Virus warning

[JohnR]

I rarely do this but once every few years a systems issue comes along that is worthy to post. I have spent several LONG days this week working with two clients that had major issues as result of a virus (Trojan) that significantly damaged their operations.

The virus installs, attacks files, with an encryption scheme, then lets you know you have 72 hours to pay several hundred dollars to be able to restore your files.

Both clients received this after I told them not to open specific emails and to send to all staff - staff then opened emails and infected machines.

Short version, don't open email complaints from BBB, UPS tracking, Nigerian Finance Ministers, etc... Update your computers at least weekly, your virus daily, your Java and Your flash, weekly...

This one is nasty

[putty]

rarely post on here but great advice John! I think my old man got the same one a couple months back...suggesting that his PC was identified as having large amounts of child pornography on his computer and the FBI was going to come to arrest him and confiscate all of his computer hardware...but this can all go away with a simple payment of approx. $300 to some unknown company...Needless to say he was petrified and ready to throw money at this company to clean it up!

Fortunately I locked down his credentials priviledges a bit prior to this incident and was able to log in with admin credentials & it took a couple of hours to get it cleaned up using malwarebytes, hitman pro & other varaints of anti-virus softwares to clean it up but the issue was resolved in relatively short order.

As always with computers these days- an ounce of prevention or a pound of cure!

[Guppy]

GEEEEES!
I got the UPS thingy and deleted it ASAP,,,, Thank Mr. John

[Raven]

i received (yesterday) the ups scam tracker email (TRUE)

and forwarded it over to you....(not true) NAHHHHHH just kidden !!!! sorry

but since you brought it up,,,, i was smart and deleted it...
even tho the temptation to click it was there.... i said
not gunna do it...wouldn't be prudent !

i think i had better go empty my email trash-can just to be safe
and delete stripedbass,com from my contacts
just in case...

I am always fearful of some "time to live" virus
that has some weird ability to launch itself.

[SeaWolf]

we deal w/ similar issues, john, so i feel your pain.

one thing i might add, don't automatically download java updates. check your machine's version (in control panel in Windows) and go to java's site directly and upgrade. i have seen virus prompting for java updates.

[Jackbass]

If anyone needs a copy I am certain my mother will download a copy of it soon
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Raven]

i'm using advanced system care 6
and rather like it's features .... as it allows
you to do more stuff.... and i download the
Database each morning as the first thing i do.
i think there's like 9000 new virus per day
or something crazy like that....

[Jackbass]

Originally Posted by Raven

i'm using advanced system care 6
and rather like it's features .... as it allows
you to do more stuff.... and i download the
Database each morning as the first thing i do.
i think there's like 9000 new virus per day
or something crazy like that....

9000 per day people need to get a life
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[atom40]

I down loaded the Weather Chanel app. A computer clean up attached wants me to pay to clean my computer. Now I can't get rid of either one. Someone out there know how?

Jim

[Adam_777]

I have been battling these for a while.One for a close friend corrupted dells partition on his fairly newer laptop so going back to stock was not an option.Basically the thing hung at boot after virus was removed and wouldn't install windows from the partition.I had hours into it.He is running ubuntu now because he can't afford windows 7 discs. Hasn't had a problem with ubuntu in a couple years now.These new viruses are getting worse.They make significant changes and lock you and certain apps out.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by putty

suggesting that his PC was identified as having large amounts of child pornography on his computer and the FBI was going to come to arrest him and confiscate all of his computer hardware...but this can all go away with a simple payment of approx. $300 to some unknown company...Needless to say he was petrified and ready to throw money at this company to clean it up!

That one just made the computer difficult to use but did not destroy files - this one if a more destructive variant of the same.

Best solution on this is to have good backups of all your files so you can wipe your hard drive and start clean if infected.

[jimmy z]

thanks John,

If I don't know ya, it doesn't get opened!

[jettyjockey18]

Originally Posted by putty

rarely post on here but great advice John! I think my old man got the same one a couple months back...suggesting that his PC was identified as having large amounts of child pornography on his computer and the FBI was going to come to arrest him and confiscate all of his computer hardware...but this can all go away with a simple payment of approx. $300 to some unknown company...Needless to say he was petrified and ready to throw money at this company to clean it up!

Fortunately I locked down his credentials priviledges a bit prior to this incident and was able to log in with admin credentials & it took a couple of hours to get it cleaned up using malwarebytes, hitman pro & other varaints of anti-virus softwares to clean it up but the issue was resolved in relatively short order.

As always with computers these days- an ounce of prevention or a pound of cure!

my wife called me at work in tears a couple of months back...my son picked up this bug while on some gamers website, the thing locked up the computer and had this real ominous looking warning page complete with his picture taken from the webcam...i started to think something was phony when she mentioned the $300 fee to "make it go away" and no phone number to call...fortunately, my kids can only log on as guests with no admin privaledges. Once i got home, i cleaned everything off with malewarebytes and my trend micro AV took care of the rest.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by atom40

I down loaded the Weather Chanel app. A computer clean up attached wants me to pay to clean my computer. Now I can't get rid of either one. Someone out there know how?

Jim

good idea to google the name of the clean up app
usually provides removal instructions

the weather APP isn't really necessary because you can
usually track that info without using one

sometimes you have to manually go into your C-drive
and look at different folders for that hidden bastid

or go to your search box after clicken start
and put in *.exe or in other words
search this EFFING (tyJR) computer for EFFING every
EFFING executable file on this mother....effer -lol

then you'll have yourself a list....
to explore via your search box or via google


there's another program used to be free
costs like 29 bucks now (ugh) i liked
called "what's running" then when certain sh it pops up
you can run it ...to get file names ! with them it's easier
to find the Hidden annoyances that get sneakily installed on yer pc

always hit the custom button when installing stuff so you can select
or not select the other add ons , browser hacks, and unwanted
hard to get rid of programs...