Got nailed this weekend, don't know if it's an old one or new. Name is "Microsoft Security Essentials Alert" and has nothing to do with Microsoft. It's a Trojan and when you try to load an executable such as IE, Firefox .. Word etc, a window pops up telling you it's infected and to delete it and it won't allow you to run. Yea, right .. like I'm going to delete my main programs ..

Had to go to my sisters house and user her computer to research the virus. Lots of fixes but the one I liked was a program called Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. I already had the free version on my computer. For whatever reason it would load and run fine with the virus so I was able to download the latest definitions and run it. It takes a while, 3-4 hours to scan the entire computer but it caught 9 infected files and removed them and the virus. My main virus scan program could not find any problems so think I'll run Malwarebytes more often or maybe purchase the advanced version and let it run in the background.

Do a Google search for "Microsoft Security Essentials Alert" and you can see a screen snapshot what it looks like. Wish I could personally meet the geeks that developed the virus and properly thank them.

 

Malwarebytes fixed mine when I got it a couple months back. I promptly ended my expensive virus protection which did nothing to protect my computer from this virus. Microsoft has free software on their web site that works better.

The people who wrote that virus should be hunted down and shot.

 

Bummer. That stuff can get nasty for sure.

 

I do a Malwarebytes scan on my computer every once in a while too. Slow to scan (even the quick scan), but even the free version seems to catch stuff that nothing else does.

 

I have been using AVG Free for years and it has been very effective. However, it's best to install it before you get a virus!
I used to be a network server administrator for several years....

 

AVG Free ,didn't work for my wife ..I have spent a good bit of time fixing it . Maleware Bytes worked temporarily( again free) ..Trend is working great on 3 of my computers .(Paid subscription ) Nothing ,,,has happened in 3 years ...

 

Just to clarify, I run a paid anti virus software, but use the malwarebytes scan on top of that to catch malware stuff the anti virus misses.

 

AVG is about the best you can get.

Symantic and mcafee both suck now.
I used to use corporate versions of the symantec, they were not very obtrusive. but these other things they got now are just garbage designed to take your money.

Virus protection doesn't always work. No matter how good it is.
So like in your case Rick, it can miss it.
It all depends on how you have your antivirus setup as well.
Who knows, she could have clicked ignore update a few times.
Or went to a bad webpage, which they are getting good with, and can slip things past antivirus very easily.

For all i've used, AVG works the best.
It also free scans when your computer is idle as well.

For those who use their computer and turn it off when your done, your more at risk for virus's as well, seeing as your computer isn't getting a chance to browse files.

Virus's wait for your computer to be idle to do their work.
Thats when virus programs catch them.
Otherwise the virus just screws with you on other stuff. For antivirus to catch the virus's, the virus file needs to be active somehow. Good antivirus will scan active files going on around the computer. I know AVG does that.

 

I've been using AVG "paid" subscription for three years and it did not catch this thing. I'm pissed beyond belief and will not renew in Jan 2011.

 

Paying for antivirus is just a bad idea imo.

Only time i have ever got a virus was when I got online at a computer repair shop without antivirus on my computer.


Then again, I made a living fixing these problems you guys are complaining about...

 

My wife was looking at jewelry ....

Frogger popped up. Then a window that said it could get rid of it .. We couldn't even start the puter in normal mode

Maleware took care of it for a few days ,that was all ..

AVG was installed on a clean OS...Turns out it sucked ....

 

I'm sure there was more to it than that Rick. =)

There are so many things on the internet to confuse you into clicking on them.

I'm pretty sure you had some malware, not a virus if thats the case.

You physically have to download something to get a virus, unless you visit a page that auto downloads it for you, and antivirus, if up to date, will catch it. even the crappy ones will catch those.

Most dont understand the difference between malware and virus's. They are different.
If you are claiming a malware program "fixed" any "virus" problem, you didn't have a virus.

I have a virus or 2 here I can bring over if you want to see what virus's do. =)

 

Maybe, but I pay for a supporter badge too.

Then again, some of us just don't understand this whole computer thing well enough and for us stoopid ones, paying for something is better than getting a free download that we don't know how to monitor.

 

I think I'll pass on that one ....

 

The strange part was , I had to down load Maleware Bytes in safe mode. After it was restarting properly & installed Trend .

A few days later ,frogger was back . When she showed it to me , Trend shortcuts were gone (program was there , no EXE file to start it).& Maleware Bytes was gone as well .

Scanned with AVG & found nothing .

I re installed Trend After running MB again . Then removed AVG & MB from the system . All good Now