HELP!!

[UTGal]

This is probably the wrong forum, so please excuse if it is....

This morning my laptop began giving me the spyware message (Antispyware XP) -- basically wanting me to purchase it -- and I can't uninstall it -- I can get to Hornfans and other sites, but when I attempt to respond to my yahoo account, I get the unsecured network error message. What do I do???

 

[HornBud]

post this in "Horn Depot", you'll have better luck there.

damn that sucks. I recommend using VIPRE in the future. It's a spy/mal/adware pack combined with virus protection. runs $30/year, is real easy on the system resources, and consistently is being updated. A security expert friend of mine turned me on to one of their first products, Counter Spy for spy/mal/adware, and VIPRE was the next step combining that with the Virus protection.

 

[wherzwaldo]

First of all, DO NOT BUY THE SOFTWARE. "Antispyware XP" itself is actually spyware.

I have dealt with infections like this, and it is possible that the only thing that can truly fix it is reformatting the hard drive.

1. Backup your important data if possible, just in case.
2. Try using System Restore to revert back to a previous state. Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore. Choose a date from a few days ago and try the restore. Your computer will reboot. (Note: the restore may not work.)
3. Download and run this utility to remove Antispyware XP.
4. Run SpyBot, AdAware, a virus scan, etc., clean all infections, and hope for the best.

Here is another good reference, but it is not for the technically uninitiated.

Good luck.

 

[blkshoes]

you have a virus, possibly from some email you opened. you can do a system restore to the day before this started happening. deleting your cookies might help. i would definitely buy a spyware/virus scan software. dont know who your internet provider is but yahoo gives theres out for free, and its a pretty decent one.

 

[UTGal]

Thanks for the good tips...this is a total pain in the arse!!!
Met a guy at the bar last night who sent me an email -- it must have been in his attachment....UGH!!!

 

[HornBud]

He hasn't even touched you and you're already infected!!! Run!!

 

[UTGal]

Exactly what I was thinking....he called a little bit ago and I let it go to voice mail.....

 

[UTGal]

Oh yeah!! System restore appears to have worked -- Thank you!!!!!

 

[wherzwaldo]

Good to hear it. But I would still run spyware scans just to make sure.

 

[blkshoes]

maybe your pc needs to dress in layers as well. sometimes barriers are a good thing.

 

[HornBud]

Ok, now go toThe Link and download VIPRE before you get anymore emails from strangers.

 

[LITNIN HORN]

Buy a Mac.

 

[The Creature]

Had this problem. Listen up.

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING. Your computer is infected with the zlob virus. That's not an actual windows warning you're seeing, it's an immitation intended to get you to give out your information. It's a (supposedly) Russian computer scam that alot of less-than-computer-literate people fall for because it looks relatively convincingly like a genuine windows security warning.

First things first, get and run the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. You might have to download it on another computer and burn it to disk; the zlob worm wouldn't let me download it. You may want to do this in safe mode. ALSO, look up the processes that Zlob runs and go to your task manager as soon as you turn your computer on to shut them down. Otherwise the worm will prematurely end the removal tool's session. At least it did for me.

If this appears to work, download a good (CURRENT!!) antivirus. I highly recommend AVG. Scan your system fully and see if it picks up anything related to a worm, virus, or trojan (zlob will usually show up on there as a trojan, with a keylogger component).

If this doesn't work, you'll need to get someone who knows what they're doing (I had to) to go into your registry and neutralize the virus.

BEAR IN MIND: The damage is largely done. The point of doing the above is largely to stabilize your computer so that you can backup your important files before doing a clean reinstall of your Operating System. As my friend explained it to me, this is the only way to properly undo the corruption to your registry, as the removal of the bug will still leave behind some mangled and misplaced files that are part of windows and were screwed with by Zlob.

I wish you the best of luck with it!

EDIT: Oops, didn't see you'd already fixed, it just jumped straight to replying. Just MAKE SURE you have a good, updated antivirus running at ALL TIMES.

 

[HornBud]

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