory the files will be able to be backed up and save them for future use. However if the file is infected then that is going to be copied too(probably unlikely). Most viruses attack .exe .dll and .scr files , The unix system can also read word docs (if it comes with open office) and can view pictures(jpg) and also view videos if use something like VLC, having said that the prime concern you have is to recover/save your "work".

It is not a very straightforward process for a novice but people can talk you through it if you need to. I will re-visit this thread [STRIKE]tomorrow[/STRIKE] later today to see how you are getting on with closed's suggestions and see what is the latest state of your system. Good luck ... please excuse any typos above but I really do need to go to get some shut eye

waddler_8

superman909 wrote: »

If I am copying photos, movies and word docs how likely is it the infection will be copied over

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Win32%2fRamnit

Win32/Ramnit also infects Microsoft Office OLE document files with ".DOC", ".DOCX" or ".XLS" file extensions.

Greater care should be taken in ensuring the word docs you want to back up are clean - If they aren't, the whole infection process will start again when they're accessed.

superman909

waddler_8 wrote: »

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Win32%2fRamnit


Greater care should be taken in ensuring the word docs you want to back up are clean - If they aren't, the whole infection process will start again when they're accessed.

What should I do to know that they are clean?

waddler_8

Upload a sample few to VirusTotal.

http://www.virustotal.com/

superman909

waddler_8 wrote: »

Upload a sample few to VirusTotal.

http://www.virustotal.com/

Hi Waddler, just wondering if you could give me some more advice so I can get my laptop back to nprmal and be sure all my.bqckups are clean. Basically there probably aren't as many files I need to backup as I orogonally thought since quite a few are kept on an external harddrive which I haven't connected to my laptop in a long time and I know it is clean so I'll leave that for now in my drawer. Basically, what would you personally do of you had this serious worm virus on your laptop and you had maybe 8-10gb of photos/videos that you hadn't backed.up.and maybe 20-30 (maybe more) word docs/pdfs you also hadn't bacled.up. Other than those you were fussed about losing.programs etc as you could.just.install them again fresh? Does closed's suggestion of first powering up the laptop then running an Avast Bootscan, followed by.connecting an external DVD.drive and booting a.Kapersky boot thing I would make on anothet PC sound right? Then what would your steps be after this.to ensure a safe backup? First upload a good sample to virus total, then upload maybe to Microsoft SkyDrive (safer than burning to DVD?)? Or maybe do the linux thing the guy suggested in the thread? Then after backup, boot recovery disc and reformat using that and reinstall windows 7? How should I install Avast or whatever after reformat/reinstallation, obviously I'd like to do it before connecting to the internet. Anything else you would do, or general comments on the safety of this method?

superman909

Bump :-p .......

superman909

I am reviiving this old thread, as today is the day when I have some time to fix this problem.
Here is my question: is there a safe way to upload a sample of files to Virus Total? I mean, by the time I do this I would have carried out the Kaspersky boot scan (with boot disc) followed by the Avast boot scan, then hopefully I can upload the files, but can I do this in a safe mode, or something, or simply do I have to risk connecting to the internet?

I will also have to upload my docs I want to save to SkyDrive - is there a "safe mode" or something by which I could do this? Obviously, once those are save, I will wipe the harddrive clean (format) and then reinstall Windows....