Internet connection back on!!!!
Resolution: Booooooo
Speed: Kaspersky is one of the best Antivirus programs on the market, some say the best. Unfortunately it's Suite is a HUGE resource hog that would slow down a charging elephant if you do not have enough RAM to run it.
I will give you the closing procedures to perform and then close the topic tomorrow morning. Open a new topic in our Hardware Forum where one of our Hardware specialists will be able to help you better than I can.
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1.
Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune.
This program is for XP and Windows 2000 onlyDouble-click
ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under
Main choose:
Select All
Click the
Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox browserClick
Firefox at the top and choose:
Select All
Click the
Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click
No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browserClick
Opera at the top and choose:
Select All
Click the
Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click
No at the prompt.
Click
Exit on the Main menu to close the program.
For
Technical Support, double-click the e-mail address located at the bottom of each menu.
2. Now
Set a New Restore Point to prevent possible reinfection from an old one. Some of the malware you picked up could have been saved in System Restore. Since System Restore is a protected directory, your tools can not access it to delete these bad files which sometimes can reinfect your system. Setting a new restore point AFTER cleaning your system will help prevent this and enable your computer to "roll-back" to a clean working state.
The easiest and safest way to do this is:
- Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and click "System Restore".
- Choose the radio button marked "Create a Restore Point" on the first screen then click "Next". Give the R.P. a name then click "Create". The new point will be stamped with the current date and time. Keep a log of this so you can find it easily should you need to use System Restore.
- Then go to Start > Run and type: Cleanmgr
- Click "OK".
- Click the "More Options" Tab.
- Click "Clean Up" in the System Restore section to remove all previous restore points except the newly created one.
Here are some tips to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future:
1.
Make your Internet Explorer More Secure
- From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
- Click once on the Security tab.
- Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
- Click once on the Custom Level button.
- Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt.
- Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable.
- Change the Initialise and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable.
- Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt.
- Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt.
- Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt.
- When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
- If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
- Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.
2.
Update your Anti-Virus Software - I can not overemphasize the need for you to update your Anti-virus application on a regular basis. With the ever increasing number of new variants of malware arriving on the scene daily, you become very susceptible to an attack without updated protection.
3.
Make sure you keep your Windows OS current by visiting
Windows update regularly to download and install any critical updates and service packs. Without these you are leaving the back door open.
4.
Consider a custom hosts file such as MVPS HOSTS. This custom hosts file effectively blocks a wide range of unwanted ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and many hijackers.
For information on how to download and install, please read this tutorial by WinHelp2002
Note: Be sure to follow the instructions to disable the
DNS Client service
before installing a custom hosts file.
5.
Download and install the free version of WinPatrol. This program protects your computer in a variety of ways and will work well with your existing security software. Have a look at
this tutorial to help you get started with the program.
6.
Install Spybot - Search and Destroy - Download and install Spybot - Search and Destroy with its TeaTimer option. This will provide real time spyware and hijacker protection on your computer alongside your virus protection. You should scan your computer with the program on a regular basis just as you would with your anti-virus software. A tutorial on installing and using this product can be found here:
Instructions for - Spybot S & D and Ad-aware
7. Finally, I strongly recommend that you read TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place?