This happens to your PC if ....

[cancer10]

..you don't have an Antivirus/Anti-Spyware in your PC.



http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1651/spywares.jpg

[STEvil]

www.mozilla.org

turn off preview pane for outlook express.

turn on default winxp firewall

no viruses, worms, etc for a year for me so far.

[TheDude]

IMO you got off easy for not having virus/trojan or spyware software. I'd unplug it until I got the software and scrubbed the box!

[masterofpuppets]

I'd just get rid of windows if I were you. It's a flawed piece of software which should be declared banned for safety reasons. And if you do use it, for god sakes get a decent firewall (hardware firewalls are great. I used to use a pentium 3 system running freebsd).

[Disposibleteen]

it may be inferior but its the best there is right now.... you got a better OS?

[sjohnson]

Heh - I'm in the business of PC support where I work.

The worst yet was one that came in last week. IIRC, 3 trojans, 47 virii, and over 1200 bits of spyware/crapware, etc. It had an expired version of NAV on it, no Windows update had been done, ever.

Cookies made up the bulk of the spyware entries but still...

Thought I'd never resurrect that Win98 system, but finally got it straight.

[s81o]

keep your hosts file upto date too, its in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

heres one (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt) thats updated

[masterofpuppets]

it may be inferior but its the best there is right now.... you got a better OS?

Err. Any Unix style OS is better than windows.

[Disposibleteen]

errr only if your time is worth the nothing you pay for them....

[masterofpuppets]

Have you noticed that almost almost every webserver uses Unix? Windows is buggy, inferior, unsecure, slow, is possesed by bill gates... Unix (Most unixes) are the opposite. They are secure, fast, have minimal bugs, superior, not possesed by bill gates. Microsoft is pathetic, inferior scum which funds terrorism (well, maybe not that). End of subject. :)

[Blergo]

Err. Any Unix style OS is better than windows.
i agree with masterofpuppets on this one, i'd choose linux / freebsd / open bsd over windows any day, and i only use windows when im benching. for everyday use i always use on eof the above (depending which computer i am on)
owen

[Blergo]

errr only if your time is worth the nothing you pay for them....

not necesarrily, last time i installed linux it installed a lot faster than windows XP ever does for me. the only thing i ever spend time on is recompileing the kernel. and then you dont actually have to do that and unless you know what you are doing wont be able to anyway. only reason i do it is so that it only has what i need / want in it, makes the pc boot a lot quicker :)
owen

[hollywood]

Err. Any Unix style OS is better than windows.


Err...only if you don't want to game on your PC.

[hollywood]

Have you noticed that almost almost every webserver uses Unix? Windows is buggy, inferior, unsecure, slow, is possesed by bill gates... Unix (Most unixes) are the opposite. They are secure, fast, have minimal bugs, superior, not possesed by bill gates. Microsoft is pathetic, inferior scum which funds terrorism (well, maybe not that). End of subject. :)


Jesus!!! :rolleyes:

[Disposibleteen]

windows is so much better becuase of the games, i have ran linux and i went back to good ole windows becuase i missed my games!

Another perk is that with windows running i can let my grandma use my computer when she has to.

[shafty]

unix is way better than windows. the only reason i still use xp is for games. i had a linux system running for over a month and has never crashed or need a restart. i only wish there would be more software to use on linux.

[Disposibleteen]

yup, like i said, windows Pwns all other because of software availability

[hollywood]

yup, like i said, windows Pwns all other because of software availability


Zactly yo... :banana:

[Jupiler]

I found a nice tool, which installs the most known spyware removers.
It's called Hitmanpro. As said, it installs following spyware removers automatically :

* Ad-Aware SE 6.2 (versie 1.05)
* Webroot SpySweeper 3.0
* Spybot Search & Destroy 1.3
* SpywareBlaster 3.2
* McAfee Stinger

# De freeware versies van de externe software zijn opgeslagen in één installer, samen met de (bij vrijgave) nieuwste updates, zodat een besmette machine standalone kan worden schoongemaakt

# Download automatisch de nieuwste updates, ook al ondersteunt de externe software dit niet
# Het controleren van de juiste instellingen van de externe software
# Maakt geen gebruik van de actieve beschermingsmogelijkheden van de externe software zodat er geen extra actieve taken op de computer worden geactiveerd

Translated :

#The freeware versions of the external software are located in 1 installer, bundled with the newest updates (at time of their release), so that an infected machine can be cleaned up.
# Downloads automatically the newest updates, even if the external software doesn't support this.
# Checks the correct setups from the external software.
# Doesn't use the active protection possibilities from the external software, so that no extra tasks will be activated.

I tried it yesterday and it works fine.

Here's the link in case someone wants to give it a try :

http://www.hitmanpro.nl

[Torin]

Heh - I'm in the business of PC support where I work.

The worst yet was one that came in last week. IIRC, 3 trojans, 47 virii, and over 1200 bits of spyware/crapware, etc. It had an expired version of NAV on it, no Windows update had been done, ever.

Cookies made up the bulk of the spyware entries but still...

Thought I'd never resurrect that Win98 system, but finally got it straight.


Jesus. I'm also in the business of PC/network support, but the worst I've ever seen was a few months ago.... something around 600 pieces of spyware and 6 virii.

But it does help that 99% of our PCs automatically update daily, pull down DAT files daily, deny users admin privs and users report any kind of PC slowdowns. But, the other 1% are generally in pretty bad shape until we get to them. :)

[iljs]

Have you noticed that almost almost every webserver uses Unix? Windows is buggy, inferior, unsecure, slow, is possesed by bill gates... Unix (Most unixes) are the opposite. They are secure, fast, have minimal bugs, superior, not possesed by bill gates. Microsoft is pathetic, inferior scum which funds terrorism (well, maybe not that). End of subject. :)

Have you realized that no one here is running a server? Its a well known fact that linux is better for servers, thats really interesting and irrelevant.

[Disposibleteen]

yes i am running a server and no i do not run linux on it, i run windows server 2003!

[masterofpuppets]

I game on Linux all the time with no problems. You just need to get your head out of the micro$oft a$$ :)

[Blergo]

agreed, all my games run fine on linux, u just need to work out how to make them run ;-) also a couple of years ago there was a company (not sure if there still is) that was produceing linux versions of games, i think basically they recompiled them to run on linux, but they used to have things like Quake3 and stuff, have a copy of Quake3 for linux here as a matter of fact, if more people started useing the os and started makeing a point that they use it there would soon be more games available that are compiled specially to run on linux. any other software all you have to do is have a good ol search on the net, you can find free linux programs for doing anything. most obscure example i have is my palm top that i have in my car. it is running linux, and it is used for dataloging information from my ECU.

[bxa121]

i had a real problem with people truing to hack into our netwrok at home.. i decided to get a decent router..
(make sure you configure it properly read the manual and make it as personal and secure as possible, use the inbuilt firewall too!.. password the crap out of it)
i also got a spyware remover.. actually two... spybot 1.3 (the best but only scans when you tell it to) and webroot spysweeper.. (this is always running in the background and protects me as i surf)
i also got some free software firewalls too.. im using zonealarm currently but you can use sygate personal firewall as well as kiero personal firewall - all mentioned are free and come with free updates and are rated as good firewalls..
get a decent antivirus program norton or whatever.. make sure you update windows and your antivirus etc..

but as masterofpupets said.. linux/ unix based systems are more stable, more secure (harder to break into) and just more fun.. plus theyre free and theres loads of variations that would suite your taste..

if you have any major questions go to http://www.security-forums.com/
thats what i did when we got attacked and they helped me out a lot..

im currently thinking of getting an old ast 486dx2 and making it into a hardware router to replace my current one.. that way i can put linux smoothewall on it and have a kik azz router much cheaper!!!

be secure dude..

p.s


Microsoft is pathetic, inferior scum which funds terrorism (well, maybe not that).

you dont mind if i use this as a siggy do you.. i just think its funny...

[Disposibleteen]

im still sticking with windows for now....

[Attitudx]

i will stick with windows just for gaming and i have used linux many different forms of it, BUT if you have a good spyware/hardware firewall there is no need to worry... i began using panda titanium 2005 and it works awesome installs a adware portion that kicks butt. also just for security reasons, i use giant spyware program to ward off any spyware

[Webzta]

Try surfing the net when you don't have SP2/Any antivirus software, within 5mins your OS is :banana::banana::banana::banana:ed.

[Disposibleteen]

why would you not have this when they are free and easy to get???

[STEvil]

I just use WinXP with stock firewall and mozilla instead of IE.

No problems, so I havent bothered with anything else.

[Disposibleteen]

very true, same here too, i have XP with service pack 2, and a hardware firewall in my router, no problems yet

[STEvil]

Should have mentioned it doesnt mean I dont want to give the shaft to microsoft anyways though ;);)

[Disposibleteen]

heh, yea if there was a better way with as much support for software as windows has i might think about switching but right now nothing compares

[bxa121]

you dont even need to switch totall over to linux anyways..
im trying to learn and get the feel of linux and you can get cd's that boot linux straight from the cd!
you dont install anything on your HD.. thats what im using.. i think theyre call live distributions..
you can even get linux on usb pen drives, which is pretty cool..

[Disposibleteen]

really, i think i might put linux on my usb drive, do u know how big the files are?

[bxa121]

can be anything... you can even put it on a floppy but there are ones that an be 50 mg#B's or so...
they are called small footprint o/s

................a little while later..
dude! im using linux right now!!!!
i downloaded elearnix which is based on knoppix (thats all i know) its the leaning version of linux hat i mentioned before.. i downloaded, burnt it onto cd (2mins??) and change he bios so the cdrom would boot before ide. and voila! it works! it deteted everything i had automatically and then started up!
is cool! plus its free.. i think im gonna try and download open office.. (a free version of whats like ms office.. but free!) ;)

[Disposibleteen]

sweet, then it will fit on my 128mb microdrive!!

[jjcom]

I had Win 95 with an old Virus protector...McAfee maybe...anyway, like i said the comp sent out emails and then that girl was "mildly" angery with me...lol mildly...

jjcom

[Shahid_2dk]

Try surfing the net when you don't have SP2/Any antivirus software, within 5mins your OS is :banana::banana::banana::banana:ed.


I am not using a firewall nor SP2 (crap)

and I am not Dead yet :D

[Disposibleteen]

are you running any type of antivirus or antispyware? these always help

[bxa121]

my antivirus (norton 2001) just expired its subscription..
so i swithed to panda.. its a free antivirus with free updates... (beats paying for subscription!!)

[Torin]

Try surfing the net when you don't have SP2/Any antivirus software, within 5mins your OS is :banana::banana::banana::banana:ed.

Where the hell are you surfing.... ? :stick:

[Disposibleteen]

heh, very true, what have you been doing???

[TheDude]

I'd be willing to bet that everyone who posted to this thread has some sort of spyware, virus or trojan on their machine but just doesn't know it. Don't believe me? try running "NoAdware", "SpyBot Search & Destroy", "Spyware Blaster" and "XoftSpy".
You WILL find a lot more than you think. Run them all because it's the only way to detect everything. Leave the ones you can on "active" all the time to prevent further infection. I have a hardware firewall and still found lots of stuff the 1st time I ran them.

[STEvil]

I dont doubt it either, but after poking around the extent of the limit were a few cookies and a reg entry from installing really old version of download accelerator plus (which spybot missed when I first installed it).

When on 56k, resume is a must have :(

[Disposibleteen]

i have ran, spybot, norton Antivirus 2005, webroot spysweeper, and adaware, im clean but first time i ran these they all found somethings that the others missed, norton seemed to miss the most of any though

And yes i do have 2 software and 1 hardware firewall installed and browse all of the time with Mozilla so it is still possible

[jjcom]

yeah I ran the program...all it found were some meaningless cookies. Nothing really wrong there. It was uninstalled because I got tired of the messages about a program changing the Windows Reg etc. Plus it made my computer really slow. I just got ticked at the programs...lol

jjcom

[Disposibleteen]

yea, i just ran the progs then deleted them, they are anoying, when i need to scan again ill reinstall..

[I²K]

Last time i checked my mums pc adaware found 264 entries :-)

Now she has to use firefox. I can't understand why she never wonder about her third search tab and her adult content in her bookmarks :rolleyes:

[Disposibleteen]

yea, all of the clues are there and people wonder why they get a ton of popups and have stuff on their computer they dont know how it got there...

[Sickapotamus]

i'm a big supporter of liux but you have to admit hackers are attacking and exploiting the security holes in linux as it grows in popularity.

[Disposibleteen]

as they will do with every OS that comes out, thats why i hate it when people knock microsoft so much!

[Yerg2k]

Wow, I'm not surprised at the amount of spyware, but I am with people's responses. Being in computer service myself, I've seen a few things... Our ad-aware record of 3,979 objects was beat by someone last october with 17,577 critical objects.

One person had 75,866 files infected with the netsky worm, which was a third of all the files on their computer. That is an exception though, as it is all one worm.

On a daily basis I'll see computers with 200-800 ad-aware objects, 15-45 spybot problems, and usually between a couple and 50 viruses/etc through housecall.antivirus.com. Also, I usually have to remove 10-30 items under hijackthis.

Most times, if the spyware situation is horrible, I'll use trinity resource kit to back up their data to the server and reinstall. It's really not worth the time to kill all that spyware.

[I²K]

i'm a big supporter of liux but you have to admit hackers are attacking and exploiting the security holes in linux as it grows in popularity.
I dont't think so. It's an other community thinking and there is no commercial concern behind linux which you can attack. Maybe RH (Fedora) or Suse will be attacked. And it is open source.