Virus: I think it only fair to let everyone know that I just found and removed a virus from my computer. I had to do a boot scan to find it. I just wanted to do the right thing and let...

Janice Loc: Kentucky

I think it only fair to let everyone know that I just found and removed a virus from my computer. I had to do a boot scan to find it. I just wanted to do the right thing and let everyone know. I don't know where it came from, but my guess is here, since that is almost all I have done online for about a month.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

thanks for the warning

Janice Loc: Kentucky

sinatraman wrote:

thanks for the warning

I can't say for sure where it came from - all I can do is let people know I had one and didn't find it in the regular scans. I had to do a boot scan. Hopefully everyone will scan their computers as well.

Elle Loc: Long Island, NY

I'd say it is unlikely that you'd have gotten the virus from here although I've learned the hard way that anything is possible. Even Mac's, long safer than PC's are now a prime target with the advent of the Ipod, Iphone and Ipad proliferation. Can you tell us the symptoms experienced that triggered the boot scan and what was reported?

Janice Loc: Kentucky

Elle wrote:

I'd say it is unlikely that you'd have gotten the virus from here although I've learned the hard way that anything is possible. Even Mac's, long safer than PC's are now a prime target with the advent of the Ipod, Iphone and Ipad proliferation. Can you tell us the symptoms experienced that triggered the boot scan and what was reported?

I was getting emails returned to me that I hadn't sent, friends were emailing me asking what the heck I was sending them, and I was getting emails from myself. The scan gave me a message that windows was infected with PUP - it is a popup generator, my son understands all this much better than I. Hopefully you understand the lingo. The only other thing I have done on my PC is look at another photography website and a few emails. So who really knows where it came from. I just thought it would be the right thing to do to alert others that I had found one because I know they can be passed from computer to computer. It doesn't really matter how it got there except to know would help keep me from getting it again.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

Janice wrote:

quote=Elle I'd say it is unlikely that you'd have... (show quote)

I hope that helps. Thanks for asking since I am sure others would be interested in that info and I didn't think to put it on here.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Janice wrote:

...<snip>...The only other thing I have done on my PC is look at another photography website and a few emails.

Infected emails are BY FAR the most common virus carriers. That's what I would suspect first off. Virii can be hidden in nearly every type of file these days, (even JPG image files) but the bad guys know that emails are the quickest and fastest ways to spread their crap around.

snowbear

A virus can also sit dormant for weeks or even months. Some are designed to activate on specific days - certain anniversaries - like terrorist cells.

Lmarc Loc: Ojojona, Honduras

Maybe things have changed, but I always thought a virus had to be activated in some way, such as clicking on a link in an email or on a website, or downloading an infected ".exe" file or a zip file containing an ".exe" file. I use Bit Defender virus scan at home and it's EXTREMELY sensitive to infected files. It has never gone off at an email or photo, BUT links, yes, and downloaded files.

Maybe someone here is computer-savvy enough to let us know otherwise.

EricLPT Loc: Jonesborough TN

Janice wrote:

quote=Elle I'd say it is unlikely that you'd have... (show quote)

I've had the same thing happen to me recently, since joining UH. How did you do a 'boot scan', I'd like to be rid of this virus.

Thanks,

Eric

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Lmarc wrote:

Maybe things have changed, but I always thought a virus had to be activated in some way, such as clicking on a link in an email or on a website, or downloading an infected ".exe" file or a zip file containing an ".exe" file.

Not so much anymore. There are so many kinds of files now that can 'embed' themselves in your OS somewhere without you even knowing it. The number of ways an infected file can get in to your system is almost endless. Background transfers, infected image files, rogue "spyware alert" software that infects your computer with a trojan when you click "Get a Free Scan NOW!", the list goes on and on. The best one can do is keep the spyware and virus software up to date, and learn how not to do stupid stuff.

For the uninitiated, there is NO WAY an "anti-spyware" program can know your system has "326 trojans, spyware and viruses" in the 5 seconds it takes to load that bogus web page. Nearly ALL of those programs are false-front spyware delivery vehicles that will infect your computer before you can say diddly squat. DO NOT fall for the "Free PC Scan".

Janice Loc: Kentucky

EricLPT wrote:

quote=Janice quote=Elle I'd say it is unlikely t... (show quote)

On my anti virus program on the left menu side there is a place you can click that says boot scan. It will run a black screen with white writing, mine took at least half an hour. If my son had not been here, since I don't know much about computers, I would have thought the computer wasn't working because of the black screen. When it is done it will either restart your program or ask you what you want to do with what it found - depends on the settings you have and the anti-virus program you have also.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

JimH wrote:

Janice wrote:

...<snip>...The only other thing I have done on my PC is look at another photography website and a few emails.

Infected emails are BY FAR the most common virus carriers. That's what I would suspect first off. Virii can be hidden in nearly every type of file these days, (even JPG image files) but the bad guys know that emails are the quickest and fastest ways to spread their crap around.

I am just glad I found the one I had and got rid of it. Like I said, how it got there only helps so you know not to do that thing again, if possible. I am as careful as I know how to be. Especially about opening emails that don't look like something a friend would have sent me. I have been all over this site and since I don't know how long the virus had been there I wanted to let folks know.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

Thanks for the heads up.

Fifty-Fifty Loc: Arkansas

I had that virus on my last computer before i joined UHH its when i was able to contain it it said it was in files associated with yahoo mail ...i don't use that comp now. but it took all my contacts and sent them advertisements like i was sending them and my friends were like "what is this all about," i had one friend who was lets say slightly overweight and the virus sent her 3 loose weight type emails from 3 different companies ,,,it really hurt her feelings cuz she thought i really sent them to her. it made me out to look like a scum bucket jerk IMHO..i tried to appologise but the damage was done she won't talk to me now