OK, so you are new to this game - me too (well relatively)

Because I am a nice and friendly small gnome, with a gentle disposition I would like to warn newbies and maybe some oldies about the amount of "bad stuff" that can get onto your computer through PTR (it can also get there through general surfing)

I am talking viruses and malware, advertising spyware data miners, Backdoor Santas, home-page hijackers, Foistware etc etc (see below for definitions)...

I do not want to alarm you all - just make you aware!

These are things that install themselves on your computer and may send your data (see below for a fuller explanation...

I am a little bit sick of these kind of things installing without my permission, and snooping on me. I regularly scan to get rid of this rubbish.

Today I found (via ad-aware - see later) that a porn dialer had installed itself via a PTR link, and also a backdoor trojan (for more info see - llass.exe and I regularly find other things such as Alexa and Gator.

Now I am no expert, but I am a fairly computer literate gnome - and so this is a tale from my personal experience, and a warning to those who do not know. Any experts please feel free to expand on what I have said (maybe you can teach me something )

Please bear in mind that I am not blaming anyone in particular - it's just that I think people should be aware what is happening and what can happen, and how to resolve these issues.....

Any Experts that know a little bit more may care to add to what I am about to suggest .....

and follow some basic guidelines...

1) PLEASE keep your virus shields up to date - several times I have been sent links which my virus shield (always up to date!) has detected - the latest being the backdoor Trojan "llass.exe" - picked up by my installation of McAfee today.

2) Do yourself a favour and get Ad-Aware (or something similar) which in its basic form is free. This software is updatable and can scan for ad-ware like "Gator" and others which can install itself without your permission and send data about your surfing habits to the parent company

If you found this advice useful - feel free to signup under me (although never obliged ) - I've only got one referral in total, but I am still a happy gnome



Dr G-nome



**Definitions, for thos interested:-
Advertising Spyware
Stealth advertising components that are installed and may collect personal information from your computer.

Spyware
Stealth components and background processes that may violate your privacy or expose your computer to attack.

Backdoor Santas
Non-stealth "freeware" and shareware apps that may transmit personal information or expose your computer to attack, under the pretense of providing a useful service.

Homepage Hijackers
Once one of these nasty ad-trojans worms onto your system, it will constantly reset your homepage (and maybe Search, etc.) to where they want you to go. You can't change it back!

Foistware (Everything-installs-it-can't-get-rid-of-it) Unwanted application programs that come along, trojan-style, with completely unrelated software. Usually because some jerk is getting paid to foist it on your system whether you want it or not. Since they tag along with so many different pieces of third-party software, it is not uncommon to get re-infected with these foistware products again and again.

Trojans
Programs for the specific purpose of violating your privacy, stealing data, taking over or trashing your computer.

Only windows XP was dangerous because of his #### bug but I don't use it.

I never activate my antivirus and I never got any trojan.
Why ? Because I don't click OK when IE wants to install a sex dialer or a trojan. I don't click or open any exe like you people !

neither do i, but it can STILL happen


here is an online scan i found


http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Lightman, I have Windows 98 - mainly due to the fact that I think XP is a bit open to these attacks - such as the recent worm attacks. I also run 98 due to the fact that I am a poor gnome and have a slow pooter.

I NEVER click open on anything suspicious - no e-mail attachments or suspicious .exes etc - I know better than to do that !

IMHO You do not necessarily have to click OK on these files, sometimes these things install automatically by stealth. Sometimes it asks if I would like to install Gator - I always click NO and it still installs - this disgusts me as I find it a big invasion of my privacy!!!!!

As Lucyfer says - it can happen -
BTW: - Thankyou for the online scan Lucyfer - that is also a very useful tool

I am fairly computer savvy (but by no means an expert!), I just want to warn those who may not be so savvy

PLEASE HAVE FUN BUT BE CAREFUL

Dr G-nome, PhD

A gnome who researches small genomes...

yup, viruses and spybots are sneaky by their very nature (i use spybot search and destroy myself), and they can wiggle their way in before ya know it


YW, i am full of usefull stuff i have found free on the net, LOL

I would install the followings in my computer to protect my computers and my privacy

1. AVG - Free version

- Scan virus/trojans
- Background moniter of virus
If a possibly virus is found in webpage/email, an warning alert message will come out and ask you to scan the specific file that may contain virus/trojan.
- Free update of virus/trojan database
- Use very few memory (load in 1 sec, never make your computer slow)

2. Ad-aware - Free version

- Scan spyware files/spyware registry
- Free update of spyware database
- Backup files/registry that's going to be delete
- Very fast scanning speed

3. Spybot Search and Destroy - Free

- Scan spyware files/spyware registry/trojan
- Free update of database
- Large database, fair scanning speed
- Multi-language supported
- Backup deleted files Automatically
- Delete background spyware files/registry/trojan that is running by restarting windows! (that means : if the file is in use...you can't delete it)

Note: Ad-ware and Spybot has no conflict to each other so you can install both into your computer.

4. Zonealarm - Free

- Block unauthorised/high risk rating data transfer from/to your IP and ports
- Block programs that try to access to the internet unless you allow it or you put the program into the Trust List (that is useful to block trojans/spywares like Gator to run itself and send data to the internet without your permission)

advice: If you use zonealarm and find a program that is unfamiliar to you, just search the program name in google to see what type of program it is.

===========
All the above software can be downloaded at http://www.download.com

LightMan...people who want to install sex dialers, trojans, spyware, browser hijackers etc. wouldn't be sucessful in doing so if a nice little pop-up box appeared asking you if you wanted to do it!

There is some good advice here in this thread and I advise everyone to make sure they use it.

Geez, anyone doing PTR and particularly paid to search without a firewall, virus checker and spyware proggie is asking for trouble! The scammers will just love you!

Another good thing to do is use a different browser instead of IE or any of the ones based on IE like CrazyBrowser. Use Mozilla or Opera because a lot of this bad stuff is made to work with IE. I use Opera now it is really good browser and faster than IE too. You can download Opera for free at http://www.opera.com/download give it a try.

i use xp and never got the virus it was caught by activex and norton.

Yes I agree.

I never click download, but only today I found a calendar/clock installed itself on my computer without permission!

Lately I am running ad-aware a couple of times a day - today I caught 11 data miners in the morning and another 6 just a little while after.

It's getting to be a pain.