It can happen to me, so it can happen to you

So Saturday I get a strange email from my wife’s Yahoo account. One of those “Hello” in the subject and “I thought you would enjoy this link” messages. I immediately knew it was crapware.

My wife has a netbook that she takes around and uses on open (free) wireless networks wherever she is. She also does not turn it off but rather just closes the lid. Apparently while opening an email (she is a couponer so she opens any and all emails) her machine became infected. Even though I have talked to her about the dangers her attitude is “I have got your to fix it if something happens”, my issue with that is about four times a year I am cleaning a big mess of the laptop, and this time the infection allowed the hackers software to have access to and harvest our Yahoo email password.

What I did next is exactly what I preach here and what you should do. I turned off her laptop. I then went to another PC in our SonicWall protected network (I have NEVER had an infection make it through the SonicWall – contact me for a quote on one that will meet your needs). On the clean PC I logged on to Yahoo and changed my password.

Next I ran my security software on all computers (except the netbook). First Malwarebytes then Spybot and finally ESET. All machines were clean. On the netbook I ran Combofix, TDSSKiller then Malwarebytes, Spybot and finally ESET. I ran them all in normal mode (I did not bother with SAFE mode at this time). After running those (which takes hours), I logged on her system and did a little surfing, cleaning up Internet Explorer, installing Firefox and its security add-ons I have mentioned numerous times (WOT, Adblock Plus, Ghostery, and NoScript), she had not been using Firefox because “she did not like it”, which really turned out to mean the security add-ons kept me from clicking on anything and everything.

Regardless, after a Saturday night spent cleaning all computers I have a story to tell. The moral, don’t jump on any and all open wireless networks, get a SonicWall, even for your home, use Firefox with the security add-ons and quit clicking on every darn email.

Until we meet again, have a virus free week!

3 thoughts on “It can happen to me, so it can happen to you

  1. Since we run 8 computers here, I was having the same problems until I put advanced Registry Optimizer on my system.

    Have to admit, I wasn’t sure about this type of software and now it it on all 8 computers for over a year.

    Runs automatically every night, while I sleep.

    This is not a virus detection but rather cleans the registry. Our Internet Servers have the Spam/Virus Protection built into them.

    Have not had a major problem for over a year now.

    You can give it a trial run, for no cost. If you like the results, than you can purchase it.

    http://www.sammsoft.com/aro/q4landing5/default.aspx?referrer=go-E22brand-aro

    Clyde

  2. Sounds fun. Also I think everyone should get a sonic wall. There are a few ways to get around them, but I don’t know of any virus that have the commands “Pre-encoded”

    A Sonic wall will keep you safe. Schools use them. Also so your wife knows, Panera uses them, She’s safe there… I don’t eat at Panera often 😉

  3. here is a list of online virus scans setafy.live.com (that was microsoft’s) housecall.trendmicro.com F-secure.com sophos.com or go into safemode by rebooting and tapping the F8 key at same time choose safemode with networking open your browser and go to setafy.live.com this is microsofts setafy scanner choose protection scan be patient as this is a large download when finished try the other scans offered

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