Thrasher <NOSPAM@comcast.net> wrote:
>Running XP (5.1.2600 SP1), and I'll first admit that I don't keep up
>with MS updates (for reasons I won't bore you with). I've owned
>computers for many, many years and don't do any of the obviously stupid
>things (like open email attachments). This is happening on my home HP
>laptop; I use a router and evidently my desktop is affected but I'm not
>seeing the same symptons there. I have another laptop on my network
>(running McAfee) which is not affected (so far).
>
>Somehow I contracted one or more viruses/malware. Norton reports the
>virus name as "Downloader" most of the time indicating .exe files
>beginning with "b" and then some 3 digit number usually found in my
>C:\Windows folder. Also have Norton reporting a virus named
>Backdoor.Trojan with similar file names under C:Windows. Yesterday, I
>had the "pleasure" of a new pain-in-the-ass virus called "Infostealer"
>(just *luv* that name) showing up.
>
>Dunno if it's all really the same frigging thing or what. Can't find any
>updated info on these things so I wonder if I'm now suffering for
>falling behind on updates and managed to contract some really old
>virus(es). Norton AV informs me that it quarantines this stuff and, so
>far, it's just mainly an annoyance: I get the Norton pop-up box and now
>I'm getting new windows in my Firefox browser opening "suddenly" to like
>appliance dealers in my area.
>I'm obviously afraid it will get worse and that this bloody Infostealer
>is sending my private data to some frigging moron hiding in a dark
>basement somewhere...
>
>Am I scrooged or is there a quick fix for this? Is it now worth catching
>up with all the MS security updates (or just a certain few)? Any help
>would be appreciated.
>
>Sharon Franks wrote:
>> Sorry but without SP2 any help given you would be a waste of time.
>
>OK, thanks. I will either get that done or just reload and start over.
>In the meantime, can you tell me something about Ad-Aware? I ran it and
>it found a boatload of various adware/malware/viruses. A web page given
>by a pundit here says to go ahead and remove everything found by the
>scan. There are dll's in the scan results.
>
>Is Ad-Aware smart enough to only list adware/malware dll's or is there a
>chance these dll's are used elsewhere?
>
>Also, is there really a chance removing what Ad-Aware found will
>eliminate my problems?
>
Keeping everything up to date is always considered essential to protecting
your computer from viruses or spywares, since they keep updating these too.
Anything important on the network that goes significantly out of date, like
Windows, or Java, and your system become a lot more vulnerable to attack.
Antivirus software usually updates every day you go on-line. Spybot updates
about once a week. I added the spyware group, since regulars their post good
information about spywares, and alerts to popular program updates.

Here's a short list of freeware that I've had very good luck with. If
none of the other popular programs, like Spybot, can't get rid of the problem,
you might try the free version of SAS and run a full scan. That's what I did when
nothing else worked, and the "Super Anti-Spyware" completely fixed the problem.

Free anti virus:
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0?prd=aff
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

Free fire walls:
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Free anti spyware etc:
http://www.spybot.info/en/download/
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
http://www.winpatrol.com/download.html
http://www.superantispyware.com/down...NTISPYWAREFREE
http://www.siteadvisor.com/download/ie.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.zip
http://www.funkytoad.com/download/HostsXpert.zip
http://www.ccleaner.com

Free news readers:
http://www.40tude.com/dialog/
http://xnews.newsguy.com/

Free public news servers:
http://www.newzbot.com/

Free news filters:
http://www.nfilter.org/
http://www.arcorhome.de/newshamster/...amster_de.html

Free mail filters:
http://sawin32.sourceforge.net/

Free word processors, spreadsheets, etc.:
http://download.openoffice.org/2.2.1...focus=download

Free bibles and bible translations:
http://www.onlinebible.net/downloads.html

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Ckypper