Leap Year Virus 2012 ??

It seems that one of the viruses that I reported in one of my previous posts, that obtained on my computer at work, has been bit by the Leap Year Virus 2012.
Everything is running slow.
First clue was I got a notice about “iteratorutils.jsm:117” failed to start. That of course is not a sign of virus, it is a sign that something is running slow, since script time for Mozilla is 10 seconds, The computer is running so slow, it exceeded the 10 second script load time . Not perfect science but enough to get me alerted. Yesterday was a busy day. My computer was running at full speed, smooth and nice. I never once searched anything on the web. I just worked on my drawings and records. Today, slow. Everything is loading at a crawl.

I am now running scans but it seems Microsoft essentials has locked up. And the only thing I have that will run, is spybot search and destroy, and Rouge Killer (linked below). Rouge Killer did find a couple registry anomalies that were labeled regular stuff you would normally overlook, I deleted the instances anyway. My machine might not boot back up because of that. but it’s worth a shot. I am sure the I.T. guy here and I can get the office computer back up and I will report back here as to do or not do what I did. I am sure I have to reboot because what regestry was showing, is that 3 items were loading on start of the computer. Since my computer is still running, then the items are still running and I only removed what starts them.If I don’t report back before you read this….. Don’t do it!.

Will report back when I find more to see if there is an actual virus that has been dormant waiting for Leap Year 2012. Possibly bundled with Antivirus 2012

If you notice the same issues, Please describe below, and check back often. I will be updating this as the day progresses.

**update** Microsoft essentials finally finished update. Scanning now. but so far nothing is showing up.

***Update. I have no idea what happened, 3 hours into my work day, and my computer just started working normal. Reboots really slow now, but it works again.
No virus scanners found anything. So I have no clue if they just don’t have the virus signature yet, or if it was a fluke bug, or what.

How to stop Annoying Windows Balloon pop up about security

Got sick of that dang warning that comes up in my bottom right that warns me that my computer might be at risk because I don’t have a virus scanner and that I need to click that stupid thing to figure out what I need to do, as if that balloon wasn’t all I needed to tell me that my computer does not have a virus scanner on it. Does it really have to tell you every single day? Why does that stupid thing not have a widget on it that says “click here to make me freaking go away for ever because I am a sucky little annoyance that will not stop for anything”.
I have a firewall in my router. I will not put one on my computer.

If you are on windows XP and are sick of seeing that dang balloon at the bottom that tells you that you might be at risk because your security software is not installed or it might be out dated, Well you can get rid of that “at risk” warning in just a couple steps.
Click start button.
Click control panel
Double click Security Center
look on the left in the box that says “resources”
Look at bottom link it says “change the way Security Center alerts me” Click that . Uncheck what ever box you want to uncheck.
Click Ok
Issue should be resolved.
That is the most annoying pop up. Especially if you are using a free virus scanner that only runs when you tell it to.

Here is what I got off the web that got me in the right direction.

win xp after selecting ‘security center” from “control panel” you have to click on the left part on “change the way security center alerts me” and then unselect the type of alert you don’t like to get anymore

The Official TruXtertech Toolbar

Official TruXtertech Toolbar

Got tired of Googling all of the tools I use on a regular basis and decided to put these all in one toolbar.  Since I am of the two I.T. guys at my job, This tool bar will come in super handy.

There are antivirus tools. Virus scanner tools and Search Engine optimization tools.

so now when building website, there is tons of media to listen to and SEo tools to ensure the website being designed is properly optimized and handily ready for Bing, Yahoo and Google to crawl about it.

Grab a copy of this toolbar and see for yourself it is very much useful for Most of your IT needs and wants.

Wired – No Such Thing As Cyber SPace

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/03/cyber-hype/

BUZZZZZZZ!! Sorry, You lose! Cyberspace does exist and is alive and well in the IT/IS Realm of professionals …not GEEKS!!

Cyberspace. A metaphor for describing the non-physical terrain created by computer systems. Online systems, for example, create a cyberspace within which people can communicate with one another. Like physical space, cyberspace contains objects  (files, mail messages, graphics, etc.) and different modes of transportation and delivery. Unlike real space, though, exploring cyberspace does not require any physical movement other than pressing keys on a keyboard or moving a mouse; cyberspace is the transportation realm of vital data once it has left physical space on the sending side and has not yet reached physical space on the receiving side of transition destination. Cyberspace relatively speaking is the equivalent of Internet processing ( aka.. Parsing)

Best Free Virus Protection

Internet safety is an issue that has been nagging at us users for many years. The cold hard facts is that we all need it. some people rest assured in the thought that Microsoft will be releasing a free virus scanner or virus protection of sort really soon. Cold truth is, you had that with vista and tyou learned how to dissable it and complained about it. That pop up that kept asking you if you are sure you want to install something, well expect it to come back for windows 7 and xp and vista, just a better skin. It will not be perfect, otherwise the operating system would be impenetrable. Simply because um… the software is made by the people who made the operating system. Hackers and scammers will be breaking it within  minutes of it’s release.

So for the time being Microsoft’s protection thingy is released, let’s fix ourselves up for cheap. Better than cheap, let’s do this for free.

Protection

Ok start with, DO NOT OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENTS FROM STRANGERS! Never click a link in your email from your bank. because it’s never your bank, and just to be on the safe side when the email looks serious, close your browser, re-open your browser and type in your banks link manually.

Go to this website mvp’s hosts file Read what is being said there, read it well. Halfway down the page you will see

MVP's Gif

MVP's Gif

There will be a link near it to download a zip file. do it, download the file and copy all of the content onto your desktop. double click the file on your desktop named “mvps” , read what it says, hit your spacebar or any button you wish other than escape (not sure what escape would do) and you are done. you have now blocked your computer from connecting to known  advertisement websites. Many of those advertisement websites  also have foul software called “malware” . Malware includes virus, trojans, worms, adware, spyware and manhy things the like. So if you get a virus and it tries to push a bunch of pop ups on you, you will not get them. you will just get windows that pop up but saying you can not connect to the server. Some times those popups will install more malware on you so it’s great that you limit it.

Ok now that we are in this much of a safe zone, you must know that you are still vulnerable. You can still download a virus and have it install on your computer and compromise your computer. So as a cool little trick; next time you download something from a website go to these three sites and have it scanned for malware.

Virscan.org – This scanner allows you to scan with currently 37 different virus scanners. look at the botto n of the screen and see what the latest scan results show, you can see that some virus scanners will find stuff while others will not., refresh that page and see new results.

Virus total .com Same as the one above, some scanners not the same, so more results possibilities.

Jotti’s Malware scanner, I think is the original. this site used to allow you to see real time results from all scanners. not so much anymore.

If you chose not to install a virus scanner, I suggest you  at least run an online virus scanner once every weak or two. at the least, check twice a month, because you never remember the last time you entered credit card information. so start with these 3  free online virus scanners.

CA Internet Security Online virus scanner. The actual Software reminds me of an old virus scanner from the 90s called innoculateIT.

F Secure Online Scanner Online virus scanner

Bit Defender Online Scanner This one is slow on an infected machine, but it sure gets some results. For years i have used this one, even while using a paid virus scanner, it works very well. if you are on vista or windows seven, right click your Internet explorer icon and select “run as administrator”.

I would suggest Symantec/Norton or Macafee, but last time I checked they both find stuff but will not remove it, then when you buy the software and scan again, it finds nothing. Or at least that is the results I got the past five times I fell for it. Maybe it’s a coincidence, yeah, probably is.

if you want to install a free  virus scanner

Here is a list of the ones to try for free that by the majority of tech guys on the net, have been voted best free online scanners

PCWorld Post on free virus scanners i really can’t believe Avast and Avg are in that list….

I myself chose to install A-squared and set it for all protection modes. It does not run but a tiny process, never gives you a notice, but you can scan with it. and well I do that on a regular basis. Twice a week before bed. or just before I type any personal information into a website. To make sure there are no current cooties.

What to do if you feel you are infected.

shut your computer off and disconnect it from the internet. go to another computer if available. If none are available, or you have no portable thumb drive/ jump drive so you can sneaker mail software to your machine, then you have to do this from the infected machine, just disconect the internet each time you start one of these processes I tell you.

Here is the Download  list (include all of the downloadable software listed above)

Malwarebytes a free scanner that works well. Kind of specific needs though.. it really works.

A-Squared Hijack Free not a scanner but a process killer. kinda like HJT

If your scans show Vitumund or smitfraud or vundu use these two carefully smitfraudfix Also follow these instructions for smitfraudfix usage. Now get VunduFix. safe mode for best results on either program.

To get to safe mode: reboot computer and repeatedly tap the F8 button before the windows  logo and splash screen. Make boot selection and log in. Now run the programs.

If your computer only takes you to Google English try this post by…. well yours truly :-)

Keep them from hunting you out

firewall, best firewall is an internet router, go to the electronics store and get one. or go to amazone or bestbuy.com or go to compusa.com  just do something wise.

Hopefully I helped protect your computer or atleast increased your internet security and savvy.

My research of Finallyfast

There has been an advertisement on Television lately that I have seen coming up repeatedly. The advertisement talk of a program called “finallyfast” from a website called “finallyfast.com” .
So as usual I do my research before I download anything. then after I download the program i will scan it with as many different virus scanners as I can find.

On first analysis, I find that finally fast is actually hosted on a site “ascentive.com”. That site and it’s files have been noted as being malware with recurring charges to your credit card, that are really hard to get out of.
Site adviser website has noted that the content from ascentive.com is not safe . Siteadviser.

Ok so I went to the website anyway and started reading. They say it’s free from the get go. so I downloaded the file.

REALLY If you want to do a check up of your pc. I advise pcpitstop.com the only thing you need from there is an active x file and I find that activex file very safe.

but anyway I got the file and imediatly headed to Virscan.org and did a quick scan for any kind of computer cooties. This program is supposed to speed up your computer. Let’s just see. Well it turns out that all online scanners for single files, have a 10mb limit. This file from finallyfast.com or let’s say ascentive.com was 10.2 mb. Looks like they are a tad to large . So I compressed the file in a rar and proceeded to scan :-) .
one virus scanner found “Net-Worm.Win32.Bobic.k” could be a false positive but I found that other people found the same thing after the install. here are the results for finallyfast+worm and here are the results of finallyfast+trojan

Here is a forum that talks about the software and solutions.

The phone calls to suport
1st call
2nd call
3rd call
4th call is to ascentive, the mother company.
( They mention spyware striker)
pc speedscan pro I do not recommend installing this!!!!
activespeed Credit card issues.
Scan and sweep useless on xp, bad for vista.

Is Norton better than free?

Let’s look at a free online virus scanner compared to Norton antivirus

noton.PNG

I scanned with Norton first and found nothing, then scanned again with bit defender online free virus scanner.

what do you think is the better choice?

A-Squared

Found Riskware.PSWTool.Win32.Brutus

AntiVir

Found SPR/Brutus

ArcaVir

Found Trojan.Psw.Tool.Brutus

Avast

Found Win32:PolyCrypt-ASO

AVG Antivirus

Found nothing

BitDefender

Found Application.PWCrack.Brutus.A

ClamAV

Found Virtool.Brutus

CPsecure

Found PSWTool.W32.Brutus

Dr.Web

Found Tool.BrutusPWS

F-Prot Antivirus

Found security risk or a “backdoor” program

F-Secure Anti-Virus

Found not-a-virus:PSWTool.Win32.Brutus (6, 2, 605)

Fortinet

Found HackerTool/PWCrack

Ikarus

Found HackTool.Win32.Brutus

Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Found not-a-virus:PSWTool.Win32.Brutus

NOD32

Found Win32/PSWTool.Brutus application

Norman Virus Control

Found nothing

Panda Antivirus

Found Application/Brutus.A

Rising Antivirus

Found nothing

Sophos Antivirus

Found nothing

VirusBuster

Found nothing

VBA32

Found Win32.PSWTool.Brutus