My Idiot Friends

[bigandy]

I know that many of you, especially those of you that are in the business of computer repair, have all seen people who have PC's full of spyware and viruses and such. Yesterday, for the first time, I saw first hand what you guys are talking about.

I was over at a couple of my friends houses the last couple of days and I was on each of their computers, playing music while we hung out. I noticed that each PC was dragging considerably and would have pop up ads come up quite often (both are on DSL). So I went to Downloads.com (www.downloads.com) and got Adaware and Spy Bot S&D, and ran them, and FOUND WELL OVER 600 PIECES OF SPYWARE ON EACH PC. Needless to say, I got rid of them and also did a virus scan, which luckily found nothing (I got them the newest version of AVG so hopefully the definitions are up-to-date).

Well, enough of that little rant.

I'm wondering if there is anything else I should do to make sure that they don't have any current "infestations"?

[kstatefan40]

If they are on XP, disable messenger service (the cause of most of the popups) by going to start>run>"services.msc"

Also, download the google toolbar for a popup blocker, zone alarm for a firewall.

http://toolbar.google.com
http://zonelabs.com

My friend had his computer 3 weeks on dsl and had 500+ crapware and 8 viruses.

[bigandy]

Okay, thanks for the tip on the Google Toolbar, Tyler.

I already disabled Messenger on the one friend who has XP (other guy has ME). I think each has a firewall (I think one comes with the DSL software), but I'll double check.

[Panama Red]

Makes you just shake your head in wonder, eh bigandy? I had one like that a while back. 500+ items in Adaware and Spybot. 24 infected files (virus) and all kinds of porn videos. Owner was a college student, son of a friend of mine. Kid claimed his roommates downloaded crap when he wasn't around. He also had every Peer to Peer download software availble installed and hundreds of music files, many of which were infected. All this on an old Gateway PIII 450. Wondered why it was running so slow!!

[pam123]

I know something else.
You can not get those pop-ups unless you haven't done the XP update or you don't have a firewall ( properly configured ).
So you're friends are negligent in at least 2 security requirements.
Trojans anyone ?

Stop with this : they can get AV and FireWalls for nothing.

[bigandy]

I know exactly what you mean PR. I don't expect everyone to be on top of every update and have a perfectly clean PC, but use a little common sense. If you are going to use P2P (my friends do, as do I but I'm pretty careful about it), at least get an AV program and some sort of Adware/Spyware program.

I scan with Adaware and Spybot S&D at least twice a week, usually 3-4. And I do a Virus scan every week. Plus a defrag every other week. It's not that hard, and if you keep up the maitnence, it takes no time at all.


Pam, you're probably right, I would bet my life that they have never gone to the MS site and gotten any SP or any Security Updates. I'll do that the next time I'm over, plus I'll check for a Firewall, and if it is absent, I will get one for them (probably ZA, since its free and I know it works)