[Leica] Leica] OT: A pox on all virus and malware writers

[mark at whitedogs.co.uk (Mark Pope)]

Hi Peter,

thanks for the tip with the restore point.  I'll keep that in mind if I 
have any more problems.

I'm optimistic that I've cleaned the system out using a combination of 
Malwarebytes and a trial version of Kaspersky anti-virus 2010.

I'm just running a final full scan using Malwarebytes to make sure - so 
fingers crossed...

Best wishes

Mark


Mark Pope,
Swindon, Wilts
UK

Homepage               http://www.monomagic.co.uk
Blog                   http://www.monomagic.co.uk/blog
Picture a week (2009)  http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2009
                (2008) 
http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2008


Peter Klein wrote:
> Mark:  One thing you can try is to do a "System Restore."  Windows
> periodically keeps copies of its operating system and program files state.
>  You can roll back your system to the state that it was in on
> such-and-such a date.  Try rolling it back to a point a day or two before
> the problems started, then use your virus scan program to clean up any
> recent restore points from after the infection.
> 
> I do not know for sure if this will clear up any rootkit issues, but it
> should unless the malware infects multiple system restore points.  This
> malware is fairly new, so that is unknown right now.
> 
> The menu sequence to get to System Restore is:
> Start Menu, Programs (or All Programs), Accessories, System Tools, System
> Restore...
> and follow the prompts.
> 
> I had a user with the same malware last week. I haven't heard from him yet
> about whether the system restore worked. So I feel your pain.  I heartily
> agree with your assessment of malware authors.  My fantasy punishment for
> them involves a combination of Texas law and certain Middle Eastern
> practices.
> 
> --Peter
> 
> ----- original message-----
> Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:10:58 +0100
> From: Mark Pope <mark at whitedogs.co.uk>
> Subject: [Leica] OT: A pox on all virus and malware writers
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Message-ID: <4AD34702.7030809 at whitedogs.co.uk>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
> Today started fairly well.  A spot of gentle exercise and then, as I
> stepped out of the shower, a voice said "Avast has come up with a
> message saying there's a problem"....
> 
> There were also warning balloons appearing from an icon in the system
> tray on our XP system as well as a also a very convincing dialogue box
> which said that Anti Virus Pro 2010 had detected.  The dialogue box
> invited me to download some software to remove the virii and trojans.
> 
> I smelt a rat, not having loaded anything called Anti Virus Pro 2010
> onto the system.  At first I thought it was a Microsoft Utility, but on
> further investigation, it turned out to be 'scareware'.
> 
> So I have now spent the last five hours trying to clean my system and
> I'm not there yet...Avast has now detected some sort of root kit virus
> and is running yet another scan.  I estimate it will take at least
> another three or four hours to complete the system scan and even then I
> don't know whether I will have a clean computer.  So I am already
> resigning myself to a disk reformat, OS and software reinstall - so
> that's tomorrow taken care of if I have to do that!
> 
> I have always been very careful with respect to the security of my
> systems - apparently, I wasn't careful enough as it appears we have been
> the victim of a "drive by" attack.  Lord knows how!
> 
> So, I can't post my PAWs or process any pictures until I have finished
> this activity.  To say I am unhappy, would be an understatement.  You
> have no idea what I would like to do to these low-life if I could get my
> hands on them...
> 
> Good job I have Linux and Mac computers as well.
> 
> Like I said - a pox (and a very nasty, painful one at that) on all virus
> and malware writers.  I hate them with a passion.
> 
> Mark