Help - I Have A Trojan Virus!

[Mobi]

Please help a poor old dinosaur.

This morning I accidentally downloaded some software and I have now got a trojan virus in my PC, on my tool bar. It is called virus burster and I get pop ups telling that I have “critical system errors”, and “security alert - spyware found”.

Then I get websites popping up offering to get rid of it if I subscribe (to virus burster or whoever)

I have googled the problem, and as a result have installed and run Windows Defender, and Trend Micro house call. I have also updated and run AGV, Spybot and Lavasoft Ad Aware. Some of these programmes have identified problems and fixed them, but the virus burster trojan is still there.

It drives me crazy - pop ups every few seconds, and then anti virus websites take over.

Anyone else have this problem?

Any solutions out there?

Thanks guys.

Mobi

[Tywais]

In case you haven't run across this site you might try their suggestions.

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51142

[ashacat]

This morning I accidentally downloaded some software and I have now got a trojan virus in my PC

Those d@mn porno sites...

[Totster]

An alternative is http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic41987.html

totster

[redrus]

Download Ewido from www.ewido.net get the free 30 day trail. It sorted my laptop out no end, so much so I'm certain I'll buy when the trial is up....

redrus

[britmaveric]

Need run virus scans/spyware scans in safe mode mate and multiple times. You might have to download various spyware tools - like adware, avant, spware killer ect. One just doesnt cut it, I'm afraid. Took me a week get my desktop right after a guest clicked smth he shouldnt!!!

[freeman]

Spy Sweeper is No.1 anti-spyware software in 2006.

First go to below link and let it scan your computer online for free.

Then go here and download it:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3263.html

[cclub75]

Well... with such a "sticky" Trojan (even if you detect and kill his service, it will pop up again)... there is one solution.

Boot your PC with another Windows (a clean one).

This will allow you to run after some tools to remove effectively the trojan or malware on your C:.

How ?

There is a very nice tool : BartPE

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

This software will allow you to create a "live bootable Windows CD".

You launch it, you choose some "plug-ins" you want to have installed (firefox for instance, and or othe tools), then you put your regular Windows Installation CD into your CD drive, BartPE is going to read, compile, and write an image on your hard disk.

Then, burn the image on a CD.

Then boot your PC with this CD.

Works great.

And by the way, it's a good exercice to see that... your files are not protected at all. You have a password when Windows boot, you feel secure, but it's an illusion : if you use BartPE to boot your PC, you will have access to all your files on your hard disk...

So the only solution to be really secure : is encryption...

[Mobi]

Hi guys.

Many thanks for all the replies.

Tywais, I tried your site - smitfraud - and it was great. And very user friendly to the likes of me.

I'm a bit of a dunce, and it was quite complicated, but after establishing, with their help, that I did indeed have a trojan virus, I downloaded some stuff, went into safe mode, and to cut a long story short it is now gone - thank God, and I'm back to normal.

That'll teach me not to download dogy software.

I seem to have lost my email notificatioons around the time that I posted this query, which is why I didn't realise there had been so many replies. I'm still not getting them, but the email and everything else seems to be working fine.

Anyone else got this problem?

And thanks again - all the info will be retained for future reference.

Mobi

[jjspitz]

I'm glad you got your computer sorted. I had the same exact "virus." Actually I think its spyware and adware. they want you to buy their software. Anyway, I downloaded a program called smitrem and it cleared it right out there. Pop ups gone.

[Farma]

Earlier this year I and another TV forum member had one of these Russian pop up type things install itself on our computers. Screens kept popping up telling us we had viruses attacking our machines and needed to buy their program to clean our machines.

I tried all the anti virus/Trojan programs and fixes I could find to no avail and ended up formatting my hard drive.

The other member through perseverance and lots of trial and error discovered a solution. The pop up screen had installed itself in screensaver.

For XP. Start > Control Panel > Display > Screen saver ( see what screen saver is selected)

If it is one you haven’t selected, change to windows default screensaver then find and delete the file for the unknown screensaver.

It worked for him.

[cdnvic]

Once your system is compromised to that degree there is a high probability of a rootkit being installed that would be hidden to anti-malware programs.

Try running Rootkit Revealer to look for these. Otherwise a reinstall may be in order.

[pumpuiman]

I had a similiar virus. I wish I had known about some of the remedies suggested here. I ended up re-formatting.

What an annoying virus!! I bet they make some cash.....I was so frustrated I nearly gave in to the extortion, and paid them to remove it!!

[Mobi]

I had a similiar virus. I wish I had known about some of the remedies suggested here. I ended up re-formatting.

What an annoying virus!! I bet they make some cash.....I was so frustrated I nearly gave in to the extortion, and paid them to remove it!!

I thought about that too.

But extortion is extortion, and if I gave in once, who'se to say they wouldn't reappear one day and I'd have to pay all over again.

Everything seems fine now, so I guess smitfraud was pretty good.

But I will re-check cdnivc, thanks.

[Farma]

Extortion was my thought on the way they operated too.

What annoyed me more was how they had covered their extortion with additional websites designed to prevent the average person finding a quick fix for this fraud.

In my case Google came up with nearly 2 pages of links claiming to provide solutions to the problem.

All of the Googled sites were operated by the same criminals who placed the Trojan on my computer in the first place.

[Mid]

The home of Spybot-S&D!

must have ........................

[h5n1]

to really fix the computer you need to have the knowledge of what to delete after any program runs - i would bring it to someone who knows. someone recommended eiwido (ccleaner, etc...) DANGER you dont know what youre doing!

find a tech support site where you can post a log. download hijackthis and install. boot into safe (F8) run hijack this and save log. post log to site and do EXACTLY as the man behind the curtain recommends.

most likely registry/spyware problems. most cheap programs are no better than the free ones - the nasty stuff is deep in the machine.

yes, you can try spybot and adaware and run both AFTER updating. also try trend micro ONLINE - but i think you said you had

if you know you have a TROJAN than download the tool -

[Mobi]

As I said in my original post, I ran AGV Ad Aware, Spybot, Windows defender and a few more that Google recommended.

None of them touched my trojan.

It was only the site that Tywais recommended in Post No.2 that came up with the goods.

And it took time to follow all the instructions to the letter, including running in safe mode.

I really seem to be clean now.

[OneeyedJohn]

None of them touched my trojan.

It was only the site that Tywais recommended in Post No.2 that came up with the goods.

/quote]

My nephew has a Trojan virus so I'm going to have a look for him 2moro.....

Without the info on this thred, I would be like a blind man...will report back

[hgvneil]

i had a similar trojan,tried many anti virus,followed instuctions on 2nd post by tywais and it got rid of it !!! Exellent thanks a lot.Only trouble is when i was trying to get rid of it before,i have messed up system.gutted.

[cdnvic]

i had a similar trojan,tried many anti virus,followed instuctions on 2nd post by tywais and it got rid of it !!! Exellent thanks a lot.Only trouble is when i was trying to get rid of it before,i have messed up system.gutted.

What version of Windows are you running?

You should be able to fix it by running your Windows disk and choosing "repair" when prompted.

[hgvneil]

i had a similar trojan,tried many anti virus,followed instuctions on 2nd post by tywais and it got rid of it !!! Exellent thanks a lot.Only trouble is when i was trying to get rid of it before,i have messed up system.gutted.

What version of Windows are you running?

You should be able to fix it by running your Windows disk and choosing "repair" when prompted.

I have windows xp,but it was already installed on dell laptop with no windows disc,so i need to get a copy somewhere ?

[cdnvic]

i had a similar trojan,tried many anti virus,followed instuctions on 2nd post by tywais and it got rid of it !!! Exellent thanks a lot.Only trouble is when i was trying to get rid of it before,i have messed up system.gutted.

What version of Windows are you running?

You should be able to fix it by running your Windows disk and choosing "repair" when prompted.

I have windows xp,but it was already installed on dell laptop with no windows disc,so i need to get a copy somewhere ?

Yeah, if there's a license key on your computer body somewhere just grab a replacement copy somewhere, an OEM even and use that key to authenticate.