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lotoblades

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Oct 20, 2006
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Hi guys, I've got a virus-spyware problem, I'm using spy bot and avg, also tried spyware doctor is there any thing you guys would recommend that is free? If not what is the best deal for the $$$ in your opinion? None of the above are finding anything, even in safe mode.But I see several suspicious files as it is scanning, zlob etc. :confused:

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks in advance.
Sean
 
lotoblades said:
Hi guys, I've got a virus-spyware problem, I'm using spy bot and avg, also tried spyware doctor is there any thing you guys would recommend that is free? If not what is the best deal for the $$$ in your opinion? None of the above are finding anything, even in safe mode.But I see several suspicious files as it is scanning, zlob etc. :confused:

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks in advance.
Sean
Click to expand...

Many of the big $$ anti-virus sites let you run a FREE scan (McAfee, Symantic), and so do some of the spyware programs. Ad-Aware is one of the top rated FREE spyware programs.
 
Everything I mention here is free.

Adaware is another good freebie to run in addition to Spybot, most of the reliable download sites have this too, such as www.download.com

AVG also has a free spyware tool but I've never tried it. ( free.grisoft.com )

HiJackThis might help you clean out some crapware from your registry if it uses your registry. CCleaner is a good registry cleaner too.

AVG was crapping out with my email tool (thunderbird which it should work with) so I've taken to running AVG manually once a week and using Threatfire for my resident protection. Threatfire is a heuristic scanner, not a signature based scanner like AVG, or the spyware tools. I've been pleased with it. The freeware isn't as good against viruses as the signature tools.The paid version is supposed be quite good.

All of the anti-virus tools are quirky when you run on-line games. Threatfire is a good solution for those who game on-line.

Further protection can be had, but they require some nerdy intervention.

NoScript for Firefox lets you pick and choose which sites run what scripts. Scripts are a common way to slip spyware into your computer. You can whitelist sites you visit frequently and temporarily allow scripts for one-off views and such. I wouldn't call it friendly for all users, but I've liked how it turns off lots of advertising crap too. Also lets me right click in sites that turn off right click as that's a script trick.

Lastly, Comodo Firewall. This is a good firewall, but when turned to paranoid mode, it gives very granular control of what's running on your computer. It pops up notices worse than Vista in this mode, but you have excellent control.

Phil
 
Thanks for the help so far guys, I'm running a mcafee scan now, just to see what it finds.I like the sound of comodo and no script as well, I'll definitly have to check those out. Thanks and keep the info coming lol
 
Yeah spybot search and destroy- good for startup checks and balances . Avira anti virus - its pretty good. Lavasoft ad aware, and try spyware blaster - helps with some browser protections and spyware protection similar to the tea timer in spybot s+d. Highly recommend no scripts for firefox - great program.

If you are really paranoid try playing with peer guardian 2 and the blocklist manager - will give you a very good idea of who/what traffic is incoming/outgoing - good luck.

and try your scans and removals in safemode - sometimes thats the little extra it needs.

J.
 
Also give Ewido a look.

They have a free online scanner as well , that works great.

Peer Guardian is only going to block IP's contained in the lists , it's not really meant for the basic PC user since it's not going to do anything for you unless you are doing a certain something with your PC but , it is a great and free program.

Forget all the various spyware programs both free and with a price tag , Spybot S&D is the best , bar none , and it is free.
The gent that wrote Spybot is a Godsend and a great example of a good person.. :thumbup:

If you can identify the virus or trojan / whatever it is , google the name and see if someone like Symantec made a removal tool for it.
While IMO Symantec anti-virus is horrible , their removal tools have always worked for me.


By the way , not free but I use Outpost Security Suite for about 5 months now and have had zero problems with anything , for the first time ever.
No compatability issues , no virus , no spyware, alert/log/block on all inbound connections unless I authorize it , this is the best program for it's purpose I have ever used oh and it is not a system resource hog like Symantec and others.
Highly recommend. :thumbup:
 
lotoblades said:
Hi guys, I've got a virus-spyware problem
Click to expand...

If you tell us what the problem is somebody might be able to help you....

Let’s see if we can find the right forum …
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I recommend Comodo firewall too. I'm not using it now because I have an all singing commercial job, but I have and it is fantastic. Jetico might be a tad better but only if you really know what you are doing.

+1 on the Peer Guardian. Top kit. Wind in the Bluetack lists. Careful though with this 'till you have the feel for it.

I binned Ewido off just after it merged with AVG. I believe a-squared is a better product. The bit they'd like you to pay for loses functionality after the trial period. No big deal. What is left is a fine free product.

Spyware Terminator is another splendid product and includes HIPS protection. You have the option to run an on demand Clam virus scan with that too. I don't, but the option is there.

I don't bother with Ad-Aware any more, and I found Spybot SD whilst good had been surpassed. Neither found anything on my machine barring a couple of harmless items in 18months, where as other things did. I retain Spyware Blaster which was my third happy musketeer of that trio.

I migrated one of my machines from AVG to Avast. I liked it better and moved the other XP boxes over to it.

As a rule I don't do advice but if I were to I'd say beyond all these things get into the habit of surfing with your browser running inside a sandbox. Think of it as a U bend. At the end of a session pick out the bit you want to keep and dump what's left. There are a few different ones out there but Sandboxie is probably the most simple. You will get a nag screen after the trial, but even if you don't decide to pay for it, that nag is as nothing for what you are getting.
 
Thanks for the move Cougar,

My pc is just running slow, freezing etc, and during scans I see things like zlob downloader,goldeneye,spysherrif and on and on but nothing is picking them up, even in safe mode, I've searched manualy and havn't found them. Also had the fake "malware alarm" last week, ran spybot and thought it took care of it, but it seems to be getting worse. I was hoping to find a program that would remove them all, preferably free but I don't really want to run back up if I didn't have to.
 
Just had a similar problem. I foolishly unleashed a Trojan, and fought with it for about a week before getting it cleaned out. This was one of the "Smitfraud" type that includes the ones you mention.
Note that my AVG anti virus did not catch this. All the research I did said that anti-virus programs are often unable to spot such Trojans.
Ad-Aware found it, but could not remove it.

I tried several different Trojan remover programs, and the only (and here's my reccomendation) one that got it and killed it was simply named
Trojan Removr.
Very good program, incorporates a quick scan feature, and is easy to use.

http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/?ref=google_trojans&gclid=CNan-feIsJECFTgrOAodMlDYeQ
 
Thanks for the links bladtaco, I'm trying webroot, and will move on down the list from there I guess.

mwerner, Thank you as well, I will definitely check that out, because so far nothing has found the issue. Last week I noticed the zlob, but not much else, now there are tons of suspicous items, that I can't seem to track down,, so far.

Thanks again for all the help, at least I have a starting point now!
 
These appear to be particularly insidious, not only planting phony keys into your registry, but "locking" them so that they appear to be running something.
When I ran Trojan Remover, it located all these, and then asked for permission to start the computer in Safe Mode so that these keys could be removed.
The program will also scan any suspicious files, much the same as you'd do with a virus program.
 
Those viruses you've listed need to be addressed and removed one at a time using instructions that you can find online.

In the meantime, use a seperate computer to research your problems and get the heck off the internet with that infected computer. The primary purpose of many viruses is to open your computer to hackers and more viruses/spyware. Password stealing, hijacking e-mail lists, keylogging, imbedding advertising, altering/removing system files. Your computer problems could be getting worse by the minute...
 
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