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General discussion

Virus on Windows Vista- "Windows Security Alert"

Sep 12, 2010 1:16PM PDT

definitley have some sort of virus on my computer and all sorts of pop ups keep coming up on my computer encouraging me to buy a program. I can't get to any other websites besides the one for this program as an alert pops up on the browser sayng my computer is infected. Also everytime I try to open a file a "Windows Security Alert" pops up and says that whatever file I sm trying to open is infected. This is a probloem because I have tried opening task manager, system configuration, and even using the run function wiuth different commands and nothing will open! I also tried downloaging Ad-aware on my external harddrive and then running it from there but it won't open either! Can anyone tell me how to handle this?

Thanks Happy

Discussion is locked

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I had the same problem!
Sep 12, 2010 7:28PM PDT

My computer was hit by the same thing around 4:15 pm (eastern). My internet browser kept coming up with porn stuff and wanting me to purchase "security suite." I knew it was bogus...it just looked cheap and generic. There were several grammatical errors and typos in the wording, so I knew it couldn't be right.

Anyway, what seems to be working for me (as of the last 30 minutes anyway) is this:

With the internet browser open, click on Tools, then Internet Options, then the Security tab. Under Trusted Sites and Restricted Sites, remove that URL. I think it said something about antivircat? After that, I was able to do a system restore to a previous date.

I hope that helps! I'm no computer expert at all, so I am surprised that I found something that works. I have Norton Security installed, but that didn't stop this from happening to me.

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Lexky hit it right on the nose!
Sep 13, 2010 12:59AM PDT

My problem sounds exactly the same as yours lexky. the problem with running some software, mark, is that i can't open anything on my computer, b/c i get an alert saying the file is infected. however, i can get the internet open and be taken to the website to buy "security suite" at antivircat.com so i will try lexky's approach and see if that works. if anyone else has any other suggestions please keep em coming.

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WARNING!!
Sep 13, 2010 3:03AM PDT

Whatever you do, if you search for antivircat.com at Google or other search sites, Do Not Visit Any Sites!.

Most of the sites I saw when I search using Google were noted as dangerous by my browser security add-on.

Try the options I suggested in my other post.

Mark

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Removing malware.
Sep 12, 2010 8:36PM PDT
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making progress
Sep 14, 2010 2:55AM PDT

i went into system config ain safe mode and disabled the questionable programs in the start=up tab which allowed me to run a program to clean up my PC but now my IE won't work. I'm connected and AIM works so I just got to figure this out.

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Yes that's progress.
Sep 14, 2010 5:24AM PDT

It's a good start.

Tell us about this IE problem. Does it run but not display pages, or does it not open at all? Any error messages?

Mark

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IE seems OK now
Sep 14, 2010 5:45AM PDT

It was just the general message you would get if you weren't connected. I went into the tools area of IE then changed my LAN setting to automatically detect settings and that seemed to do it. Now I gotta try to perm delete the infected files...

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Excellent.
Sep 14, 2010 5:47AM PDT

And that "Proxy server" trick is one often used by malware writers. Good work on finding that.

If everything is fine now and your anti-virus has quarantined those infected files, why not leave them there for a day or so, just to check that the system is stable.

If it is after a couple of days, it will be safe to delete them from quarantine.

Mark

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good idea
Sep 14, 2010 6:12AM PDT

sounds like a good idea! thanks!