180 Viruses!
Monday, September 25, 2006 by Dr Guy | Discussion: Personal Computing
That is no typo! 180 viruses! I am working on my cousin's daughter's computer and that is how many she had! It is by far and away the record for me. I have never had anyone even begin to approach that number of viruses on a single computer! And it is still not right!
In addition, it had over 1200 items of spy/ad Ware on it (I have heard worst stories on that as I am on a Resnet list). And why am I working on it? She complained she was getting "out of memory errors". No duh! I am surprised it even booted (barely. It took about 45 minutes to see the desktop, and longer to get into any application).
I am in the process of finishing the installation, but I am going to call my cousin and ask for the restore CD. I will recover files they have, but I would not feel right giving this back to him as Windows is severly cripled.
180 viruses! Amazing!
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Reply #2 Monday, September 25, 2006 5:35 PM
| The sad part is that most times you do a clean up like this for someone, it's back in the same shape in a few months. |
Sad and true.
| Sounds like time to give the cousin a course in safe computing! |
I think I am going to get his daughter a body condom! 
Reply #3 Monday, September 25, 2006 5:44 PM
| No duh! I am surprised it even booted (barely. It took about 45 minutes to see the desktop, and longer to get into any application). |
bloody nora!
Reply #4 Monday, September 25, 2006 6:08 PM
I have run into adults that have no anti-virus programs either. That always facinated me that anyone would go without anti-virus - especially when AVG is free and works just fine. 180 - your right , thats a record.
I'm sure she will appreciate your efforts when she sees that her computer will load in under 45 minutes now.
Reply #5 Monday, September 25, 2006 6:32 PM
| bloody nora! |
Is that an English coloquialism, or first hand experience?
Reply #6 Monday, September 25, 2006 6:35 PM
| Im assuming she had no type of anti-virus installed ... |
Oh, I should have told the whole story! yes, she had Norton 2004. But her system date was set to some day in 2002, and her subscription expired 18 months ago. So I guess she thought that back dating her computer would keep her safe! 
Not by a long shot! Her virus defs were a day before the subscription expired! But the funny (?) thing about trojans and worms and viruses, they dont need no steekeen dates!
Reply #7 Monday, September 25, 2006 6:37 PM
| That always facinated me that anyone would go without anti-virus - |
It's all a matter of what you allow on your computer. I haven't had any AV in several years, but I don't open email from anyone unless I know who it's from and if I'm not expecting it I'll call or email them to make sure it's valid. I don't use bittorrent or news server warez and I also try to only download from trusted sites like WC. At home, I do use a hardware firewall to keep intruders out. I haven't had a virus at all on my home systems.
I have run into some IE hijackers (online gambling site) and had one virus on my office system but that employee no longer has internet access.
Spyware/Malware is a different story. I DO keep up with my Adaware and Spybot definitions and do very regular checks.
I'm personally of the opinion that much of the "hoopla" over viruses comes from companies that sell that software. Sure there was a time when viruses were common, but since they usually targeted large server based systems (or at least propogated there) they have caused a reflex where those systems are using the overkill method to control them so they don't get mainstream very much anymore.
Reply #8 Monday, September 25, 2006 6:45 PM
| Sure there was a time when viruses were common, but since they usually targeted large server based systems (or at least propogated there) |
Bots dont know a server from a personal computer. You are living dangerously. I wish you luck. But being in the Biz, I saw my Aunt infected, on dial up, before she could even patch for the vunerablity that got her.
AV is not the be all end all. But it is a tool. And it is not hokem. I have seen too many in my 28 years to discount any type of protection. And yet, I have still got gotten. Only a couple of times, and then by weak ones. But I still did. I guess you were not around when KAK was doing its dirty. How about Lifestyles? Both perhaps before your time.
Reply #9 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:20 PM
I have Trend Micro on my server at work. Not for me, but I've got 12 employees using it. I have to say that I "FEEL BETTER" knowing it's there but it's never caught a single virus and it's not infected.
I believe in backups and backups of backups with copies kept offsite. I've got 2 sets of my ASR (2 tapes and 2 portable HDs) one set onsite and one off. That's how I protect myself.
Reply #10 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:27 PM
| I believe in backups and backups of backups with copies kept offsite |
Backups dont help when your main server gets compromised and you are down for a day or 2 cleaning and/or reinstalling.
As I said, good luck. I dont like playing Russian roulette. Always remember, that one chamber is loaded.
Reply #11 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:51 PM
Reply #12 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:58 PM
| were other Army guys that were not only dumb enough to constantly surf porn, but dumb enough to do it without good protection. |
Old SNL joke., They need Body Condoms! !
The rest of the story is still be written. Another 600 Ad/Spy ware bugs when I finally was able to boot into the original version of windows! Safe mode only.
Reply #13 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:29 PM
Reply #14 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:46 PM
| Sounds like you should set her up with one of the user friendly Linux distros. It's probably the only thing that's going to keep someone like her safe online. Either that or have her buy a Mac. |
Right now, that is the best answer! her computer is toast. Still another 500 registry hacks!
Ubuntu anyone?
Reply #15 Monday, September 25, 2006 9:03 PM
| Ubuntu anyone? |
Yep, I'd suggest either Ubuntu if you think she could adjust to Gnome, or SimplyMepis if not. Mepis uses KDE as it's desktop environment so it's more familiar to a former Windows user, and is also very newbie friendly. While Ubuntu is proported to be noob friendly some of the configuration isn't so noob friendly at all.
But either one would make a good desktop system. I'm partial to Slackware but I don't think that would be the right way to go
Reply #16 Monday, September 25, 2006 9:43 PM
Reply #17 Monday, September 25, 2006 9:57 PM
Reply #18 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 12:17 AM
I've heard of some really eccentric collections, but this one tops 'em all....she'd be well advised to swap hobbies and try stamp or coin collections instead.
Oh, and 'bloody nora' is an English colloquialism which is representative of one's shock/horror/surprise to something.....and when it's "BLOODY NORA!!!!" you can surmise it was due to a personal experience.
Reply #19 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 1:12 AM
Reply #20 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 6:05 AM
| Not by a long shot! Her virus defs were a day before the subscription expired! But the funny (?) thing about trojans and worms and viruses, they dont need no steekeen dates! |
Im surprized she had any anti virus at all. But 2002 - eek.
I have had maybe 3 or 4 virus's in 5 years - im very careful. The funny part is the ones I did have were almost unavoidable. One came in the form of an attachment from my own Uncle........I thought it was odd he had sent me something pertaining to his " Lodge " I believe it was a fund raiser type thing - the moment I hit that attachment - boom , blackness......but the good part was AVG grabbed it and tossed it in the vault before I could even gasp. My uncle had a worm virus sending out email to his entire addy book...he didnt even know it. That virus was one that was held in the vault but I wasnt able to delete it - I reformatted because of that little sucker.
The most recent was about a year and a half ago - I clicked on a music lyric site and up popped avg warning that it grabbed a trojan. The funny part was I had been to this site a 100 times before with incident. So much for " safe " sites . Although that was one I could delete. I guess its best to be safe - im not that educated in removing virus's from the registry etc . So my only recourse is reformatting which is not a lot of fun.
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Reply #1 Monday, September 25, 2006 5:33 PM
Sounds like time to give the cousin a course in safe computing!