I Just Got Bombed With Spyware
<div class="IPBDescription">This stuff was NASTY</div> And I have no idea how. I use a quality firewall and the only internet applications I was using were Steam, Explorer (surfing NewEgg.com), and IRC. Here's a summary of what happened:
I was surfing newegg (only) and my CPU usage goes through the roof. I see "Setup" open in the task bar but my computer is almost locked up its running so slow so I can't close it. After a minute or so my computer starts running at a reasonable speed again. I open task manager and see 15+ programs running that I don't recognize, so I kill them all. I lock down my internet with my firewall while I block all the applications that are spyware (21 in total I had to block), then set security to high. Then, I scan with AdWare and Spybot and together they pick up 200 or more bits of spyware. Well it still isn't gone cuz on restart it is still all there. So I go to open msconfig, well my toolbar is broken, GG. I find msconfig the hard way and take all the baddies off of startup and restart, it looks like it's gone. I go to use AVG to scan for any viruses, and it's deleted...I'm reinstalling it right now.
<b>Here's the golden question, how did this happen, and how do I make it not happen again?</b>
I was surfing newegg (only) and my CPU usage goes through the roof. I see "Setup" open in the task bar but my computer is almost locked up its running so slow so I can't close it. After a minute or so my computer starts running at a reasonable speed again. I open task manager and see 15+ programs running that I don't recognize, so I kill them all. I lock down my internet with my firewall while I block all the applications that are spyware (21 in total I had to block), then set security to high. Then, I scan with AdWare and Spybot and together they pick up 200 or more bits of spyware. Well it still isn't gone cuz on restart it is still all there. So I go to open msconfig, well my toolbar is broken, GG. I find msconfig the hard way and take all the baddies off of startup and restart, it looks like it's gone. I go to use AVG to scan for any viruses, and it's deleted...I'm reinstalling it right now.
<b>Here's the golden question, how did this happen, and how do I make it not happen again?</b>
Comments
The way to prevent it is to run Spyware scans regularly and switch to a good browser (like Opera).
Or, you could go become a Tibetan monk and live in a mountain monestary above the clouds.
Those two options are pretty much all you've got.
I use <a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/' target='_blank'>FireFox</a> myself, and love it.
Apparently theres this thing going around where if you get a pop-up, your dead. Doesnt matter if its blocked by a pop-up blocker, or if your using Firefox, youre still boned.
Annoying.
I use <a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/' target='_blank'>FireFox</a> myself, and love it. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ditto, Firefox is a damn good browser.
And that avatar rocks...
--Scythe--
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Isn't NewEgg a trustworthy site? Seems pretty popular. But like the previous posters said, Internet Explorer has several exploits in it. I use Firefox.
Lucky me. I use IE and still didn't get bombarded with that. The only problems I have are my brother downloading subbed animes eaitng up my disk space, and RealOne player remaining in memory for some reason.
Why I use IE? I live life on the edge <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also, just wait till your browser gets Hi-Jacked. That's a rather scary experience since the person(s) now pretty much own your computer. I just hope some of this anti-spyware legislator that passes is good and keeps these **** from doing it...
Also, just wait till your browser gets Hi-Jacked. That's a rather scary experience since the person(s) now pretty much own your computer. I just hope some of this anti-spyware legislator that passes is good and keeps these **** from doing it... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ive used mIRC 10+ years and never had anything like this happen....
*edit*
er.. well.. close to ten years... <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Not to mention the fact it dosen't even NEED those plugins. God I love firefox <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->:D
Also, just wait till your browser gets Hi-Jacked. That's a rather scary experience since the person(s) now pretty much own your computer. I just hope some of this anti-spyware legislator that passes is good and keeps these **** from doing it... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ive used mIRC 10+ years and never had anything like this happen....
*edit*
er.. well.. close to ten years... <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html//emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You may not have had anything happen, but I have, and a few other people I've talked to. In one of the previous builds, someone could initiate a download onto your computer without you accepting or even knowing of it. It was possible, may still be in someway. But every time you open up something that allows things to download to your computer, you are at risk in some level. Have to remember, there are a lot of script kiddes (that need to be shot and skinned, then hung upside down in front of computer stores) out there that think it's funny to mess with computers.
it's good <i>and</i> it's free <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Lucky me. I use IE and still didn't get bombarded with that. The only problems I have are my brother downloading subbed animes eaitng up my disk space, and RealOne player remaining in memory for some reason.
Why I use IE? I live life on the edge <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
RealOne player is a virus. Anything from Real is a virus.
<a href='http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm</a>
Check out the above link for downloads to "Real Alternative 1.22 Final," a program that lets you play Real Media (be it audio, video or otherwise) through windows media player classic.
MUCH better than disgusting Real software which is full of bloat and hidden agreements (like email me with more info automatically chceked off by default) and memory hogging uselsess start up daemons... just uninstall the virus and use the Real Alternative.
one problem i had is that u cant delete stuff while its running, so i had to go in and find what it is called, or go in safe mode, and delete them manually