View Full Version : PC Malware Threats
walpurgis
02-06-2014, 21:53
I see there's supposed to be a new and perhaps very serious batch of computer bugs coming. We already have a batch of 'Ransomware' nasties about.
A couple of weeks ago a friend's laptop was locked by one of these and he was at a complete loss as to how to deal with it. Nothing he knew worked and all he could do was switch it on and get a desktop message telling him to pay to have it unlocked.
I had a tinker with the laptop and managed to clear it. Booting in safe mode and very quickly telling the computer to 'system restore'. It took a few goes, but there was a very short delay before the bug blocked the restore action and I finally got in there in time.
In order to add protection on my PC, as the exact nature of forthcoming threats is not clear, I've added 'ThreatFire' anti-virus to my existing defences. It's unusual in being behaviour based and alerts you to any suspicious activity. I've used it before and it works and has very little impact on the computer's resources. It is a free download and is designed to work alongside conventional A/V applications without conflict and has selectable sensitivity settings and a bug scanner.
Geoff
Thanks for the tip
P
Spectral Morn
02-06-2014, 22:42
I see there's supposed to be a new and perhaps very serious batch of computer bugs coming. We already have a batch of 'Ransomware' nasties about.
A couple of weeks ago a friend's laptop was locked by one of these and he was at a complete loss as to how to deal with it. Nothing he knew worked and all he could do was switch it on and get a desktop message telling him to pay to have it unlocked.
I had a tinker with the laptop and managed to clear it. Booting in safe mode and very quickly telling the computer to 'system restore'. It took a few goes, but there was a very short delay before the bug blocked the restore action and I finally got in there in time.
In order to add protection on my PC, as the exact nature of forthcoming threats is not clear, I've added 'ThreatFire' anti-virus to my existing defences. It's unusual in being behaviour based and alerts you to any suspicious activity. I've used it before and it works and has very little impact on the computer's resources. It is a free download and is designed to work alongside conventional A/V applications without conflict and has selectable sensitivity settings and a bug scanner.
Link please
Regards Neil
walpurgis
02-06-2014, 23:08
For those interested, the link to a free download of 'Threatfire' is here:
http://threatfire.en.softonic.com/
softonic.com is a safe download site I've used before and 'Threatfire' is provided by PCTools, who are an established software provider. You'll find it's effective and quite a nice application to use. At least it will warn you if any funny business is attempted on your PC and allow you to block it. If you don't recognise the item in question, temporarily block it and Google to find out what it is. On my PC I have the sensitivity set at 4, slightly higher than norm. 'Threatfire' is for Windows operating systems.
twickers
02-06-2014, 23:19
Or don't click on anything your unsure of. Problem solved ;)
walpurgis
02-06-2014, 23:35
Or don't click on anything your unsure of. Problem solved ;)
It doesn't always work quite like that Paul. Sites you know can carry bugs. It's happened to me. I had a totally destroyed Windows installation from a supposedly safe site. Fortunately I knew how to recover the O/S. Most people would be stuck.
The Barbarian
02-06-2014, 23:38
I never keep anything on my Laptop, signs of any issues i just swap out the HDD re install operating system.
walpurgis
02-06-2014, 23:43
I never keep anything on my Laptop, signs of any issues i just swap out the HDD re install operating system.
I keep very little on mine. My HDD is only 80gb for Windows 7, makes for a reasonably quick PC and I don't need more. I had my start up time down to 32 secs the other day after a clearout, but it's rising with the incoming temp file clutter and other gubbins.
I thought you used a Mac Andr'e?
The Barbarian
02-06-2014, 23:46
Me MAC
:rfl:
I have 500GB HDD, Max RAM installed.. I run W7 in 32 bit mode, for my use it's faster than 64bit..
walpurgis
02-06-2014, 23:54
Never understood the fascination for huge hard drives, most people have no use for one. It's just the numbers game. If the average person realised that photos, films and music, etc., should go on CD/DVD or stick, they'd not need one. I'm running a cheap refurbed ex business HP PC, using Windows 7 (which I've reinstalled about five times, due to cock ups from continual tinkering), a 3.4 gb processor and 4 gb memory, all on an 80 gb drive. Works well.
The Barbarian
03-06-2014, 00:02
Geoff
You get faster start up if you disable start ups you don't need.
Gordon Steadman
03-06-2014, 07:23
Never understood the fascination for huge hard drives, most people have no use for one. It's just the numbers game. If the average person realised that photos, films and music, etc., should go on CD/DVD or stick, they'd not need one. I'm running a cheap refurbed ex business HP PC, using Windows 7 (which I've reinstalled about five times, due to cock ups from continual tinkering), a 3.4 gb processor and 4 gb memory, all on an 80 gb drive. Works well.
Don't see the point of having music on CDs if you are using a PC for the digital music. We add pics every day and it would be a right pain to have to keep adding them to some sort of external mediaIt all depends just how much info you have and how often and how quickly you want to access it. I have two internal 250gB disks on my main machine and they are both just about full. A third one will be going in shortly.
For me, the Mac (yup its a Mac, Andre) is all about convenience and ease of access. We ran two businesses from them too and it didn't take long for the space to get used up. I'd rather have one big back up system on disk than a huge pile of CDs or sticks. It took ages to get rid of such stuff.
chris@panteg
03-06-2014, 07:25
Gameover zeus virus
Be very careful with your emails, dont open any attachments or click on any links, if your bank or credit card company want to contact you about something serious, it will be in writing.
Or don't click on anything your unsure of. Problem solved ;)
It doesn't always work quite like that Paul. Sites you know can carry bugs. It's happened to me. I had a totally destroyed Windows installation from a supposedly safe site. Fortunately I knew how to recover the O/S. Most people would be stuck.
Yep, a drive by infection. A flash or Java enable site set up to exploit any security vulnerability and you can pick something up. These type of infections seem to be on the increase, I've sorted out a number of friends PC's recently even a Win 8.1 system due to these drive by infections.
Spectral Morn
03-06-2014, 07:48
Downloaded last night from that location and this am my pc was barely functional, the mouse kept freezing and it was only by a miracle I could get in programs and remove it. My laptop now works again, no freezing of mouse or keyboard.
My advice is don't download it.
Regards Neil
Downloaded last night from that location and this am my pc was barely functional, the mouse kept freezing and it was only by a miracle I could get in programs and remove it. My laptop now works again, no freezing of mouse or keyboard.
My advice is don't download it.
Regards Neil
RAM constraints maybe? In general it's very well received but does consume more resources...
EDIT: Further reading and this s/w is obsolete! Seems Symantec bought a long time back!
walpurgis
03-06-2014, 09:39
Geoff
You get faster start up if you disable start ups you don't need.
I go through 'startup ' programmes regularly Andr'e.
walpurgis
03-06-2014, 09:50
Downloaded last night from that location and this am my pc was barely functional, the mouse kept freezing and it was only by a miracle I could get in programs and remove it. My laptop now works again, no freezing of mouse or keyboard.
My advice is don't download it.
Regards Neil
That's odd. I've used Threatfire on many PCs with no bother at all. It may be a resource issue, as Neal suggests.
Threatfire does not go out of date. Updates are available for the bug scanner, but the main behaviour based A/V needs no updates once on your computer, as it does not use a 'library' of definitions to compare bugs to. It just monitors what you have operating and picks up any unusual changes.
I have it running just fine on my PC, alongside MSE and AVG Linkscanner and a good spyware scanner. I haven't checked startup times since installation, but can't say I've noticed a change and operational speed seems unaffected. It's working well.
Spectral Morn
03-06-2014, 11:13
That's odd. I've used Threatfire on many PCs with no bother at all. It may be a resource issue, as Neal suggests.
Threatfire does not go out of date. Updates are available for the bug scanner, but the main behaviour based A/V needs no updates once on your computer, as it does not use a 'library' of definitions to compare bugs to. It just monitors what you have operating and picks up any unusual changes.
I have it running just fine on my PC, alongside MSE and AVG Linkscanner and a good spyware scanner. I haven't checked startup times since installation, but can't say I've noticed a change and operational speed seems unaffected. It's working well.
Maybe but it freaked me out this am when the mouse would not work nor the keyboard. I had to force several restarts and it was during one of those I was able to get into programs and remove it.
Who knows what it was but the pc is working fine now, fingers crossed.
Regards Neil
I see that ThreatFire doesn't seem support W8, maybe the site is just old and pre W8. It won't install on my W7 i5. Shame....maybe I can use it on my wife's XP machine though.
walpurgis
03-06-2014, 12:13
Yes, it may be that Windows 8 is not supported. Works fine on my Windows 7.
Spectral Morn
03-06-2014, 12:27
Yes, it may be that Windows 8 is not supported. Works fine on my Windows 7.
Mine was windows 7
Regards Neil
Richard Kimber
03-06-2014, 12:37
Of course, you could use Linux :lol:
- Richard.
As a true sign of irony, the only threat i have ever aquired on a pc of mine, was the nice bug delivered by AoS a year ago! ;)
(Or, not directly perhaps, but the exploit was delivered by the AoS)
And who cares really? The cure is basically worse than the disease anyway...
Nah, just get a Mac, and rent your porn from your local videoshop instead! ;)
twickers
03-06-2014, 15:34
Nah! Porn sites aren't to blame. The well known ones anyway( or so i'm told; i wouldn't know;)).
It's wally brains clicking on anything without thinking. Anyway, what's the point of virus protection if you then need 2 or 3 other programs running along side it?
I followed Tim's advice (of this parish) some time ago: i've had no trouble. Downloading updates, now that's another matter..
walpurgis
03-06-2014, 16:20
what's the point of virus protection if you then need 2 or 3 other programs running along side it?
There's a bit more to it.
I'm using two types of A/V, they work together well, but operate totally differently and having more protection seems a good idea to me.
The AVG Linkscanner catches stuff that the A/V programmes seem to miss. I had this proved to me when I caught the little nasty Mike refers to, which MSE missed completely, crashing my system. Since then the Linkscanner has trapped quite a few bugs, including the one mentioned.
Also it pays to have a good spyware scanner as well as what comes with your regular A/V suite. I use Spyware Expert, it delves deeply and catches stuff the others miss. I just use it every few weeks or if I suspect a problem. I've tried the other well known ones and this works better.
Better to be very well protected than underprotected. Especially with the impending threat. Sorting an infected PC can be a nightmare or impossible without the expense of a new Windows installation.
walpurgis
04-06-2014, 22:00
A couple of tips to anybody trying Threatfire A/V.
Under 'quarantine' check the restore point box, as this will allow you to undo any quarantines that prove to be for legitimate items. Also, after a bit of experimentation, I've now found that under 'settings' the default sensitivity position is probably best, as the next higher throws up more queries, which seem to be for normally required items.
I know you are a fan of trying stuff out Geoff, but for a Windows PC (7 or 8) if you keep it updated and don't install all manner of free stuff on it, you only really need MSE (IMO). I don't hold with third party 'free' software, but each to their own I guess ;)
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/security-essentials-download
I have never had a problem in all the years I have been using a Windows PC (since 3.1), but then I'm reasonably security savvy and up until MSE I always paid for my A/V software, ESET NOD32 being my favourite and we have it on all our business workstations in the office and you should see the nasties we regularly deal with!
+1 However, you can also run MS Safety Scanner as an extra level of security as its been known for MSE to be compromised in the past.
Don't forget MS Defender comes with Win7 and 8 already, just enable it in Control Panel.
walpurgis
04-06-2014, 22:34
you only really need MSE
I know many get by with only MSE Tim, but I'd recommend having AVG Linkscanner with it (not the full AVG A/V suite), as it definitely catches stuff MSE misses and has saved my PC from a particular nasty a couple of times. It's free and has no bad effects. I use MSE myself, but like some extra protection personally. But as you say, it's a matter of choice.
Windows Defender is switched off when MSE is used by the way Neal, as it is no longer required.
? In Windows 8 its Defender, essential MSE renamed as Defender and included with the OS... :scratch:
Another level of protection for Windows users is EMET, very useful...
Ah, clearer, wish MS would stick to the same naming convention!
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect_start/windows-defender-and-microsoft-security-essentials/5309cb8d-02e1-40e8-974f-0dcedb9ab9fd
+1 However, you can also run MS Safety Scanner as an extra level of security as its been known for MSE to be compromised in the past.
Yup, did that last night even though I was 99.99999% sure I was OK, now I'm 100% sure.
Yes you are right Neal, MSE and Defender are pretty much one and the same, depending on which Windows O/S you have - I'm sure nobody in their right mind is still running XP on a machine connected to the internet ;)
walpurgis
04-06-2014, 22:49
? In Windows 8 its Defender, essential MSE renamed as Defender and included with the OS... :scratch:
Ah, well I use Windows 7 and have not tried 8. My comments applied to 7.
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