virus that i can't get rid of


  #41  
Old 06-23-11, 10:19 AM
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Only issue I have ever had was upgrading from 10.10 to 11.04 when they started using Unity as the default environment instead of Gnome,
And in all fairness I must admit that there was one time a reinstall was necessary. The distro changed from KDE3x base to KDE4x base. The number of files that had to be changed was just to large to be done through the package manager but hopefully there won't be a KDE5 for a very long time.
 
  #42  
Old 06-23-11, 11:36 AM
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Hey...shouldn't you guys go over to some geeky Linux forum? LOL J/k.

I still can't get my laptop to do anything (no DVD player, no sound except at startup) except get on the internet with Linux. Though thats all we use it for...so I'm not sweating it.

It works, it's secure for our traveling...thats all I really care about.
 
  #43  
Old 06-24-11, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by zoesdad
v b you sound like a man with some good experience. I’m just a retired software guy, pretty much behind the curve, but I’m trying to catch up (LOL). But I wonder about your statement:



I remember the days when the software developers (my co-workers anyway) were excited about the new (back then) paradigm and continually repeated this mantra: “the network is the computer”. Isn’t the network openness extremely important! Using your metaphor aren’t we inviting many strangers into our home every day? So actually isn’t the trick really to screen out the criminals from the legitimate? In other words, seems to me we have to open the door to our house to strangers a lot, or the richness of the internet is greatly diminished? Seems like maybe you are blaming the victim?

Now I’m sure you know much more than me about this. But you seem to be saying you that can recognize the criminal – so don’t let him in! Educate the kids about what the criminal looks like. Don’t click him in ! Is that true? Is it that easy to recognize the criminal? I was infected once from a legitimate plumbing supply site, and if ever prompted I don’t allow anyone to run anything in my computer (except trusted downloads, Microsoft, Intel, etc)! And I also have McAfee and don’t know what I did wrong to deserve the Vista Internet Security2012 virus? Surely you don’t hold the set of sites you visit static? You must visit new sites all the time?

Or are you saying that the problem is that the Antivirus software always does in fact warn the user – but some users allow the virus in anyway? I’m a little confused? (but that’s not new!)
Zoe's dad I've been around the block when it comes to software and virus issues, I have worked in the computer industry supporting companies and consumers for as long as I can remember. I am not blaming the victim here as I don't know the circumstances. My point was that people (kids especially) love to click on attachments and such that has been passed around so much the header is longer than the message, these messages are bound to pick up something along the way. You are correct that you can get infected from a supposedly safe site but if you are paying attention even those can be caught. Most malware and viruses will actually ask you to install them (funny huh) they are disguised as random website pop ups, you know the ones that say click ok to proceed or cancel to abort only the cancel option is a trap. You can even find such traps in many of the random online games that were written by joe blow that have that tiny check box that asks you to install additional software or the random tool bar that supposed. to make you search easier. The bottom line is if you know what to look for and inform other users of the PC to look out for the same you greatly diminish the risk of catching something.

As for your question " aren’t we inviting many strangers into our home every day?" My answer is not really LOL. You are asking them to come to your address they show up and see your house but are for the most part standing on the other side of your fence (your isp, your router your antivirus and your browsers are all a type of fence). This is where most users make the mistake. The criminal knows he wants in so he dangles bait for you to grab or waits for someone to come and open the door. Your antivirus can only act if he attempts to force himself in just like your security system, your browser and router work as a team. The browser can come and go as it pleases by talking to your router but if it is not secure can help him get in by leaving the gate open too long. If you go out and grab the bait or you choose to open that email attachment etc etc you allow him to bypass all your security, anyway I'm rambling at this point but a PC can be secured without using paid or even free antivirus applications but the user must understand how and what is happening to take the steps needed to provide such security. blah blah blah :-)
 
  #44  
Old 06-24-11, 07:49 PM
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v b I think you are very convincing and you make excellent points. I do agree with what you are saying.

I’ve been away from the technical stuff for too long. I go way way back – from punch cards and mainframes, then mini’s and micros’, then LANs, then PC’s, internet and ….oh my. The advances have been mind boggling.

But v b, there is one question I’ve been churning on for a while:

Do you think that our society is treating these actions by the hackers and the intruders more like some sort of prank, rather than the crimes they really are? An entire industry has grown up to fight the criminals. Doesn’t seem right to me! Seems like an enormous cost we are all paying. I guess we can’t line the criminals up against the wall and make examples of them like some other countries, but why couldn’t we make it known that you WILL GET CAUGHT and YOU WILL PAY A VERY STEEP PRICE!

After all, we have agencies like the NSA with tremendous technical expertise and technical capabilities. Why can’t the Justice Department form some kind of expert group, with help from the NSA, that will be able to quickly find and prosecute these people that are wreaking havoc on the public system?

Just a thought. Probably full of holes.
 
  #45  
Old 06-25-11, 12:56 AM
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Originally Posted by zoesdad
v b I think you are very convincing and you make excellent points. I do agree with what you are saying.

I’ve been away from the technical stuff for too long. I go way way back – from punch cards and mainframes, then mini’s and micros’, then LANs, then PC’s, internet and ….oh my. The advances have been mind boggling.

But v b, there is one question I’ve been churning on for a while:

Do you think that our society is treating these actions by the hackers and the intruders more like some sort of prank, rather than the crimes they really are? An entire industry has grown up to fight the criminals. Doesn’t seem right to me! Seems like an enormous cost we are all paying. I guess we can’t line the criminals up against the wall and make examples of them like some other countries, but why couldn’t we make it known that you WILL GET CAUGHT and YOU WILL PAY A VERY STEEP PRICE!

After all, we have agencies like the NSA with tremendous technical expertise and technical capabilities. Why can’t the Justice Department form some kind of expert group, with help from the NSA, that will be able to quickly find and prosecute these people that are wreaking havoc on the public system?

Just a thought. Probably full of holes.
Oh if it was only that easy. Our government continues to operate in a reactive mode and will probably continue to do so. Even if they decided to be proactive in regards to this issue it would be cost prohibited for them to fight this war which spans all countries and class. Unfortunately the hackers have the upper hand simply because of their numbers and the lack of a global internet jurisdiction.
 
  #46  
Old 06-25-11, 09:10 AM
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Sadly what you say seems true!
 
  #47  
Old 07-19-11, 07:37 PM
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Rescue CD

It looks like the problem was solved but I'll leave this for anyone digging through old posts. A third option to try after using save mode is to you a rescue disk. Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10

Each major antivirus company has one and it scans your system without loading windows. With windows not loading, there is very little chance for a virus to block your attempts to remove it.
 
  #48  
Old 07-25-11, 06:02 AM
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I see no one has said anything about AVG is advast better then it?
 
  #49  
Old 07-25-11, 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by adamgreb
It looks like the problem was solved but I'll leave this for anyone digging through old posts. A third option to try after using save mode is to you a rescue disk. Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10

Each major antivirus company has one and it scans your system without loading windows. With windows not loading, there is very little chance for a virus to block your attempts to remove it.

Good that you mentioned that method. Looked at that Kapersky stuff as an example. Seems like a pretty good idea.
 
  #50  
Old 07-25-11, 09:46 AM
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I never saw any differences bewteen Avast and AVG as far as protection goes, but AVG 8.0 was a resource hog and that's when I switched to Avast.
 
  #51  
Old 07-25-11, 04:30 PM
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I'm running AVG 9.0.901 and it is definitely not a resource hog.
 
  #52  
Old 07-26-11, 05:05 AM
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Maybe they improved the product - all I know is 8.0 was and that's when I abandoned the product, no experience with any later versions.
 
  #53  
Old 07-26-11, 10:50 AM
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When anyone mentions security there is an argument about how to protect your pc. You need two things;
1-Norton Security Suite either downoad or retail store.
2-router set to WPA2
With those two you can control your children and nothing gets through unless you want it to.
I have used McAfee and all the others over the years and Norton is now a light weight program that is rannked number one in pc magazine.
Peter
I am resending as I neglected to request a receipt. Good luck
 
  #54  
Old 07-26-11, 03:15 PM
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Peterr, what you may need is not necessarily what someone else may need. I don't use Norton and I have NEVER picked up any virus, trojan, worm, malware or the like. Nor do I have WPA2 on my router. I normally use a wired connection although the other night I did temporarily turn on the wireless to allow a download to my Kindle. After the download I turned the wireless off again.
 
  #55  
Old 07-26-11, 06:05 PM
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USUALLY, you need a firewall and antivirus to defend your PC. Doesn't necessarily mean Norton though, I use something completely different. As for your network, WPA2 is the best security you can do IF you use your wireless connection. Otherwise best and ultimately safest bet is to go with wired. With enough time over a high traffic network even WPA2 can be cracked. Also as far as antivirus are concerned they are only mostly effective under ideal circumstances, any antivirus can be circumvented by a proper rootkit. Mainly the best way to defend yourself against viruses is to surf safely, don't open unknown email attachments, and if necessary run your email or web browser through a program like sandboxie.

Hope this helps
 
  #56  
Old 07-27-11, 07:36 AM
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security

All contributions to this forum are for the expressed purpose of helping other members in a courteous, well intentioned manner.
 
  #57  
Old 07-27-11, 07:40 AM
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security

Well said Spike.
Time will tell if you are running a secure system and your advice is sound and courteous.
 
  #58  
Old 07-28-11, 06:18 AM
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I'm a bit late to the thread, but I highly recommend anyone without an antivirus to pick up Microsoft Security Essentials. It's easily the best free antivirus software out there. Assuming you have a legal copy of Windows, it should work fine.

Oh, and for future reference: Whenever possible, start your computer in safe mode before scanning for viruses. This will make it harder for viruses to load.
 
  #59  
Old 07-28-11, 10:12 AM
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Good tip with safe mode, though I might argue with you about Microsoft Security Essentials being the best. The race between virus coders and antivirus updates is an infinite one. However it is highly possible that it would be one of the best. At least for windows users anyway. Someone should benchmark these free antivirus softwares against one another.
 
 

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