zroadster.net

Hi all,

Has anyone come across a nasty virus called Security Tools which purports to be a Security Software, gives loads of popups saying you have this and that viruses and asks you to register and buy the software?

I was downloading a new version if ITunes and Iphone software late last night and this virus must have got bundled in with it My Norton 360 didn't pick it up. Anyways it basically disables Internet access and all sorts or registry keys basically making your PC unuseable. Tried running Norton and the virus stops the software and puts the PC into Windows recovery mode.

I went into safemode and did and a system restore to 2 days ago and I'm up and running again. However I guess the virus must still be there? as its not physically been removed? Is that correct.

If anyone has encountered this problem what software did you use to remove it successfully? Norton Virus scan isn't picking anything up even though upto date.

Cheers.

Tim.

Yep, we have had that at work on a few PC's

You don't need to do a restore.

Boot into Safe Mode with Network access
You may need to check you internet settings, as the virus changes them to point to a proxy server

Download, update and run malwarebytes (free version) full scan

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

That should be it.

Reboot normally

Gio wrote:Yep, we have had that at work on a few PC's

You don't need to do a restore.

Boot into Safe Mode with Network access
You may need to check you internet settings, as the virus changes them to point to a proxy server

Download, update and run malwarebytes (free version) full scan

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

That should be it.

Reboot normally

Cheers Gio, ahhhhh I've already done a system restore in Safe Mode just so I could use the Laptop, it seems to have done the trick and not having any problems. I have downloaded Malware and just running it as I'm typing, it says upto now I have 10 infections but I guess it will then want payment to remove them Bit wary of so called free scans etc.

So much for Norton 360, searching on the net this virus has been around for some time now so feel I need to vent at Norton as I only recently renewed my subscription at £55 or so Should have picked it up, Useless.

Tim.

If this is a new virus, then Norton may well need an update of its virus definitions before it can detect it. Now that your machine is up and running again, you need to let it do this.

There are a number of free anti-virus tools that do NOT require payment to remove virii. Though if you have a bit of nous, you can use them to detect the problems and then manually remove them - there is plenty of info on the net about what known virii do to your machine.

I have just canned Norton a free anti-virus program - Microsoft Security Essentials - as Norton was just making my machine unusable. My machine feels rejuvenated and I can get on with my work.

Cheers R.

Malwarebytes will remove them for free, the paid for version adds extra features.

Norton isn't what it used to be, but this virus has been around for ages, so surprised Norton still missed it.

I use Avast on my wifes PC, and I have Comodo on mine (more complicated to use which is why its not on the wifes)

http://www.avast.com/en-gb/index
http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-sec ... curity.php

Recently bought an iMac. . . . . . . . no need for internet security anymore. Result!!!

Mouldy wrote:Recently bought an iMac. . . . . . . . no need for internet security anymore. Result!!!

Don't get complacent, the are viruses for Mac's, just not many.

Tim I have been using AVG Free for years now and never had a problem. Make sure you follow the free download route and not the pay route, where you would get add ons that you may not need.

http://free.avg.com/us-en/download

This virus is pretty old now but can be a pain to get rid of.

Several Anti virus programs I used would either not detect it or not get rid of it.

I managed to get rid of it once with a system retore but ended up getting it again a few weeks later (I don't know if it had been dorment?)

I ended up using it as an excuse to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 and have never looked back (new version is sooooo much better).

I now use one of the new "cloud" based free anti virus programs called "Panda Cloud" which has been fantastic

I stopped using Norton years ago as it really really slows down your machine and misses loads of viruses!

Thanks for the replies everyone much appreciated

Ran the Malware and it picked up 10 infections which its quarranteed so hopefully all is well again.

Prior to Norton I used Spyware Doctor which was awful and slowed my laptop to snails pace on start up. I don't find Norton 360 a problem and my Laptop seems speedy enough, just hissed off I picked this Virus up and don't have much confidence in it.

Should ask for me money back really as its not doing what it says on the tin

Tim.

NAV 2009 was okay, but I had nothing but trouble with NAV 2010.

* Corrupted my mailbox when quarantining email - I had to manually rebuild the index each time
* Randomly prevented me from sending email - stopping and restarting NAV fixed it
* Chewed up CPU doing strange things when talking to its servers
* Refused to come out of idle time scan and made the machine unusable
* Randomly deleted programs I had written simply because they were new and it didn't know about them - and these are products that we ship to our customers!
* Gave false positives on a couple of other bits of software which were genuine and clean
* Made the machine very very sloooooooowwwwwwwww.... for example opening a folder of 1000 photos and displaying the thumbnails would take minutes - it takes seconds without NAV installed

Bin it!

Cheers R.

I'm just using windows security essentials, it's free, low resource hog and does what it says on the tin. I run my home network through a modem router that has a hardware firewall as apposed to just relying on something like zone alarm. Apart from using malwarebytes once a month and sesible browsing Ive been virus free and the curious lad has only picked up harmless stuff.

I agree Microsoft Security Essentials is a good user freindly anti virus s/w which actually leaves the user in control of the PC. I binned McAffee a few months ago. Its great for home user -

did you know - Norton actually pay Dell to bundle their software in new PC's

I've been using Linux with Firefox for years, it's extremely safe for internet browsing even without any anti virus installed.
It's maybe not for everyone but if you like playing with computers why not give "Lucid Lynx" version a try.

DC, I'm a Linux fan too - but unfortunately my main machine is my work laptop and Windows is an unfortunate necessity - given the choice, I'd prefer to ditch Windows completely, but sadly I can't, and I fear that many other people can't either. A netbook with Linux on it is a great and very safe way of surfing the web. The desktop has come a long way in recent years, but hardware support is still a bit problematic - mainly because people are used to getting machines with Windows pre-installed with all the right drivers up and running - they would get a shock if they had to install Windows from scratch, as you have all the same problems - in fact Linux is usually easier to install be comparison, provided that you have supported hardware.

Cheers R.

Windows is an unfortunate necessity

I'm the same, seem to still need windows for some things e.g. more options using printer and scanner.
Dual booting with the option of Linux or Windows (if I really need it ) seems to work for me, haven't the guts to get rid of windows completely.

I have a little Asus Eee mini laptop which uses Linux which is great for surfing the web but little else lol.

I'm actually a fan of Windows but just has so many dangers in using it. I think next time come Laptop replacement I will just go with an Apple Macbook.

Tim.

I come across a lot of people being infected with Security Tools, it's a nasty one. You were lucky a safe mode and malware bytes got rid of it, normally needs a msconfig change to stop the process taking over the normal ways of stopping it such as via task manager.

It seems to by-pass most antivirus software, free and paid for and normally infects a PC via a web application such as, 'a chance to win a million pounds' pop up box, or 'complete a survey to win a prize' type stuff. If you click, NO, or the RED CROSS it downloads to your PC anyhow and is not detected until you reboot and hey presto! I have one customer who kept on getting this, normally after his kids had been on his PC and he needed it to run his business.

As Linux is a bit scary for most users I installed Linux in a virtual machine so he could start if from within windows, then surf the net till the cows came home nice and safe.

Linux is cool and is just about up there with Windows 7. (Win7 is also cool but people still keep writing viruses for it) MAC's.....well, it's Linux with money poured into it

Happy computing

Adam

I use Microsoft essentials - its free and has kept my system safe with no requirement for any other software, also if your using wireless ensure your using wpa2 security - wpa is too easy to get past!

Three months on and I'm still happy with Microsoft Security Essentials and sooooo glad I gave Norton the boot.

WPA2 - I know people who still think WEP is secure.

Just in the process of shifting my network into the 5GHz band as 2.4GHz is too crowded round here - I get about a third of the throughput on my broadband that I do if I connect using a wired connection - haven't managed a speed test on 5GHz yet as my telly is the only thing that can do it at the moment.

Cheers R.

The virus never came back although I did moan to Norton as I have Norton 360 which I had only just renewed back in Sept at a cost of £50 plus Never received a reply back. I don't find Norton too bad although dissapointed it didn't stop this particular virus. Compared to Mcoffee , Spyware Doctor etc which I've used in the past and which have slowed my laptop to snails pace. End of the day I just want something that I don't have to worry about and whether it remains uptodate or not.

Tim.