Just ran Ad-Aware for the 1st time since I built my computer in Oct '07 and...
- Thread starter Duddy
- Start date
Locut0s
Lifer
- Nov 28, 2001
- 22,205
- 44
- 91
The worst ad ware and viruses you usually contract only from doing dumb things. Like downloading cracks and keygens from warez sites. Most everyday web browsing and the like will only net you tracking cookies and other minor junk. But I do enough dumb stuff to always use a virus scanner and firewall just in case.
I just did the same thing. Installed Adaware and ran it for the first time since I built my current system in Nov-Dec of '07. Like 15 "infections" .. all of which were cookies from browsing the web. Don't do stupid things, and you won't really have a problem.
That's still 3 too many. This computer is almost a year old and still 0 issues after a spybot s&d scan (with the exception of tracking cookies).
There are a number of additional measures beyond the standard that you can take to mitigate the risk of infection:
1) Scan files that you are not reasonably sure of with online multi-virusscan tools such as http://virusscan.jotti.org/, http://virscan.org/, http://www.virustotal.com/ each service will analyze the uploaded file using 20-30 of the leading virus scanners (while virus definitions are fairly consistent, heuristics are not and getting good coverage ensures you're not looking at something obvious. Note that many scanners have overly sensitive heuristics and standard packers or keygens will often trigger a generic false positive).
2) Utilize sandboxing and VMs to isolate one time use executables. If you are using anything other than 64-bit Vista, Sandboxie is an excellent tool
3) Avoid compromised p2p networks such as Gnutella (result spoofers), eDonkey2000 (fake server lists), and rarely DC++ (result spoofers)
4) Be aware of the status of your ports, this can be done using an online port scanner like https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
There are a number of additional measures beyond the standard that you can take to mitigate the risk of infection:
1) Scan files that you are not reasonably sure of with online multi-virusscan tools such as http://virusscan.jotti.org/, http://virscan.org/, http://www.virustotal.com/ each service will analyze the uploaded file using 20-30 of the leading virus scanners (while virus definitions are fairly consistent, heuristics are not and getting good coverage ensures you're not looking at something obvious. Note that many scanners have overly sensitive heuristics and standard packers or keygens will often trigger a generic false positive).
2) Utilize sandboxing and VMs to isolate one time use executables. If you are using anything other than 64-bit Vista, Sandboxie is an excellent tool
3) Avoid compromised p2p networks such as Gnutella (result spoofers), eDonkey2000 (fake server lists), and rarely DC++ (result spoofers)
4) Be aware of the status of your ports, this can be done using an online port scanner like https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
GodlessAstronomer
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2007
- 17,009
- 5
- 0
CZroe
Lifer
- Jun 24, 2001
- 24,195
- 857
- 126
The fact that you didn't even bother to name/list or differentiate them speaks volumes about your experience with ad/spy/mal-ware. As far as we know, "infections" means "cookies."
FWIW, I've seen many that neither Spybot nor AdAware could detect.
Also, most people don't equate their build date with their last OS load. Just say it's the first time since you installed Windows in Oct '07.
Also, spyware often acts as a back-door for more spyware. Even one is too many. What you have probably isn't particularly nasty, but you still should have caught it long ago, never installed it, or noticed it long ago.
In that same time period, the only malware I've freshly encountered on a system I was using was on my sister's laptop. I was browsing ThePirateBay for some LEGAL files and one of their adstreams exploited Internet Explorer 7 on my sister's laptop (Firefox/Chrome was not installed because it wasn't my PC). This was just by browsing, mind you, not downloading torrents and executing files found within. The adware botched its own install and caused the laptop to shut down immediately and repeatedly at start-up. I got loaded in Safe Mode and meticulously cecked all startup entries and identified some dummy files disguised as Microsoft and Google files. I got rid of them and the system was as good as new. This was a few months ago.
I have used Virtual Machines for run-once downloads for many years... usually works great. Save a system state, run the app, get the results, then restore the system state to the exact way it was before you ran the executable.
Good info in this thread. BM'ed for later. Been using MBAm for a while, it found some stuff many others didn't detect, so, I also highly recommend it.
ViviTheMage
Lifer
I haven't. I've really had so few (ie none) problems with Vista that I really just things well enough alone and ignore 7 for a few more years. I've been getting the bug, though.
notposting
Diamond Member
- Jul 22, 2005
- 3,498
- 33
- 91
Thanks guys. I need some leads on better adware/malware scanners. My gf's computer is generating tons and tons of pop-ups. Adaware failed to install and Spybot fails to find the offending code. And for some reason, HiJackThis isn't removing the entries I select.
BeauJangles
Lifer
- Aug 26, 2001
- 13,941
- 1
- 0
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