Virii, adware, and other malware

[afternoonhandyman]

Rather than using excessive space at Pib, I have decided to create this topic here for helping fellow couchies with their computer problems requiring in-depth analysis.

CAUTION Any advice found here, no matter how well intentioned, is just that; advice. Please use discression when attempting any modifications to your computer.

(Administrator, please make this a sticky post)
_________________
Semper Fi!
Murphy was an optimist.

[afternoonhandyman]

Here are some sites I have found helpful in diagnosing PC problems:
(Mac users, sorry, I don't have much experience)

www.pcpitstop.com
http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showforum=9
www.safer-networking.org
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

And some anti-malware downloads:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

(Admin, please make this a sticky)
_________________
Semper Fi!
Murphy was an optimist.

[The Old Wolf]

I use Firefox 3.5.1.

Addons:

AdBlock Plus - my most valuable friend. I almost never see ads, and if one slips through the adserver can be easily added.

Ghostery - Ghostery alerts you about the web bugs, ad networks and widgets on every page on the web. Web bugs are hidden scripts that track your behavior and are used by the sites you visit to understand their own audience.

NoScript - Blocks Java, JavaScript, Flash and other plugins unless you allow them. Takes a day or so to grant permissions to your favorite sites, but gives peace of mind - NoScript's unique whitelist based pre-emptive script blocking approach prevents exploitation of security vulnerabilities (known and even not known yet!) with no loss of functionality...

Malware

I've tried many, and settled on AVG Free as my default scanner. It has never caused me any problems, updates daily and has saved my bacon on countless occasions.

Spybot S&D will identify most existing spyware.

I don't recommend Lavasoft's AdAware - it's not robust enough to detect many examples of malware.
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Building a world that works for everyone, with no one left out.
-Avatar by Fortunata, Plushie by Amber Williams

[Nebulous Rikulau]

You might also want to install a custom HOSTS file.

The HOSTS file is an 'in computer' DNS list. Usually these lists assign the IP address 127.0.0.1 to any inimical or annoying website.
Effectively this short circuits most adware by redirecting a site's calls to an adserver to your own computer, which replies with "cannot be found".

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
has a well regarded HOSTS file with instructions on how to install for various iterations of Windows. Installing a new HOSTS file on Vista can be tricky.

[afternoonhandyman]

Good Tip Nebulous Rikulau, I'd just like to add that most good anti-malware tools, such as SpyBot S&D and Avg Free among others, include a feature to update and/or edit the existing Hosts File (also known as "The Blacklist")

Recommended malware sites to add to the hosts file:
*.tribalfusion.*
*.adclick.*
*.ad-click.*
*.doubleclick.*
*.dolzmania.*

The following malware sites should also be added (Thanks Joe Minotaur)
*.Fastclick.*
*.Adshuffle.*
*.Adoutput.*
*.Fimserve.*
*.Quantserve.*
*.Open.*

(The asterisks make these "wildcarded URLS", so anything apearing before and after the sitename is included in the blocking.)

To add a site to the hosts file (Interent Explorer only, sorry Mac, I don't know how)
Close all IE windows
click on (Start) (Control Panel) and open (Internet Options)
Click on the (Security) Tab and select (Restricted Sites)
Click on (Sites)
In the box under "Add websites to this zone:" type in the wildcarded URL of the site, then click (Add).

Type in the next site you want to add, and so forth.
_________________
Semper Fi!
Murphy was an optimist.

[fairportfan]

If you use the Opera browser (well, Opera 10, never had occasion to monkey wth it till recently, so i don't lnow abut earlier versions, though i *think* it applies to v 9.x):

Click "Tools"

Mouse down to "Advanced"

From the flyout, select "Blocked Content..."

Click "Add"

Type in the desired info. Hit "Enter".

Add more entries, if desired, the same way.
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Beam me up, Scotty - it ate my phaser.

[Saskfan]

Konnichiwa!

Thank you to the folks who who brought up the topic in the comments, and thanks to Afternoonhandyman for this forum!

To get rid of popups and popunders on a Mac will be similar to the way you do it on a PeeCee.

With Camino:

1. Open Camino's Preferences (under the Camino name in the menu bar);
2. click on the Web Features tab;
3. Click on Edit Pop-Exception List;
4. Enter the offending addresses, as listed previously, ie, *.adclick.* etc.
5. Be SURE to click on the addresses you enter to change the policy from Allow to Deny. you can do this as you enter each address, or after you've entered them all. Btu the default is Allow
6. Remember the above steps, so you can add new pop-up addresses as they appear.

Now sit back and gloat, because:
1. you've learned something today;
2. you've taken control over those pesky pop-ups;
3. you're less computer challenged than you were.

Do NOT gloat simply because there are currently no major viruses aimed at Macs; you might pass on a virus if you're using Word. Besides, the malcontents who create viruses will get around to us some day.

There is one virus apparently just for Macs; you get it from a site promising Microsoft Office at low prices. The virus may have been created by the company that sprang up suspiciously quickly with the expensive fix.

Best of luck to all,
Saskfan

[fairportfan]

[The Old Wolf]