BleepingComputer.com: Thank you so much

Hi to all,

I don't know if this is the correct forum for this post - but here goes anyway.

The two ends of the IT spectrum. 1. Good hearted souls like yourselves who set out to help others, just because they can. 2. The people who come up with viruses like Google redirect, again because they can, but for a whole bag of other reasons too.

I am no IT expert , but thanks to your easy to understand tutorial re TDS killer, my machine is running normally again.

Guys like you restore my faith in human nature.

Regards...........Stuart U.K.

Thanks for the kind words and you're welcome on behalf of the Bleeping Computer community.


If there are no more problems or signs of infection, you should Create a New Restore Point to prevent possible reinfection from an old one. Some of the malware you picked up could have been backed up, renamed and saved in System Restore. Since this is a protected directory your tools cannot access to delete these files, they sometimes can reinfect your system if you accidentally use an old restore point. Setting a new restore point AFTER cleaning your system will help prevent this and enable your computer to "roll-back" to a clean working state.

The easiest and safest way to do this is:

• Go to > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and click "System Restore".
  
• Choose the radio button marked "Create a Restore Point" on the first screen then click "Next". Give the R.P. a name, then click "Create". The new point will be stamped with the current date and time. Keep a log of this so you can find it easily should you need to use System Restore.

• Then use Disk Cleanup to remove all but the most recently created Restore Point.
  
• Go to > Run... and type: Cleanmgr
  
• Click "Ok". Disk Cleanup will scan your files for several minutes, then open.
  
• Click the "More Options" tab, then click the "Clean up" button under System Restore.
  
• Click Ok. You will be prompted with "Are you sure you want to delete all but the most recent restore point?"
  
• Click Yes, then click Ok.
  
• Click Yes again when prompted with "Are you sure you want to perform these actions?"
  
• Disk Cleanup will remove the files and close automatically.

Vista and Windows 7 users can refer to these links:

• Create a New Restore Point in Vista or Windows 7
  
• Disk Cleanup in Vista
  
• Disk Cleanup in Windows 7

Many thanks for that ,

Regards...........Stuart

Tips to protect yourself against malware and reduce the potential for re-infection:

• Keep Windows and Internet Explorer current with all security updates from Microsoft which will patch many of the security holes through which attackers can gain access to your computer. When necessary, Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of each month and publishes Security update bulletins to announce and describe the update. If you're not sure how to install updates, please refer to Updating your computer. Microsoft also recommends Internet 6 and 7 users to upgrade their browsers due to security vulnerabilities which can be exploited by hackers.

• Avoid gaming sites, porn sites, pirated software (warez), cracking tools, and keygens. They are a security risk which can make your computer susceptible to a smörgåsbord of malware infections, remote attacks, exposure of personal information, and identity theft. In some instances an infection may cause so much damage to your system that recovery is not possible and the only option is to wipe your drive, reformat and reinstall the OS.

• Avoid peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs (i.e. Limewire, eMule, Kontiki, BitTorrent, BitComet, uTorrent, BitLord, BearShare). They too are a security risk which can make your computer susceptible to malware infections. File sharing networks are thoroughly infected and infested with malware according to Senior Virus Analyst, Norman ASA. Malicious worms, backdoor Trojans IRCBots, and rootkits spread across P2P file sharing networks, gaming, porn and underground sites. Users visiting such pages may see innocuous-looking banner ads containing code which can trigger pop-up ads and malicious Flash ads that install viruses, Trojans, and spyware. Ads are a target for hackers because they offer a stealthy way to distribute malware to a wide range of Internet users. The best way to reduce the risk of infection is to avoid these types of web sites and not use any P2P applications.

• P2P Software User Advisories
  
• Risks of File-Sharing Technology

• Beware of Rogue Security software as they are one of the most common sources of malware infection. They infect machines by using social engineering and scams to trick a user into spending money to buy a an application which claims to remove malware. For more specific information on how these types of rogue programs install themselves and spread infections, read How Malware Spreads - How did I get infected.

• Keeping Autorun enabled on flash drives has become a significant security risk as they are one of the most common infection vectors for malware which can transfer the infection to your computer. One in every eight malware attacks occurs via a USB device. Many security experts recommend you disable Autorun as a method of prevention. Microsoft recommends doing the same.

• Microsoft Security Advisory (967940): Update for Windows Autorun
  
• Microsoft Article ID: 971029: Update to the AutoPlay functionality in Windows

Note: If using Windows 7, be aware that in order to help prevent malware from spreading, the Windows 7 engineering team made important changes and improvements to AutoPlay so that it will no longer support the AutoRun functionality for non-optical removable media.

• Always update vulnerable software like browsers, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) with the latest security patches. Older versions of these programs have vulnerabilities that malicious sites can use to exploit and infect your system and vendors regularly issue Security bulletins and advisories.

• Time to Update Your Adobe Reader
  
• Analyzing and Detecting Malicious Flash Advertisements
  
• Microsoft: ‘Unprecedented Wave of Java Exploitation’
  
• eight out of every 10 Web browsers are vulnerable to attack by exploits

• Use strong passwords and change them anytime you encounter a malware infection, especially if the computer was used for online banking, paying bills, has credit card information or other sensitive data on it. This would include any used for taxes, email, eBay, paypal and other online activities. You should consider them to be compromised and change all passwords immediately as a precaution in case an attacker was able to steal your information when the computer was infected. If using a router, you need to reset it with a strong logon/password so the malware cannot gain control before connecting again.

• Finally, use common sense, safe computing and safe surfing habits provides the most complete protection.

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