"Page Load Error" - Network connection problem?

[himynameisbuddy]

Just today this started happening... I tried to update Norton Antivirus and Norton said that there might be a network connection problem, b/c it couldn't connect. Also, I can't visit sites like www.avg.com, www.symantec.com, and other anti-virus websites, leading me to believe I've got spyware, but Norton doesn't detect anything? Any ideas?

 

[Fardringle]

I recently worked on a computer with exactly the same symptoms. Turns out it was infected with a variant of the trojan called TDSServ. I was able to remove parts of the virus with a combination of Superantispyware and MalwareBytes Anti-Malware which tempoarily restored control of the system, but none of the many rootkit removal programs I tried was able to detect or remove the rootkit portion of the virus so it just kept coming back every time the system was rebooted. Even tools specifically targeted at TDSServ couldn't get rid of it. I ended up backing up the user's files and wiped the system clean instead of fighting with it any longer.

 

[himynameisbuddy]

Interesting... thanks for the reply. I've been needing to just reinstall Windows for some time now, I may as well just stop being lazy and do it . I worry, though, that if I save all the files I need (music, games, documents, etc.) isn't there a chance that the trojan is in those files? I don't want to just transfer it to a clean, re-worked Windows, you know? Thanks again for the answer - that was pretty much what I had expected (unfortunately).

 

[KGB]

Do as Fardringle suggests: Clean it first with MalwareBytes and Superantispyware. After you can come up clean, then copy off your stuff and reformat.

This past weekend I was dealing with a Vundo infection on a customer's box.
What a PITA!

Oh, another freebie tool I'd recommend is ComboFix. Good stuff. :thumbsup:

 

[bwccom]

Are you sure there isn't really an error with your connection? I've been having this trouble often lately, and sometimes I just need to restart my computer and fiddle with the LAN line.

 

[Fardringle]

If it was affecting all web sites it could be a routing/connection problem, but when it is specifically targeting security-related sites, that's a pretty good indicator of a virus.

 

[bwccom]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
If it was affecting all web sites it could be a routing/connection problem, but when it is specifically targeting security-related sites, that's a pretty good indicator of a virus.

Yeah, that's a good point, which would explain why it was problems with specific protection sites. I must not have read the first post carefully enough.

Did you get the problem resolved btw?

 

[thegisguy]

While Home for Christmas I found my brothers computer in the exact same condition. He couldn't update his AVG defs, nor could he go to any website with anything to do with security. Thankfully I keep a whole suite of free security software in my email. I downloaded SuperAntiSpyware and after a couple of reboots all the rootkits were gone. When I left he was still clean.

Reformat and reinstall is the safest way to go, but you might try SuperAntiSpyware. It's a great program.