DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

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Vampire Jester Jinx
 

DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Vampire Jester Jinx » Thu May 11, 2006 1:30 pm

Someone got my damn computer infected, so if I randomly shoot off a link to you asking of all things, is this a picture of us on myspace or something similiarly out of character, for the love of bob don't click!

>_< Can someone help me get this bitch off my comp?


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Besyanteo
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Besyanteo » Thu May 11, 2006 3:31 pm

Unfortunately the best I could offer are links to Lavasoft's Ad-Aware and Spybot: Search and Destroy.

They seem to work well together, but I don't know that they'll fix your problem. :-/ I have no true virus checker of my own. <p>
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Idran1701
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Idran1701 » Thu May 11, 2006 3:48 pm

Here's the virus checker I use, AVG. It's free for personal use. There's also the Trend Micro online virus scan, but I can't vouch for how effective it is, I've never had to use it before. <p>

"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
</p>

Wolfbelly
 

Buah?

Unread postby Wolfbelly » Thu May 11, 2006 5:23 pm

Judas: "Is this useful?"
Jesus: "I don't know."

www.wheatoncollege.edu/IT...sHelp.html


Idran1701
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Re: Buah?

Unread postby Idran1701 » Thu May 11, 2006 6:29 pm

Unless Lex is attending Wheaton College (which she might be, I dunno), that site does unfortunately look to be fairly useless, since it's instructions on how to get an AIM virus remover off of the Wheaton file servers for people on the network there, and a list of common AIM viruses. And none of those viruses look to be based on Lex's description there. <p>

"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
</p>

Wolfbelly
 

bUAH?

Unread postby Wolfbelly » Thu May 11, 2006 8:34 pm

True, but the point is that a quick google search can yield information. POSSIBLY information useful in identifying and/or removing said virus.


Vampire Jester Jinx
 

Re: bUAH?

Unread postby Vampire Jester Jinx » Fri May 12, 2006 9:23 am

.........yeah you guys won't be seeing me for awhile. It overwhelms my computer with constant popups to the point it can't function. using search and destroy, adaware, and norton together currently. mcaffee will be run shortly.

fuck. my computer is so toast. v.v


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Capntastic
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Re: bUAH?

Unread postby Capntastic » Fri May 12, 2006 10:15 am

My computer seems to have been hit as well somehow, so I will be staying off AIM until I'm certain things are cleared up.


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Kai
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Kai » Fri May 12, 2006 3:47 pm

I use the beta version of a microsoft program. Before everyone goes crazy about how microsoft sucks, this spyware program offers real-time protection against just about everything. It also alerts you every time something unfamiliar tries to activate a program on your computer.

For example, Brian had a virus last year that fucked with his svchost file, and this program notified him that something foreign was trying to activate and/or use it.

It lives here.

This should help a whole fuckton with the popups, and there's a good chance it will tell you which process on your computer is trying to fuck you over.

Try it. It's worth it. <p>-------------------------
"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit and the emperor remains an emperor." -- Sandman "The Kindly Ones" </p>

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Zemyla
 
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Zemyla » Sat May 13, 2006 4:49 pm

I run Linux. So I'm safe.

Though I would probably click the link out of curiosity.

Also, Lex, get another hard drive and have someone recover your data (not programs, as those are probably infected) from the old one. <p>-----
Do not taunt Happy Fun Zemyla.

<span style="font-size:xx-small;">I think boobs are the lesser of two evils. - Inverse (Pervy)
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RedEye Dragon89
 

Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby RedEye Dragon89 » Sun May 14, 2006 12:31 am

Yeah, I got it too. In fact, I'm afraid I might have to confess that I was the first to be infected...

Anyway, what I did was download as many different malware scanners I deemed worthy (My lineup: AVG Free, Ewido Anti-malware, A-Squared, and Spybot) and ran all of them in Safemode (pound on F8 before Windows starts up). I'd suggest running Spybot first, because it finds some malware that cloaks others.

I'm not completely sure if they're completely gone from my system, but the popups have stopped, in the least.


Archmage144
 

Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Archmage144 » Sun May 14, 2006 2:11 am

I had something like this at one point and just couldn't get some miscellaneous file somewhere, because no matter how many removal tools I hit it with some tiny fraction of the file escaped to respawn a horrible demonic mess on my laptop.

The solution wound up being an unfortunate reformat. =/ <p>
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Kai
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Kai » Sun May 14, 2006 2:15 am

Quote:
I run Linux. So I'm safe.

We all knew someone had to say it or else the universe would collapse, but really. People who post to threads like this with the statement, "I run linux" make me want to spend lots of money developing a virus just for you. I mean, I'm sure there's a more useless contribution that you could make every time you get the opportunity, but I'll worry about that one later.

I don't care if Microsoft is full of ass. Every time you say that you're tempting the wrath of The Whatever high up on The Thing. Then, you know what I'll say? "Har. Sorry, I run Microsoft." <p>-------------------------
"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit and the emperor remains an emperor." -- Sandman "The Kindly Ones" </p>

Idran1701
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Idran1701 » Sun May 14, 2006 3:39 am

"This bulletin provides a year-end summary of software vulnerabilities that were identified between January 2005 and December 2005. The information is presented only as a index with links to the US-CERT Cyber Security Bulletin the information was published in. There were 5198 reported vulnerabilities: 812 Windows operating system vulnerabilities; 2328 Unix/Linux operating vulnerabilities; and 2058 Multiple operating system vulnerabilities."

Edit: There are more actual viruses for Microsoft OSes because more people use Microsoft. That is pretty much the only reason why Linux/Unix and Macintosh users are "safe". Because they are unpopular as desktop OSes. <p>

"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
</p>Edited by: Idran1701 at: 5/14/06 7:34

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Zemyla
 
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Zemyla » Sun May 14, 2006 3:21 pm

Okay. I may not be completely safe. My data may get hacked by the virus. But for the most part, the computer itself is safe because I don't have root access.

The sad thing is, people could protect their computers in Windows by not constantly running as an admin. Same principle as Linux. <p>-----
Do not taunt Happy Fun Zemyla.

<span style="font-size:xx-small;">I think boobs are the lesser of two evils. - Inverse (Pervy)
Dammit, Dan, I'm not dating a damn NPC! - OOC Will (Will Baseton)
Of course! Anything worth doing is worth doing completely wrong! - Travis English
Ultimately, wizards and clerics don't say, "Gee, I want to become a lich because weapons hurt less and I don't have to worry about being backstabbed; that whole 'eternal life' thing is just a fringe benefit."-Darklion
But this one time I killed a walrus with my bare hands, and I suddenly understood spherical coordinates. - KnightsofSquare
Also, when you've worked a 36-hour shift as an intern you too just might pour yourself a catful of coffee and sit down to cuddle with your travel mug. -eirehound
</span>

Adventurers! | RPG World World | The Phantom Lord's OT Board mkII | Indie Madnesse | Brotherhood of Elitist Bastards</p>

Idran1701
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Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby Idran1701 » Sun May 14, 2006 3:41 pm

Er...no, Zem. Saying that proves that you've never done that yourself. Windows was never intended as a multiple user system. Thus, the majority of non-Microsoft applications are designed to use features available only in administration mode. To quote from the excellent "Windows XP Myths" page (which is where I got that above link/quote from as well):

"On a nonmanaged XP machine today, it isn't realistic to run without Administrator privileges. Unlike UNIX and UNIX-like systems such as Linux and Apple Computer's Mac OS X, Windows isn't very useable with a non-Administrator account, largely because so many applications are ignorant of rights and were written to work only with Administrator-level accounts. This is particularly problematic in a home environment, in which XP Home Edition's crippled Limited Account type, designed for children and less-technical users, is virtually useless. In Windows XP, the lame Run As option, virtually hidden under a right-click menu that typical users will never know about, is a poor substitute." - Source

"After you log on to a computer by using a Limited User Account, you may observe one or more of the following behaviors when you try to use a program that is not expressly designed for Windows XP.

- The program does not run.
- The program stops responding (hangs).
- You receive notification of run-time error 7 or run-time error 3446.
- The program does not recognize that a CD-ROM is in the CD-ROM drive.
- The program does not allow you to save files.
- The program does not allow you to open files.
- The program does not allow you to edit files.
- The program displays a blank error message.
- You cannot remove the program.
- You cannot open the Help file.

This behavior can occur because the Limited User Account prevents older programs from performing certain functions. Microsoft lists over 189 applications in this article alone that do not work right on a Limited User Account." - Source

Besides, your comment completely missed both mine and Kai's point. For one, yes, you are probably safe from this virus entirely given that you're running a different operating system, unless it's a multi-OS virus. But saying that you are safe was an entirely useless comment, that added nothing to the discussion and seemed like you were just trying to fit in a reference to the superiority of Linux.



And if it matters, I am a CS major myself, and I really dislike Linux. <p>

"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
</p>Edited by: Idran1701 at: 5/14/06 15:44

E Mouse
 

Re: DO NOT CLICK LINKS FROM MY AIM

Unread postby E Mouse » Mon May 15, 2006 6:12 am

Quote:
And if it matters, I am a CS major myself, and I really dislike Linux.


Awesome, so my indifference to it doesn't innately screw me over!

*is also a fledgeling CS major, and contribues nothing worthwhile* <p>


<span style="font-size:xx-small;">"Their rhetoric... You didn't put communists in his bed did you!" came Amber's indignant reply.

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Steve
 

I hate having to fill out the subject line.

Unread postby Steve » Mon May 15, 2006 1:43 pm

Quote:
But saying that you are safe was an entirely useless comment, that added nothing to the discussion and seemed like you were just trying to fit in a reference to the superiority of Linux.



Doing things like this is a side effect of running Linux, I've found.


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BrainWalker
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Re: I hate having to fill out the subject line.

Unread postby BrainWalker » Fri May 19, 2006 1:24 pm

Generally, when I am at a loss for what to do in a bad virus/spyware problem, I surf on over to download.com, check the "Adware & Spyware Removal" and "Antivurs" sections under "Software," and try running a few of the top-rated sofwares, assuming I don't already have them installed. That usually works out pretty well.

Last time I tried that, though, it didn't quite work out as well as I needed it to. City of Heroes was being a giant pussy about something that none of my virus/adware scanners were detecting. It was pretty frustrating.

But then I found HijackThis. That is some crazy, crazy shit. It looks at everything that's going on on your system, and tells you what's up. Running processes, registry keys, the works. But that's also kind of the problem. You've really got to know what you're doing before you start telling it to mess with stuff, 'cause you could potentially mess with something that you really, really shouldn't. Apparently the official site has help forums where you can post a log of your HijackThis report thing, and have people help you make sense out of it, but I made use of this page. It can automatically analyze a HT log file, which was useful for me since I had just run a bunch of anti-spyware applications, and there wasn't much that was out of the ordinary. If you've got a big lot of bad times going down on your system, you might want the personal touch of an actual person you can ask questions.

Turns out, the problem wasn't spyware at all, it was a couple random browser-related registry keys that Earthlink Total Acess had changed on me. Go figure. <p><div style="text-align:center">Image</div></p>Edited by: BrainWalker&nbsp; Image at: 5/19/06 13:26

Vampire Jester Jinx
 

Re: I hate having to fill out the subject line.

Unread postby Vampire Jester Jinx » Mon May 22, 2006 9:27 pm

Okay, so I'm back. I had to reformat my computer. >_< SUCK SUCK SUCK.

But I'm safe again! Whoo!

And I'm getting a new computer shortly that won't suck it so hard.


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BrainWalker
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Re: I hate having to fill out the subject line.

Unread postby BrainWalker » Tue May 23, 2006 9:27 am

Yay!

Boo. :(

Yay!

Yay! <p><div style="text-align:center">Image</div></p>

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Re: I hate having to fill out the subject line.

Unread postby LadyDragonClawsEDW » Sat May 27, 2006 12:23 am

Out of curiosity, what virus was this? Just a massive spyware infection?



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