Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT

I ran Ad Aware on my computer which I had forgotten to do for a few weeks. It said it had successfully removed the Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT Virus. I have set a pop-up now to remind me to run it. I have AVG Anti-Virus so should that have stopped me getting the virus? What is it likely to have been able to do on my computer?

Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT is just another name for the many types of FakeAlert malware often seen with Rogue security programs.

As with most malware infections, the threat name may be different depending on the anti-virus or anti-malware program which detected it. Each security vendor uses their own naming conventions to identify various types of malware.

• Understanding virus names
• Threat aliases for Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT

mvps.org is no longer recommending Spybot S&D or Ad-Aware due to poor testing results. See here - (scroll down and read under Freeware Antispyware Products). Ad-Aware has even been placed into the Installers Hall of Shame.

More effective alternatives are Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware Free.

• How to use Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to scan and remove malware from your computer
• How to use SUPERAntiSpyware to scan and remove malware from your computer

I have AVG Anti-Virus so should that have stopped me getting the virus?

No single product is 100% foolproof and can prevent, detect and remove all threats at any given time. Just because one anti-virus detected threats that another missed, does not mean its more effective. The security community is in a constant state of change as new infections appear. Each vendor has its own definition of what constitutes malware and scanning your computer using different criteria will yield different results. The fact that each program has its own definition files means that some malware may be picked up by one that could be missed by another. Thus, a multi-layered defense using several anti-spyware products (including an effective firewall) to supplement your anti-virus combined with common sense, safe computing and safe surfing habits provides the most complete protection.

• Important Tip: Always remember that security begins with personal responsibility.

Thanks for the links. I thought it may be that there was a way of knowing what a particular trojan might have done, but it doesn't look as though you can tell and if I am reading it correctly there are a lot of different names for the same type of trojan. I haven't clicked on anything that says it will do a scan of my computer when on a website, so don't know where it came from but I suppose there are lots of ways they can get in your computer.

I will keep my scans up-to-date and hope I don't have any problems with viruses.

I haven't clicked on anything that says it will do a scan of my computer when on a website, so don't know where it came from

Please read How Malware Spreads - How did I get infected which explains the most common ways malware is contracted and spread.

Had a read through the link and I will try and be careful next time I am on a Porn site!!! Seriously though, it makes me wonder how I dare use a computer when there are so many ways that things I don't want can end up on it. I downloaded LinkScanner toolbar when updating AVG but don't know whether that was a good idea or not. Do you know anything about it? It is supposed to show a webpage is safe.

Anyway I will try not to worry and just get on with it!

AVG LinkScanner and AVG Security Toolbar are part of AVG's Internet Security Package. Essentially, Search-Shield scans search results and places a safety rating next to each link so you know where it’s safe to click. Surf-Shield scans the page behind any link you click on or any web address you type into the browser. If the page is poisoned, it stops you from opening it.

• AVG LinkScanner Press Release
• AVG FAQ 1189: LinkScanner - what is it?
• AVG FAQ 1188: AVG Security Toolbar - What is it?
• AVG FAQ 1176: Disabling AVG Search-Shield and AVG Active Surf-Shield
• AVG FAQ 1882: How to uninstall AVG Security Toolbar - AVG FAQ
  1643: How to disable AVG Security Toolbar
• How to Remove AVG Toolbar

Other security vendors offer similar tools:

• McAfee SiteAdvisor
• WOT (Web of Trust)
• Norton Safe Web

Hi all,

Found this post when searching for info on Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT. My experience was just the opposite!

Bought a used computer from reputable repairman, wanted to be sure it is clean. Didn't realize that it was running with MalawareBytes on it but no virus protector. (I know, I know -- never dreamed one wasn't installed, somehow missed it... Luckily I hadn't used it much.)

Ran MalawareBytes at least twice yesterday as well as F-secure online scan. Found some little stuff, nothing major. Just installed Ad-Aware (after a LOT of reading & comparison of Avira, Avast, etc -- found some good reviews although tough to find). Ad-Aware immediately found this and 4 others (on my back-up external drive) when both MalawareBytes and F-Secure didn't. I was running full scans with all of them.

Don't see why Ad-Aware's in any Hall of Shame - would love to see the data to back that up. What I found was pretty impressive -- both detecting and removal.

Toni

No one said Ad-aware was not any good...the newer version is just not as effective as other free security scanners like SUPERAntispyware and Malwarebytes'. Test results appear to confirm that and those of us who assist others with malware infection know this from first hand experience so its not on our list of recommended tools.

Ad-ware was placed into the Installers Hall of Shame for bundling and pre-checking Google Chrome during the installation. Also read Lavasoft Turning to the Dark Side? written by a former volunteer (now a MVP) who provided support for Ad-Aware but no longer uses the program.

Will look into that, thanks.

From what I read yesterday, they got considerably better in the last few years. Dark Side article was 3 years ago.

Not to be dense... so you think this example of it finding 5 things that MalawareBytes missed is a fluke?

A question, if you don't mind. I know I had several viruses on my old computer from which I have stored on an external HD (the data that I obviously need to access - in an effort not to lose anything, I copied more than I am sure was needed so there is extra junk in there, not just .pdf, .doc, etc). I now have this used one which I am unsure of history of -- what would you recommend to be sure all the "uglies" that may be hiding on both computer & old external drive are gone?

Thanks,
Toni

ToniB

Not as rare as you think for one product to find nasties that some of the more expensive suites have missed.

For the last 4 years I've used Avast Home (free) / SpybotS&D / Ad-Aware on all of my home computers. Haven't paid a cent for protection & haven't had a problem at all, despite my childrens best attempts. I'd scan your external hdd with at least all three of these. Will take a while but well worth it.

When installing on friends/families troublesome PC's, they will 90% of the time find things missed by Nortons/AVG/Kapersky. Something to do with how the various programs rank threats etc. Lavasoft have a great chart that lists the criteria for how they rank threats.

http://www.lavasoft.com/mylavasoft/securitycenter/tai-criteria

cheers
the dropbear