Virus

[Dewy]

I use AVG the same as Keith and got the alert after going to the site from a link to his morticer review.
As soon as I clicked the forum link the alert came up.
It was only happening when I went to the main index page and no other on the forum.
I ran both an antivirus and anti trojan scan and went back and had the alert again.
The same just happened again.
After healing it from the alert window I found a trojan in the AVG virus vault.
Already sent James a PM about it.

 

[RogerS]

Chris

There IS something that we can all do and that is this idea first proposed by James Jamieson...an extract from what he wrote on the Which forum is..

Utilising the Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs) to my advantage and using a proven fraud deterrent, ‘Thumbprint Pads,’ I consider that at this moment in time I am probably the person least likely to become a victim of Identity thieves.

I wrote to all three CRAs and had them add a Notice of Correction to my file. Any lender or bank accessing my credit file sees this Notice. It states that whenever I carry out any financial related transaction I will sign per normal AND authenticate my signature with my Thumbprint. Failure by me, or anyone pretending to be me, to comply with this direction should result in financial services or products being withheld.

It is a simple matter of NO PRINT, application refused, NO FRAUD.

Anyone stealing my ID or using counterfeit documents bearing my name to open a bank account, apply for a credit card, or an instant in store loan will be thwarted. If per chance a fraudsters did sign using my name while giving their own print then I can easily prove that I did not submit the application. In addition, the fraudster’s print can be used as forensic evidence and an aid to identification.

This simple system gives me ownership of my own identity and I can hold lenders responsible if they fail to comply with my direction.

Proving you are who you say you are is almost impossible and this is easily exploited by criminals. I can now obstruct anyone using my personal information for criminal gain. Costs, 3 letters, 3 stamps and a personal ‘Thumbprint Pad at approx £5.00.

Food for thought?

 

[Chris Knight]

Roger,

That is very interesting - I did not know you could do that. I guess it means you sport a blue thumb for a while ? And it won't stop someone using your card details for purchases over the phone or the web - I guess one simply has to review all those charges (and I can never remember half of them )

 

[RogerS]

Ah..you learn something every day.

I would guess that those of you experiencing this are running Internet Explorer.

What the site is doing is to exploit one of the many, many, many, many security holes in Internet Explorer and downloads an executable file to run the next time you start up the PC. I would guess that then downloads the Trojan or installs it from the file.

Which is why I use Firefox as my preferred browser of choice

Moral there, chaps.

 

[Anonymous]

The Firefox browser is more secure than the "out of the box" Internet Explorer browser. Microsoft however, are becoming much better at reacting to exploits and are releasing patches almost every week now.
Doing this stuff for a day job means my machine(s) is/are kept patched as soon as exploits are identified. I am currently trialing the Microsoft Anti-Spyware tool on several machines (at home and at work) and so far it is around the same standard as Adaware. The main benefit of the MS tool is that it updates automatically, whereas Adaware must be updated manually.
It is comforting to see that law enforcement agencies in the States are beginning to prosecute the spotty little nerds who perpetuate the species virus computeratii bastardium :evil: It is high time UK law enforcement took a harder line with these pineapples too.
Norton Corporate users can download a script from Symantec which runs as a scheduled task on your PC, and downloads AV updates as often as you like. The script is called cegetter and saves remembering :? to run live update.

 

[RogerS]

Patches every week? Hmmph! More like patches every day to plug the holes in their software that others exploit.

I just fired up one of my PCs having spent the last few weeks in Happy Mac-land. Only 13 security updates to load, find out what other programs they've messed up, system restore, go back, try loading them one at a time and I don't get paid for this! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Woodythepecker]

Thanks Chris, Roger. I will contact the credit card company and ask for a new card.

How do these keyloggers and virus's etc actually get into your computer? Can they only get in if you download something or open a email? Or could they be contained within a cookie, which if i understand it correctly are downloaded every time you go to, or return to a website?

As for preventing these keyloggers/virus's getting into my computer and either doing damage or using my credit card details again, is there any software that will completely protect you against this?

Has anyone used Norton Password Manager? This is supposed to protect not only your passwords but also your credit card details. Does it really work?

Chris, when you say that you have 3 antispyware programs running at all times, how do you set them up to run continually? I use the AOL Spyware Program, but this can only be set up to run every 2 hours?

Regards

Woody

 

[RogerS]

Woody

OK..I'll try to answer your questions. I would also add that what I have to say is largely irrelevant to anyone using a Mac with OSX since:

....the Mac is rarely targetted by virus/trojan/spyware writers
....runs on a considerably more robust operating system than Microsoft
....said operating system has been 'in the public domain' and pored over by many, many people to iron out any possible security holes
....by default, most services that a hacker might use are disabled as opposed to Microsoft

If anyone wants a sane computing experience without all the hassle (and assuming that they don't want to play the latest games) then a Mac is the logical choice to go for [any debates maybe should be on a separate thread in Off Topic :wink:

How does the stuff get in? First, if you have a broadband connection and your PC is permanently on and connected then there are programs out there that will scan your PC for security holes. If you want to check your own computer then goto www.grc.com and run ShieldsUp. That will tell you how secure your computer is.

Then you can get infected by opening up an attachment sent to you by email. A 'good' virus from an infected PC will harvest the address book on that PC. You then get an email from that person with an attachment or something similar. Titled 'great woodworking plan'...so you know the person and you like woodworking and so you open it. result..you're infected.

Some websites ask you to download a program. Be very very careful whether you want to download it. Not suggesting that any members of this forum do it but some porn sites ask you to download a program before you can view their videos. Don't...you are asking for trouble.

You can get infected simply by opening an email....which is why you should never, ever have the preview pane open in Outlook.

How do you stop it all? Strength in depth. I have a router and that gives me my first level of protection. Each computer on a network or on the interent has an IP address. Most routers carry out something called NAT which effectively hides your PCs address from the Internet. Routers also usually have a hardware firewall that is pretty good at restricting access (in both drections if you want).

I then run a separate software firewall on my PCs...I use ZoneAlarm..consistently rated in reviews. I think it makes sense to pay that bit extra and get the Pro version rather than the free version. I switch off Microsofts firewall. Zone Alarm will also flag up and warn you if you have got a program on your computer that is trying to dial out. That will alert you to any trojan or virus that may have crept trhough your defences.

I use the paid version of AVG for virus checking. It's good.

I run SpySweeper from Webroot...I also sometimes run AdAware from Lavasoft. These pick up spyware, data miners and other forms of malware.

Lastly stay up-to-date with the csecurity patches from Microsoft...which in itself is a pain in the back side. Let me give you an example.

I have been using my mac for day to day stuff for the last two/three weeks. Then I read this thread and so thought I'd check out the website. Browsing from the Mac was not a problem. I then switched on one of my PCs...that has XP and Service Pack 1 (deliberately). Browsed using Firefox....not a problem. Browsed using Internet Explorer (not with the latest cumulative security patch) and bingo...spysweeper said...this program wants to run at startup. Shall we let it? No thank you. It was the trojan. I then loaded the latest cumulative explorer security update. Then Zone Alarm wouldn't work. So I restored back to an earlier version of the OS. Switched off ZA and then reinstalled the cumul.ipdate. Then restarted ZA. Then browsing again to the website still gave the trojan.

So I then checked Microsoft Updates further and there are twelve more to load up. Loading them all made Zone Alarm stop working again...at which point I restored back yet again and went to bed.

If you have one PC it's not too much of a problem to srtay on top but when you have as many as I do it is nearly a fulltime job.

Hope that helps.

Oh...notice...I don't use anything from Norton. Not that it's bad ...well, caveat...some threads on the Mac forum show problems...I just prefer the little guys to buy my software from if I can.

 

[devonwoody]

To roger Sinden

Quote from your last reply:

You can get infected simply by opening an email....which is why you should never, ever have the preview pane open in Outlook. end quote.

How do you open your mail or look otherwise?
Or how do you set your o/e to open without risk?

 

[RogerS]

If your inbox is like mine then it does fill up with some spam that gets past the spam filter in my ISP and on my PC.

I simply delete the spam from the inbox. If the preview pane is open then, by default...selecting the spam message to delete it will display it in the preview pane. If there is a nasty in the message then I'll get bitten!

Theoretically, I am told by a security expert who I trust implicitly, you can infect the header of an email...but that does need certain rare and obscure conditions to exist on your PC for it to work. So unlikely in the wild but still scary.

 

[Woodythepecker]

Roger, thanks for the info it is much appreciated.

You mentioned about Zone Alarm flagging a warning that a program wants to dial out. Well as mentioned i run AOL Spyware Protection and every time i go on the internet my Norton Internet firewall pops up at least 5 or 6 times and asks for permission to let a file or program containing the name of this spyware onto the internet. Is this correct or could it be a trojan/virus or keylogger?
I suppose what i am trying to ask is, could say the person who used my credit card details have looked around my computer and sent me a trojan/virus with the AOL Spyware name as its cover, and as i give it permission to go on the internet it is sending him/her my private details?

As i have said i am a bit thick when it comes to computers and the internet, and so this may be pie in the sky, and not possible, but i am never going to learn about security if i don't ask.

Regards

Woody

 

[devonwoody]

Yes Roger,
That has always bugged me, you have to delete an open email.
Surely microsoft should set up email entries as a sort of preview first before they have to be opened?

 

[RogerS]

Devonwoody

Not strictly true as if you don't have the preview window open then you only need to select the email in your inbox list and hit delete. You don't open it.

Woody

Can't really help you on this as I'm not familiar with AOL stuff. Is it trying to check AOL for an update? Is ZoneAlarm saying that it is AOL Spyware that wants access? If it is then I wouldn't worry and let it check for updates. Or you could see if there is a preference that says 'check for updates automatically' or similar and assuming it's selected, then deselect it and see if it still tries to access the Internet.

Roger

 

[Woodythepecker]

Cheers Roger.

Regards

Woody

 

[devonwoody]

To roger

My outlook express screen looks like this:-

I dont seem to have any option to delete because as soon as I touch a message it appears in the box below. Had a look at view but cant see any other options to choose.
Appreciate any help that can be given.

 

[Keith Smith]

Devon go onto View, Layout, then uncheck the "show preview pane" box

 

[Johnboy]

I use mailwasher which allows me to check my email without downloading it. See http://www.mailwasher.net/ for details. It is free and works a treat.

John

 

[devonwoody]

Devon go onto View, Layout, then uncheck the "show preview pane" box

Thank you Keith, done that, have a drink on me