1. #1

    AV Security 2012 malware

    I picked this shit up last night and it crippled my PC for about an hour, I actually had to jump on an Ipod to look up how to get rid of it. If you get stuck with this, it looks like a standard virus protection and constantly tells you your system is compromised, and keeps asking you for a credit card, give them your credit information and kiss your account goodbye.

    But here is the kicker, your regular running applications run like shit or stop working because of this malware.

    My solution?

    I got Malwarebyte anti-malware and got it running and it got rid of the AV Security. I then updated my McAfee even though it said no updates were available, one did download and I have not had any issues since. I don't know if the malware made it look like my McAfee didn't need an update.

    The whole experience was a pain in the ass, and I don't even know how I got it, I wasn't surfing porn.

  2. #2
    Just to mention its always best to run multiple Scans. Malware is not always Viruses as you would think of them so McAfee being a virus scanner wont necessarily pick up on malware. Malwarebytes though is a good program and we use it at work to clean malware off of systems.

  3. #3
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    Advertisements on sites install it, shockingly enough.

    Overall, I'd say the issue was prolly due to the fact that McAfee is a really bad software. It's good for the usual stuff, but the aggressive and resource-hogging nature of McAfee is really lame.

    I'd say if you're paying for McAfee, you'd be better off cancelling your subscription and buying....Malwarebytes, the program you used to remove it. Malwarebytes paid version has real-time scanning, and is far less invasive as an application as McAfee, and tends to be a lot more reliable, as well. (I use it on my PC and I don't think I've had to shut it off for any reason in the last 2 years, and it only uses a grand total of 40k in resources while running real time scanning 24/7, as where McAfee/Norton are all around 100-200 (iirc, it's been a while).

    You're lucky, though. Most malware (especially the better ones), have kill switches that nuke your PC. I've worked IT for probably 9 years, and I've seen ones that remove all permissions on all executables on a PC (easily fixed by a reg fix), to hijacks of windows defender (prolly the worst I've seen, since WD was a portion of the OS on Vista), and wasn't even possible to remove, disable, or anything.

    Biggest problem with AV software as of late is the fact that Zero-Day infections are horrible, and it's impossible for all of the programmers/updaters at each of the Antivirus software's companies take days, if not weeks, to nuke a Day-1 virus/etc, as new variants are coming out every day.

    Places like 4chan, unsavory websites (porn/torrents/etc), and general browsing on other sites ridden with advertisements are usually how these infections take place. Common sense is your greatest tool, antivirus protection comes second.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Legevia View Post
    Just to mention its always best to run multiple Scans. Malware is not always Viruses as you would think of them so McAfee being a virus scanner wont necessarily pick up on malware. Malwarebytes though is a good program and we use it at work to clean malware off of systems.
    Funny thing was, I did run multiple scans, the first time if found like 35 threats and got rid of them, second time it had none. After that I ran a full scan from McAfee and it picked up 4 virus corrupted files, before I forced the update, it found none.

    All I know is, my system seems to be clean again, and I wouldn't hope this to happen to anyone, as I was close to pulling my hair out.

    ---------- Post added 2011-11-17 at 05:37 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by OverClokx View Post
    Advertisements on sites install it, shockingly enough.

    Overall, I'd say the issue was prolly due to the fact that McAfee is a really bad software. It's good for the usual stuff, but the aggressive and resource-hogging nature of McAfee is really lame.

    I'd say if you're paying for McAfee, you'd be better off cancelling your subscription and buying....Malwarebytes, the program you used to remove it. Malwarebytes paid version has real-time scanning, and is far less invasive as an application as McAfee, and tends to be a lot more reliable, as well. (I use it on my PC and I don't think I've had to shut it off for any reason in the last 2 years, and it only uses a grand total of 40k in resources while running real time scanning 24/7, as where McAfee/Norton are all around 100-200 (iirc, it's been a while).

    You're lucky, though. Most malware (especially the better ones), have kill switches that nuke your PC. I've worked IT for probably 9 years, and I've seen ones that remove all permissions on all executables on a PC (easily fixed by a reg fix), to hijacks of windows defender (prolly the worst I've seen, since WD was a portion of the OS on Vista), and wasn't even possible to remove, disable, or anything.

    Biggest problem with AV software as of late is the fact that Zero-Day infections are horrible, and it's impossible for all of the programmers/updaters at each of the Antivirus software's companies take days, if not weeks, to nuke a Day-1 virus/etc, as new variants are coming out every day.

    Places like 4chan, unsavory websites (porn/torrents/etc), and general browsing on other sites ridden with advertisements are usually how these infections take place. Common sense is your greatest tool, antivirus protection comes second.
    There is a lot of information here thats good, and I think I just might drop McAfee for Malwarebytes, as McAfee was rather useless during the whole ordeal. None of the McAfee software would load until AFTER I nuked the malware with Malwarebytes.

    Malwarebytes has a shareware version, I would suggest EVERYONE to at least pick that one up.

  5. #5
    Field Marshal
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    Another really good one I've used in the past was SUPERAntiSpyware, which ended up tagging a few things that Malwarebytes didn't. I'd suggest downloading that as well just to make sure your PC's clean.

    If you ever have any questions, feel free to PM me.

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