Viruses - computer

[TKL_M28_LI_NY]

Since I started coming to the TMF I've been getting a number of pop-ups and the virus checker keeps finding these adware files. (I HAVE also been perusing a number of OTHER sites too). Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

You'll find that most of this comes from the sig pics that people have hosted at other locations. Free hosting comes with a price. There are several ways you can deal with it.

The first and easiest would be to simply go to your user controls here and opt to not show signatures. That will take care of the issue here, but won't help you elsewhere.

If you have an anti-virus or internet security program installed, make sure you don't simply leave it at the default settings. They're pretty much worthless. Tighten things up a bit. In addition, here are some excellent freeware programs that can help you out in keeping your system clean.

PopUp Stopper

AdAware

SpyBot

Be sure you keep things updated and run them regularly. If you don't, you can have thousands of dollars worth of software and it will do you no good.

Hope these help! 😉

Ann

 

[Ronley]

I'd agree with everything above, just a few more reccomendations:

Google toolbar has a built in pop up blocker: http://toolbar.google.com/

Spyware Blaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
and Spyware Guard: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
will both help slow down spyware and adware getting onto your pc.

 

[Storm_Cat]

AdAware

The Ad-Watch option of AdAware is not available with the free version, though, and I believe that is the option that runs in the background to keep pop-ups, adware, spyware, etc. out of your computer.

Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Otherwise, AdAware is an excellent programme.

 

[isabeau]

in june i had some major viruses that wouldnt allow me to delete or send emails and wouldnt show up pictures. even one time my computer started flashing. something had shut down my norton. we had to re install the harddrive? i think its called and start all over again. i think i got my virus from visiting a live webcam site. not sure we also had three power outages that week. anyway now i run my adaware every night and i have both norton antivirus and the other norton thing. viruses are a pain and i was sure i had ruined the computer and the funny thing was it spread to hubbys laptop. now i am very careful when visiting website. and sometimes when i click on a link, my google popup comes up saying not allowed.

isabeau

 

[amk714]

I use AdAware, Spybot, and Norton Internet Security. I also use Firefox instead of IE to browse the web. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ It's more secure and really cuts down on the pop-ups and spyware. I only use IE for websites that are IE-only (luckily only a few are). I hope all these suggestions from us help. 🙂

 

[TKpervert]

SpywareBlaster is very good. I don't even run AdAware or Spybot anymore because they always show 'nothing' after I cranked up SpywareBlaster 9 months ago. I also run Micro$oft AntiSpyware (free). http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

I thought my PC was clean til I ran Trend Micro's Housecall ( http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ ). It's free !! Warning: it can take 1 1/2 hours to run if you do the full scan. You must use IE 5.0 or newer to get a successful scan.

It found four viruses, all Trojans. It was also kind enough to get rid of the bitches for me.

Don't worry about the 40 or 50 'exposures' it will find. Those involve things like open ports, shells, Micro$oft Word, Outlook Express, etc. I shined those.

disclosures:

I often visit suspect (i.e. 'dirty') websites.
I run Firefox.
My Norton Antivirus hasn't been updated since 1943.
.
.
.

 

[amk714]

Thanks for the advice, TKpervert, I'll give them all a try. 🙂