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Rant

Malware attacks

Dec 29, 2014 1:43PM PST

I am very frustrated in the amount of Malware and Browser Add-ons that get through the AVAST Firewall and can not be cleaned by the Premier version of Avast.

Some of these problems have leaked through even when the source of my downloads is what I believe is a secured site like CNET.

There should be a law penalizing companies that distribute sofware and attach all kinds of junk that ruins the performance of your computer. They should all be in jail for adding to programs unwanted add ons, specialy those you can't uninstall by normal means of uninstallyng.

Discussion is locked

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Just a suggestion...
Dec 29, 2014 9:17PM PST

I recommend using AVG Free for antivirus and running Malwarebytes once a month or whenever you suspect malware may be present on your computer. This is the advice I give to all my clients. As for me, I use a Linux OS called Ubuntu. No virus protection is necessary for any Linux OS, which also increases your computer's performance because to Antivirus software is running in the background. Linux OSs are free.

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Tried it didn't work
Jan 3, 2015 11:40AM PST

I got your suggestion about using the AVG antivirus but din't solve my problem.
The problem occurs when using Google Search the Malware (or Virus) adds a Trackit... at the end of the search command. I've tried everything I can think of but failed to eliminate it. I used Avast the free antivirus & Firewall protection but I can't get read of the problem.

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Malwarebytes?
Jan 3, 2015 11:46PM PST

Did you try running a scan with Malwarebytes? (Free) make sure you let it update first before running the scan, then let it quarentine all the malicous files it detects.

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firefox browser?
Jan 5, 2015 3:24AM PST

You can enter the Help area, then Troubleshooting, and have it Reset to defaults. Or you can search and kill the offender using about:configURL in the browser line.

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Linux isn't 100 % virus/malware free.
Jan 4, 2015 9:51PM PST
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I've never heard
Jan 4, 2015 7:24AM PST

of an anti virus program to stop me from downloading malware.
A program asks for permission and if I click on Yes or OK ........, BINGO , I downloaded it.

It's why a PC is called that , we have a choice of what we install on our Personal Computer.
I'd suggest downloading various freebees directly from the source but still we have to really read the fine print.

Sadly, Download .com and many other freebee sites make you realize that free isn't free.

Digger

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Unwanted programs are installed without your approval
Jan 4, 2015 12:13PM PST

The main problem is that most of the Malware gets installed automatically without my approval or it asking if I want to get the horrible Malware. Once I was infected with something called "Babylon" that was almost impossible to eliminate and had to get into the guts of the Windows instruction files to eliminate it by hand line by line. A very tedious process.

The US Government should pass a law making it illegal for software companies (free or otherwise) to install programs that are not authorized by the user. How do you start the process?? I don't know, but if anybody would help me I can start the process since I am retired and my time is my own.

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It's worse than most know.
Jan 4, 2015 12:24PM PST

There was a court case where the malware company sued to have their software removed from an antivirus database. Their claim and they won was that the user opted in and the antivirus company was interferring with the user's wishes. Here's a video about bundling that gets so many installing for such things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQtt_FFsOY

Bob

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Viruses are one type of malware.
Jan 4, 2015 10:11PM PST

A viruses is a type of Malware that replicates itself and spreads. So virus protection is only part of being safe.

https://ist.mit.edu/security/malware

Back in the day of floppy disks where disk were contaminated and spread by using in multiple machines. They were really bad on junior colleges and college pc's. These were typically executable files with the .exe extension. Once floppy were going away and tecnology was moving towards the internet things begam to spread via email. Now thingsa have moved eve further along with special hidden code that runs on web pages in web browsers.

Types of Malware.

1. Virus
2. Adware
3. Spyware
4. Browser Hijacking

What I do is I have AntiMalwareBytes the pay version and it runs real time. It was less than 30.00. I also use Norton 360. I get message from both when webpages send suspicious things.

What I do if I suspect I've been attacked.

Watch free downloads as they often install other things besides what you want to install. Typically they are easy to fix by answering no when asked it you want to install.

1. Look in your startup programs. Sometime things are running at startup and need to be removed in safe mode before the bad program starts.

2. I go to the Programs or in previos OS's Add and Remove Programs - I order it by date and look for stuff I didn't knowlingly install and I uninstall them. Even Oracle's Java download attempts to install ASK search engine so you have to read and click no to things different then what you intended to install get installed.

3. Run Norton 360 and AMB scans.

Also look in your startup programs. Sometime things are running at startup and need to be removed in safe mode before the bad program starts.


I've developed these 3 steps since the last time I had to call Norton and pay 90.00 to remove things.

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Just another reason I use Linux
Jan 5, 2015 3:22AM PST

Free, no add-ons, no activations, no genuine advantage, no product keys, no call home to Microsoft, updates only when and how i want them, mostly no virus or trojan infections, lots of free software additions available, less RAM usage so more efficient, basically a renewed sense of freedom and a joy most times to use.

http://www.linuxmint.com is one of the best current distros, also check out Ubuntu and it's variations like kubuntu, etc. Plenty of videos on Linux distros all over youtube.

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Re: Malware Attacks
Jan 9, 2015 12:30PM PST