PC virus trojan advice

[Oldpinkman]

Ok Mac boys, tune out.

I would appreciate some advice from the PC guys here on this subject. I think I have picked up a nasty I can't identify. In the middle of posting my comment on the FX1200 thread, my Firefox tab was hijacked to an advert for bit-defender, a product I had been reviewing to fix an issue I fear I have. I think the system is slow responding too, not badly, but enough to make me suspicious.

I use Webroot secure Anywhere as my main protection, but, periodically, and after suspected attacks, run Malware bytes which yesterday ripped out a couple of dozen minor threats, and then on its 2nd scan reported "clean". There are so many solutions out there reporting false positives, and failing to find real threats, and I don't want to be running every product on the market, but I am interested in recommendations for a real killer

The background is I bought a new Nikon camera, and the 64 bit software wouldn't start. I eventually solved it by replacing 4 dll files, but prior to that, to my regret, googled for a "magic fix" and installed ReImage repair. This is still installed, and I am waiting to uninstall it in the manner required for a refund, but I doubt it is directly the cause of the problem. But I think I might have got suckered into a couple of others whilst trying to download Microsofts own malware removal tool.

Any thoughts?

[Stratmangler]

How far back do your restore points go?
You could always try rolling the machine back to pre Bit Defender installation, provided you have restore points prior to its installation.

[DarrenHW]

If you have no joy with a restore point try Combo Fix http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/ don't click on the big Start Download button but the Download Now @ Bleeping Computer below it. Download it and then restart in Safe Mode (Press F8 whist booting). Run Combo Fix and reboot, it's then worth downloading and running AdwCleaner, RKill and TDSSKiller (all at the bottom of the above linked page) for a belt and braces cleansing.

Good luck!

[Effem]

Paul from REFFC put me onto "Superantispyware" which seems to really scour deep for those hidden nasties other programs seem to miss. It can also do some sentinel duties to keep the evils at bay in the first place.

He also posted a link which might be useful too:

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/level-q...tcher-removal/

[Oldpinkman]

Thanks guys

Good thoughts all of them. As soon as I can get that poxy Reimage off, I will think about a restore point. They don't go back very far due to another issue I fixed at the same time, but far enough, I think, to be pre bit-defender.

I think the slow running may be due to BT Cloud - I recently changed ISP's as well, and I think it autoloads to do huge backups. If I can't find a way to make it do it overnight, I will revert to my USB hard drive solution

[hifi_dave]

Why aren't MACs and Apple products affected by virus and Trojans etc ? I've been told it's because there are relatively few Apple owners, so it's not worth developing malicious programs to affect them. Not sure that applies anymore as Apple products are now extemely popular. So, what's the answer /

[Stratmangler]

Why aren't MACs and Apple products affected by virus and Trojans etc ? I've been told it's because there are relatively few Apple owners, so it's not worth developing malicious programs to affect them. Not sure that applies anymore as Apple products are now extemely popular. So, what's the answer /

Is that so?
http://www.zdnet.com/major-apple-sec...ks-7000026624/

[Rothchild]

Clamwin and ClamSentinel here, free and Open Source, what's not to like!

Also, a big hosts file to make sure that as many attack vectors are closed off at source: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

[worrasf]

Is that so?
http://www.zdnet.com/major-apple-sec...ks-7000026624/

But this is a SSL issue not a virus or malware.

Last time I looked there were no instances of viruses in the wild that target OS X. Popularly put about that not worth the hassle because of lower install base but really due to OS X being Unix and fundamentally more secure. I have used Macs for about 5 years and never ever had a virus or malware although I choose to run ClamXV "just in case" and also because I share lots of files with PC users and I run Windows 7 on my iMac via parallels.

In contrast all the years I had Windows PC's I'd regularly get some nasty that was intercepted by whatever Internet security (resource hogging) suite was flavour of the month.

[Stratmangler]

This has happened too.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...-for-Macs.html