URGENT for XP users - nasty virus on yahoo

[Allen]

I clicked on yahoo weather yesterday and got this nasty bit of scamware that overran my system.

It marks just about every file and program on your computer as 'hidden' and 'read only' then tells you your hard drive has failed.... and then tries to sell you a $79 'fix'
It co-opts Microsoft Essentials AND won't let you dump it without a LOT of work
It causes the computer to shut down if you try to run most antivirus progs
It locks you out of task manager
It corrupts your wireless connection
It switches your browser to a corrupted version of exploder
Plus other little tricks I'm still finding
It's FAST, as in by the time you realize you've got it, you're pretty much screwed.

It takes combofix PLUS another high powered antivirus to contain it. Then you STILL have to reset all the files and programs manually.

Then, when it was finally gone, I accidentally opened yahoo again.... It seems to learn and it's harder and faster for round 2

If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was made by microsoft to push folks to upgrade

 

[n4zou]

End all your problems and switch to Linux. Ubuntu is easy to instal and use. After a couple of weeks you'll wonder why you spent so much time screwing around with Windows instead of using your computer for other things other than fighting Windows problems and constant maintenance like checking and defraging the hard drive or downloading anti-virus updates. Ubuntu is not subject to any virus or even require any anit-virus programs. Ubuntu will allow you to try it out before you instal it on your computers hard drive. You can boot your computer on the Live CD that will be created after you download this Linux operating system and burn it on a disk. Just put it in and let your computer boot on the CD. You'll then know it's compatible with your computer and you. Your computer will operate sort of sluggishly running from a Live CD due to the slower read rate compared to a hard drive. The latest Ubuntu distribution is far advanced over XP. You'll really like it after you get used to it. Here is where you can download it or order a CD if you have a slow or limited Internet connection. It's completely free so it costs nothing to try it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

 

[mu38&Bg#]

That's odd. I run XP with no antivirus and visit Yahoo regularly. I haven't used antivirus in maybe 10 years. The only problems I have had is when my 10 year old brother-in-law was trying to get all the "free" stuff he could off the net.

Greg

 

[techonehundred]

Yep, I had one of my users get this malware. Here is some advice that can be helpful, not foolproof, but helpful. Create a User that is an administrator and change the one that you use to just a user. When you are running as a user and not an administrator, it makes it harder for malware to install. It also means that whenever you install a program, you need to be logged on to the account that is the administrator.
This malware along with similar that I have seen recently installs itself to the temp file which is specific to the user. So, I was able to get around the malware by loggin on as a different user and then deleting everything in the C:\Documents and Settings\"User"\Local Settings\Application data\Temp folder. This removed the malware. Then was just the task of Unhiding the folders in All Users, and the "user" account where the malware was installed. Worked just fine.

 

[rake60]

Sounds like you got hooked up with the Defender Antivirus.

Defender Antivirus will make your computer unusable.

It's a rogue program that installs via pop up.
If you ever see a page that asks you to confirm your choice to leave that page,
don't close the pop up! Open the task manager and close the browser page from there.

If it does get in, an immediate system restore will remove it.
If you have it in your PC for a few days it will mutate and be very difficult to remove.

Rick