Help with virus

[winterborn86]

All morning I have been getting loads of warnings popping up saying my computer is unprotected and is infected with Trojans, password hackers and all sorts but i don't know why it's happening, I have checked my Noton 360 and my windows defender and they both say my computer is safe and that all my protection is up and running without any problems, and i cant get rid of these warnings. I don't know what to do.
Can anyone help me??

[Sarah]

When is this happening? Is it while you are browsing the internet? There are many bad virus warning spoof pop-ups made to look like Windows' dialog boxes. If this happens, do not click them. Close the pop-up with your task bar or just close your browser.

If you get this warning without browsing, you may consider scanning with your anti-virus and Adaware or Spybot: Search and Destroy. I'd recommend continually using Adaware or Spybot, either way. Also, when running either anti-spyware programs, you may want to disable your anti-virus until you are done scanning. Just do not forget to re-enable! As always, make sure you update your anti-virus and anti-spyware software every time you scan, which should be daily or bi-daily. There's new stuff out all of the time.

If you feel you are still having problem after this, you may want to try some other anti-virus software. I'd recommend either AVG or Avast. Both are free and will protect you fairly well.

[winterborn86]

The warnings are coming up when im on the internet and when im off, also windows put a pop upon my screen for a virus scanner called VirusResponce Lab 2009, i installed that and it found out all the threats in my computer but it wont fix them unless i buy it over the net, which im not comfortable with,so I uninstalled that but it is still popping up telling me to buy it as my computer is full of threats and now i cant get rid of that even tho i removed it.

I will give those links a try thanks Sarah

[Unknown Entity]

When my home computer got that trojan a few onths ago, we went to Woolworths, and got a cheap computer protection disc. It cost us only £9.99, and so far... well, until the damn thing got the black screen of death (-_-), it was working fine. It didn't give us any problemo's, unless you count waiting for 5 hours while it scanned everything on there...

On my laptop, I'm using McAffe. Its going to expire soon, so I have a Norton Antivirus disc which I'll need to upload at the start of November, but McAfee is pretty good. Its annoying doing the updates - I have to do an update everyday - but at least I know my computer is safe. So yeah, you'll need to regular updates.

[Sarah]

You definitely want to uninstall that if it won't let you use it properly without paying for it. Get AVG or Avast. I hear more recommendations for Avast lately, though. Also, you should always, always research the name of a software you are going to install. Some malware disguise themselves as good software or within software with other uses. Just look up the whole AntivirusXP issue. Malware that claims it's anti-virus software.

You don't need to pay for a good anti-virus software. The issue with malware has become so prevalent that different companies work together to keep everyone's libraries up to date. A free version is going to work just as well or better than something you pay for.

I, as well as many companies apparently, consider it the responsibility of net denizens to be educated and keep their systems protected with anti-virus and anti-spyware software to help reduce the spread of already known infections and emerging infections. What does that mean? Free version are doing the same damn thing as commercial versions, save for a few gimmicky features here and there.

Good luck with it all. I hope you solve your problem.

[winterborn86]

You definitely want to uninstall that if it won't let you use it properly without paying for it. Get AVG or Avast. I hear more recommendations for Avast lately, though. Also, you should always, always research the name of a software you are going to install. Some malware disguise themselves as good software or within software with other uses. Just look up the whole AntivirusXP issue. Malware that claims it's anti-virus software.

You don't need to pay for a good anti-virus software. The issue with malware has become so prevalent that different companies work together to keep everyone's libraries up to date. A free version is going to work just as well or better than something you pay for.

I, as well as many companies apparently, consider it the responsibility of net denizens to be educated and keep their systems protected with anti-virus and anti-spyware software to help reduce the spread of already known infections and emerging infections. What does that mean? Free version are doing the same damn thing as commercial versions, save for a few gimmicky features here and there.

Good luck with it all. I hope you solve your problem.

I used the AVG and everything is all fine now, my partner said there was properly nothing infecting my computer in the 1st place and it was just the VirusResponse telling me there was so i would buy it.
But it's all good now

[Victoria]

Yeah... VirusResponse is most likely phishing malware, that if you did fall for it, you would've given your information to some loser to steal your identity. >_>;

[Merlin]

Avast and AVG are free and are updated at least once a day with new virus protections, etc. Anyone who tells you that since they are free they don't protect you as good from viruses seriously has no idea what they are talking about. Antivirus software doesn't need to slow your computer to a crawl to work properly. Stop paying Norton and McAffee to take a dump on your computer.

I used to like AVG the best, but I've switched to Avast lately. They've cleaned up the interface a lot and does what I want it to. Plus, having the voice-over tell you it's updated is just cool for some reason. It makes all the people I know who pay for antivirus feel all stupid inside. "ZOMG how come mine doesn't talk???" Because you bought bloatware?

Also, if any pop-up tells you that you need to install something, put in your personal information, whatever... don't do it. Microsoft software will never randomly ask you for personal information and if it wants you to install something, it will be certified by them with enough Disclaimer info and links to relevant info to sink a battleship.

[IRANianCha0s]

^ what they said: Ad-aware is great for malware and spyware, AVG and Avast are good for general antivirus use.

Also, if you want a convenient scan that's absolutely up to date, go here (with Internet Explorer):
McAfee – Computer Anti-Virus Software and Internet Security For Your PC
All it does is scan for viruses, doesn't remove anything, but based on that, you can either manually delete the infections yourself or look for a specific tool if it's that kind of nasty.

[Furore]

It's another fine example of 'Rogue Security Software'. In this case, basically a clone of the earlier Antivirus Lab 2009. It does all kinds of shit to your computer like editing your registry, restoring any components you manage to remove and if you are tricked into paying for it it runs in the background and has been believed to completely ruin some computers after a period of time.

I've known some of these to be an issue for some anti-virus, especially when they're new, but found that Malwarebytes anti-malware tends to do an awesome job of fixing shit up.

Malwarebytes.org
I was recommending people effected by Rogue Security Software to buy it back when I was doing cheap tech support jobs.

It gets rid of so much crap other tools miss...

[Unknown Entity]

Stop paying Norton and McAffee to take a dump on your computer.

I got 60 days free with McAffee when I got my laptop. Its actually really good, though I woudn't want to pay for it - especially if its through the web.

And I got a Norton disc. It came half-price with my laptop if I got Microsoft Office with it. It was only £30. We had Norton on my home PC when we first got it, and it was pretty damn good. Though the Woolworths one, if you are looking for a disc, is just as good and really cheap. It does its job, and even tells you when it suspects something evil looming around your PC. ^_^

[Sarah]

Once again, you do not need to pay for good anti-virus software. Often times, in addition to costing you money, pay for use anti-virus is inferior to free anti-virus. Having a price tag does not make it good. You can attempt to rationalize it all you want, but you still spent money on something you did not need to and are likely less protected than you think. Commercial anti-virus software is almost always bloaty, and I've seen it cause many, many crashes. The only reasons companies get away with inferior products like this is through using scare tactics on ignorant consumers. Oh noes. I mights has a infections!

PEBKAC, also.

[Furore]

Despite all the ID:10T errors that exist in the world of computers Sarah, often paid applications can be quite superior to free applications. I tend to find that some cheaper applications (often the lesser known ones run by smaller independent companies) are well worth the small fee they cost, especially when they include support and a lifetime of updates.

I've used several free firewalls and anti-virus solutions, and most seem to eventually let something through. When that happens I want something that can very reliably kill whatever's causing my problems with just a button click or two.

I'm also a big fan of supporting smaller companies (especially indie game developers) who do produce high quality software.

[Merlin]

I swear I spend more time on people's computers fighting with all their antivirus, antispam, antibloatware(irony), antimalware, etc progs than I do with realistic threats. People are loading down their computers with all this "crap" to protect their computer, slowing it down to a crawl. They all start running as TSRs, throw pop-ups at you constantly bitching that such and such is royally farked and if you don't fix it immediately your computer will be anally raped by a 0 and a 1. So, you click "fix it" and it pops up an even bigger warning saying somethign along the lines of "ZOMG!!!!!!1111one I can't fix it b/c I have no idea wtf it is but I think it's a virus and it's going to shit all over your computer ABORT ABORT ABORT!!!!!!!!" So you click abort and your computer crashes because all your fancy software implodes in a big heaping pile of stupid.

So in the end, what exactly are you paying for? Download Avast or AVG, both scan files as they come in, and call it a day. None of them are foolproof so wasting money on them is just... well... pointless? Here's why:

Antivirus software is hindsight vision for your computer. It can block viruses 'after the fact', ie: once the virus infects enough computers and the company that made your antivirus software updates the database and you download it, your software can now protect you from it. The popular ones update their virus database about once a day with pretty much the exact same thing.

Seriously folks... if I made a virus right now and made a link to it, your fancy-ass McAfee, Norton, whatever that you wasted money on wouldn't have a clue and let it right through. This happened last week at my college. Someone had a virus on a thumb drive and within a day, half the campus computers were infected with it. Did the magical pay-per-use software block it? No. It scanned the thumb-drive and let it right through. They spent a shitload of money for antivirus software that didn't do a damn thing to protect the computers. Why? Because it was a new strain of virus and none of the antivirus software companies had made a fix for it yet.

Does this mean you shouldn't run antivirus software at all? No... it means you shouldn't waste your time and money on bloatware progs that offer you no realistic advantage. They don't have some magical floating dragon that puffs smoke rings that vaporize all these new viruses. These programs are like the Flu shot. They are great if you "happen" to get the strain they are designed for. Otherwise, kiss your computer goodbye. The main difference? You'll get really pissed off realizing you spent all that money every year on Norton or McAffee and your precious computer is still a useless toaster.