Viruses and Malware

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Questions and answers related to viruses, spyware, bots, rootkits and other nasties that can infect or wreak havoc with you computer.

Adware "cws,googlems,3" keeps getting reported by Pest Patrol, but won't delete. What do I do?

Adware "cws,googlems,3" is apparently a false positive report in some old versions of Pest Patrol. You might want to update the program.

Can I check a download for viruses before I download it?

Files cannot be checked for viruses before being downloaded.

Can I get a virus or spyware from a free video download?

Can I recover from a virus by just restoring my registry?

Viruses and other malware often work in part by making changes to your registry, so it's tempting to think that's all that needs to be restored. It's not.

Can I run more than one anti-virus program? Anti-spyware program? Firewall? Should I?

It's tempting to think more is better for anti-spyware and anti-virus software and firewalls. In reality too many can cause trouble.

Can a camera's memory card transmit a virus to my PC or to another camera?

Theoretically it's possible for your camera's memory card to transmit a virus to another PC or camera, but the chances of that happening are very rare.

Can a computer virus spread behind my firewall?

Computer viruses spread in different ways. A firewall is very important but some computer viruses can spread on your local network if they make it across.

Can my computer get a virus from my camera?

Cameras are not likely to themselves be infected by a virus, but without care they can act as carriers, transferring viruses from computer to computer.

Can software firewalls and security packages cause problems?

Software firewalls and other security packages can definitely help keep things more secure, but they can also add their own level of confusion as well.

Can someone install something on my computer when it's not logged in?

If your computer is not physically secure, it is very possible for someone to install something unwanted on your machine even when you're not logged in.

Can someone make long distance calls through my computer?

Surprizingly, certain viruses can make costly long-distance calls using your computer. The best prevention is keeping your machine safe from viruses.

Dictionary Attack: What is it?

A dictionary attacks is a common brute force way of achieving a goal. The goal of a dictionary attack might range from compromising your system to simply sending spam.

How can I get rid of the 'keenval' trojan: downloader.keenval.B?

There are a couple resources to help get rid of the 'keenval' trojan: downloader.keenval.B

How can I stop this automatic email?

There are a couple things to investigate if your computer is trying to automatically send emails.

How can I tell if an exe is "safe" or not?

How can an infection like Antivirus XP 2008 happen?

Viruses seem to come at us from all directions, and lately that includes websites. We'll look at how this happens and what you need to do to stay safe.

How can we protect ourselves from botnets?

Botnets seem to be everywhere, and have become the single greatest source of spam and other malware transmission. Is it hopeless? Not at all.

How did I get all these viruses if I have anti-virus software?

Anti-malware tools need to be run frequently enough, and be kept updated to keep you safe. I'll look at what to consider when configuring protection.

How do I get rid of my-search.com?

Mysearch.com is apparently spyware that's very difficult to get rid of.

How do I recover from a bad virus infection?

Recovering from a bad virus infection isn't always easy, but there are some things to try before drastic measures need to be taken.

How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

It's hard to run an anti-virus scan if you can't boot from the hard drive. To run an anti-virus or other scan, you'll need to take some special steps to boot from something else.

How do I safely backup an infected drive?

Once your machine is infected, system backups are likely to include the infection as well. I'll look at what steps to take when that happens.

How do I tell if my ex has installed spyware on my machine?

How do I uninstall weather bug?

Weatherbug is adware, but not spyware. It can be removed fairly easily from your system.

I cleaned some malware called "wave eggs.exe", how do I protect myself in the future?

If you're infected with malware you should run an updated anti-spyware scan, and make sure you keep that tool running and updated and regularly.

I installed Microsoft Security Essentials and now things are worse! How do I recover?

When installing anti-malware tools on your machine makes things worse, it's one hint that there may already be a deeper problem.

I lost the general tab in my internet options, how do I get it back?

Sometimes critical parts of applications like Internet Explorer go missing. It's often the result of spyware.

I think I've been "phished" - what should I do?

Phishing is an epidemic. Legitimate looking emails asking for sensitive information are often bogus. Phishing is on the rise, and you need to be aware.

If everything's infected, how do I get anything done?

Sometimes it might seem like everything's infected, but with a few steps and preparation you can work, surf and use the internet safely.

If people are getting spam from me, does that mean I have a bot infection?

There's a lot of spam flying around, and much of it might claim to be from you. It's not. Whether you have a bot infection is a different questions.

Internet Safety: How do I keep my computer safe on the internet?

Internet Safety is difficult. yet critical. Here are the seven key steps to internet safety - steps to keep your computer safe on the internet.

Is Viewpoint Spyware?

Is it possible to get a virus from a music download?

Depending on where you're downloading your music files from, you may or may not be downloading a virus instead.

Is it safe to leave my modem on and connected all the time?

Is running two anti-spyware programs better than one?

You need to be careful when using more than one anti-spyware tool. Used improperly more than one tool can cause conflicts.

Is this message that I'm infected a hoax?

A pop-up message that says you may have a virus may, or may not be legitimate. Anti-virus companies don't make viruses, but virus makers do try to look like anti-virus companies.

Is this stuff in my 'hosts' file supposed to be there?

The "hosts" file can be used for good or evil. Anti-malware programs may use it to block things, and malware may use it to block anti-malware.

My laptop is very slow - smsls. exe is using most of the CPU - what's up?

Should I be worried about this "WMF Exploit" that everyone's been talking about?

This computer's infested, what do I do?

There's no one answer as to what to do if your computer is infested, but my own personal experience may give you some guidance.

Viruses: How do I keep myself safe from viruses?

Computer viruses are a fact of modern life. Anti-virus software is required; both it and the database that it uses should be kept up-to-date.

What is eAcceleration and how do I remove it?

eAcceleration is adware, but it is supposedly easy to remove.

What's 'BullsEye Network'?

BullsEye Network is adware, and should be removed with a spyware removal tool.

What's a "zero-day" attack?

A zero day attack is very simple: it's exploitation of a vulnerability before there's a fix for that vulnerability. We'll look at what that means.

What's a 'DSO exploit' and how do I get rid of it?

A 'DSO exploit' is a bug in IE that might possibly allow untrusted software to run. Make sure you're up-to-date and you should be safe.

What's the best Pop-Up Blocker? Anti-Virus Software? Anti-Spyware Software?

While there are no "best" pop-up blockers or other anti-virus/spyware software, having something reputable in place is better than nothing at all.

What's the difference between a 'Trojan Horse' a 'Worm' and a 'Virus'?

We hear about Trojan horses, viruses, and worms, but what do they mean? They're loosely related types of malware with different ways to cause trouble.

What's the difference between anti-virus, anti-spyware and internet security software?

Malware terminology has become more confusing over time. Definitions for anti-virus, anti-spyware and internet security are unclear and inconsistent.

Why did I get reinfected within seconds of connection to the internet?

If you're not protected by a firewall or have other measures in place, you can be reinfected by a virus within seconds of connecting to the internet.

Why is my browser being redirected?

msgms.exe

Msgms.exe is part of the agobot worm, and needs to be removed using your anti-virus scanner.