Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Microsoft Security Essentials Alert - FAKER NOT THE REAL SOFTWARE!!!

I wrote this blog while doing some research on FREE Microsoft software.  I thin you need to beware of this.  The information in today’s blog comes from www.bleepingcomputers.com a great web site for computer technical info!!!

What this infection does:

The fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert is a Trojan that attempts to trick you into thinking you are infected so that you will then install and purchase one of 5 rogue anti-virus programs that it is distributing. When the Trojan is run it will masquerade as an alert from the legitimate Windows Microsoft Security Essentials Program anti-virusprogram. This alert will be titled Microsoft Security Essentials Alert and states that a Trojan was detected on your computer. It will list this Trojan as Unknown Win32/Trojanand state that it is a severe infection. It will then prompt you to clean your computer using the program in order to remove it. When you click on the Clean Computer or Apply actions button, it will state that it was unable to remove it and then prompt you to scan online. If you click on the Scan Online button it will list 35 different anti-virus programs, 30 of which are legitimate anti-virus programs and 5 that are rogues that the Trojan is distributing. These five rogue programs are:

  • Red Cross Antivirus
  • Peak Protection 2010
  • Pest Detector 4.1
  • Major Defense Kit
  • ThinkPoint
  • AntiSpySafeguard or AntiSpy Safeguard

During this fake online scan only the 5 fake anti-virus programs listed above will state that this supposed Trojan is an infection. It does this to scare you into clicking the Free Install button next to them that will install the rogue program onto your computer and then reboot your computer. It should be noted that Red Cross Antivirus, Peak Protection 2010, Pest Detector 4.1, Major Defense Kit, AntiSpySafeguard, ThinkPoint, and AntiSpy Safeguard that this Trojan is distributing are exactly the same. They just have different names and different graphical user interfaces. You can see images of each of the above rogues below.

Fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert
Fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert
For more screen shots of this infection click on the image above.
There are a total of 11 images you can view.

After your computer is rebooted, the rogue that was selected will automatically start and perform a fake scan on your computer. When it has finished it will state that it was able to clean numerous files, but was not able to clean some files, such as iexplore.exe, until the program is purchased. While running, this program will also terminate many programs when you attempt to run them and display a message stating that they are infected.

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Remember, if this all seems to much, Simply Seniors Computer Tutor can help! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, virus clean up, repairs, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866 www.ComputerTutorHelp.Us

Best Free Microsoft Downloads

 

I often like to share information on the best free/shareware on the web.  Today’s information is going to focus on some great freeware from Microsoft!  Can you believe that they actually give away software? 

This great information was located on this web site:  http://www.techsupportalert.com

When people talk about freeware, a lot of times they think about free alternatives to Microsoft products – free office suites, free operating systems, even free alternatives to products that are already included with Windows like Paint, Notepad and Internet Explorer.  However, Microsoft does provide a collection of free software that is definitely worth checking out.  This article is designed to provide an overview of the best free Microsoft programs.

Antivirus

  • Microsoft Security Essentials

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up

    Microsoft Security EssentialsThis may be the best free product ever from Microsoft.  MSE is a free anti-malware program with an interface ideal for average users, and effectiveness ideal for advanced users as well. Its interface is simple and unobtrusive, and when it detects threats, it displays messages that are meaningful and easy to understand. It is light on resources, receives regular updates, and has exceptional detection rates. You can perform scans on demand, but it also continuously guards your system with real-time protection. The recent release of version 2 adds more features, including a "Network Inspection System" and a heuristics engine for a more comprehensive set of protective measures. Another feature added in the new version is the ability to adjust the maximum CPU usage the scanner uses – this is particularly useful if the computer in question is underpowered and the scanner needs to use less resources. Overall, MSE is an excellent product that rivals even some commercial antivirus software.

****watch out for a VIRUS that is currently discising it’self to look like this sofwtare!****

from www.bleepingcomputer.com

Please follow our Removal Guide here Remove the Fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert Trojan .
You will move to the Automated Removal Instructions (see our next blog)

MORE FREE MICOROSOFT SOFTWARE

System Analysis

  • Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

    System Requirements: Windows 2000 and up

    This tool analyzes a computer and provides a summary of how secure or insecure it is. Some of the things it checks for are security updates that have not yet been installed, settings that are not recommended (such as weak passwords, disabled firewall, etc), running services that may not be necessary, network shares, and more. This program can be a valuable tool for IT professionals, but it can also help average users who want to make sure their computers are as secure as possible.

Parental Control

  • Windows Live Family Safety

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version

    Family Safety is a parental control program for filtering web content. It can also restrict email contacts. It has an activity log that allows you to see who tries to access which sites, and activity across multiple PCs with Family Safety installed can be collected in the same log.

Internet

Browser

  • Internet Explorer 9

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up

    Internet Explorer 9Internet Explorer has long been troubled, unable to keep up with other browsers in several areas, particularly in speed, security, and support for newer web features. Internet Explorer 9 looks to change all that, boasting a wealth of improvements over IE8. It starts much faster, it loads web pages much faster, and it takes full advantage of hardware acceleration wherever possible. It includes a download manager (with pause/resume), and it has a startup manager for add-ons that lets you see which add-ons use the most resources and disable them if needed. The interface has been revamped and is simpler - the address bar now doubles as a search bar (like in Chrome), tabs are on the same row as the address bar by default (this can be changed), and the buttons have been shrunk and rearranged.  Also, its improved support for standards like CSS 3 and HTML 5 allow web designers to deliver a richer online experience to IE users. As for security, Microsoft has added protective measures against pop-ups, phishing sites, and suspicious downloads. A sandbox mode has also been added, which can help keep malware contained and prevent it from affecting your system. I can't say whether it will outdo Firefox or Chrome, but it definitely looks to redeem Internet Explorer as a viable browser.

File Hosting Service

  • Windows Live SkyDrive

    This one isn't really a download - SkyDrive is an online file hosting service provided to anyone with a Live account (registration is free). It offers an impressive 25GB of online storage for documents, pictures, website favorites, and other files, and you can share these with friends. It includes a search feature so you can find things quickly. Folders on SkyDrive can be added to the Live Mesh program for synchronization with folders on local machines. The one downside is a file size limit of 50MB, so if you're looking to store large files, you'll have to split them or use a different service. SkyDrive has also been merged with Office Web Apps, an online office suite that lets you create, upload and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote documents. These web apps include common office features and work really well; just bear in mind that they are essentially stripped-down versions of the Office programs and don't have all the features. SkyDrive is a great service overall and is a reason by itself to create a Live account. (Review)

File/Folder Synchronization

  • Windows Live Mesh

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up

    Windows Live MeshMesh is a synchronization program that lets you synchronize files, folders, and settings for IE and Office between different machines over the Internet. You can also sync up to 5GB of files and folders onto your SkyDrive online storage. Additionally, if you log into your Live account, you can see a list of your computers that have Mesh installed, and you can remotely control any that are currently running Mesh (this feature must be manually enabled in Mesh, and Internet Explorer is required). In my experience, the remote control is not as fast or smooth as TeamViewer, but it does work well and is a nice feature to have bundled with the synchronization functionality.

Mail

  • Windows Live Mail

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version

    Mail is actually a decent program and is similar to Outlook. It supports multiple email accounts, RSS feeds and a calendar all combined in one attractive application.

Instant Messenger

  • Windows Live Messenger

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version

    Messenger has the standard features expected of an instant messenger client, but it also has integration support for social networks (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) and a photo viewer for shared albums on SkyDrive and Facebook. Messenger Companion is an add-on that lets you share links to websites with friends, who in turn can share comments on these links.

Blogging Tools

  • Windows Live Writer

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version

    Writer provides an easy way to create and publish blog entries. It has the standard formatting features, and you can add links, pictures, videos, maps, and more. It integrates with many popular blog sites, including Blogger, WordPress, SharePoint, and several others.

System Tools

System Tools Suite

  • Sysinternals Suite

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up for all tools except RAMMap (Vista and up); some tools won't run on 64-bit systems

    This suite contains a long list of a variety of system utilities and troubleshooting tools, from system monitors to disk tools to maintenance. Two of them, Autoruns and Process Explorer, are listed below.

Startup Manager

  • Autoruns

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up

    AutorunsArguably the best tool of its kind, Autoruns gives you complete control over the things that run when you start Windows, including items in the Startup folder and items listed in the Registry. It can be useful for optimizing the speed of your system by letting you disable unnecessary programs, and it can also help combat certain types of malware that run when Windows starts. This is a must-have for any computer repair kit. (Review)

Process Viewer

  • Process Explorer

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up, including IA64

    Process ExplorerAn advanced process viewer. Process Explorer was once the best tool of its kind, but it is still useful for anyone who wants something better than Task Manager but doesn't need all the whistles and bells. It lists all running processes in a hierarchical format, you can restart, suspend or kill processes, you can kill process trees, and you can set process priorities. It also lets you view threads, strings, and other details about processes. It displays CPU and memory usage, and you can configure tray icons to show these as well. You can optionally configure it to replace Task Manager. (Review)

Autoplay Utility

  • Autoplay Repair Wizard

    System Requirements: Windows XP/2003 only

    This utility is used to fix invalid or broken autoplay settings for CD, USB or other drives.

Tweaking

  • Tweak UI

    System Requirements: Windows XP only

    One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, Tweak UI lets you change various settings to the appearance and behavior of the user interface. For most users, these settings would otherwise be unavailable for adjustment.

Multimedia

Animation

  • Microsoft GIF Animator

    System Requirements: Windows 95 and up

    Microsoft GIF AnimatorThis program is no longer supported by Microsoft or even hosted on their site, but it serves its purpose well as a simple GIF animation creator. You can create new frames from the clipboard or from files, you can set the duration of individual frames, you can configure looping and transparency, and a few other features. It isn't very fancy, but it does about everything you need if you create your frames in a separate program like Paint or Photoshop. (Review)

Image Tools

  • Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE)

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up

    Microsoft Image Composite EditorThis is a panorama stitcher – it takes a group of overlapping photos and uses them to form a panoramic image. When started writing this list, I had not previously used Microsoft ICE. I was eager to try it out since it has received so much praise. I took a few quick photos of my office with my cell phone and fed them to ICE, and I was amazed – they were stitched together nearly perfectly and the exposure was blended across the whole image.  ICE allows you to do some additional things, such as crop the panorama, change the panorama rotation, choose between planar, cylindrical or spherical projection, and save in several different formats, including JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, HD Photo, and Silverlight Deep Zoom. You can also upload and share your panoramas on the Microsoft Photosynthwebsite, where others can view them interactively by rotating and zooming, even panoramas that are full 360 degrees (Microsoft SilverLight is required to use Photosynth). Needless to say, there are many awesome examples that show off the power of ICE on Photosynth, examples that weren't taken with cell phone cameras. (Review)

  • Image Resizer

    System Requirements: Windows XP only

    Image ResizerOne of the PowerToys for Windows XP, Image Resizer lets you quickly resize one or multiple images to fit within a certain length and width. You right-click on the file(s) and select "Resize pictures" to bring up a simple interface, where you can select one of four pre-set sizes, or specify your own. You can also choose whether to save over the original files or create new files.

Photo Organizer

  • Windows Live Photo Gallery

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version

    Photo Gallery lets you organize, tag, upload, and edit your photos, among other features. The editing features are no replacement for programs like Photoshop, but they are handy for quick and easy alterations. (Review)

Video Editor

  • Windows Live Movie Maker

    System Requirements: Windows Vista and up (XP users can find "Windows Movie Maker" in their Programs menu, but the features are not all the same)

    Windows Live Movie MakerMovie Maker doesn't boast a set of advanced features, but the features it includes are sufficient for many users and are ideal for putting together slide shows and short videos. Plus, you can use it to publish your videos on SkyDrive, Youtube, Facebook and Flickr.

Slideshow Software

  • Photo Story 3

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up

    Photo Story 3A very easy yet powerful program for creating slideshows. The program walks you through each step, providing a variety of different feataures along the way. You can add effects of every sort, from photo effects to transition effects to panning and zooming effects. You can add text to each picture, narration, and background music. Overall I think this program is outstanding, and I wish I had started using it years ago. Just be aware of two things: the only video format it can save is wmv, and WGA validation is required if you download from Microsoft. (Alternate download location | Review)

Educational

Mathematics

  • Microsoft Mathematics

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up; .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

    Microsoft MathematicsThis program is targeted primarily for the educational audience, but it can be useful for jobs that require math calculations. It packs in many features, including equation-solving, unit conversion, 2d and 3d graphing, algebra, trigonometry, and even calculus. It can display step-by-step instructions on how to solve a problem, which can be very helpful to students who are learning new math topics. You can also scribble things free-hand as input, and it does a fairly decent job at recognizing everything (although sometimes you may need to redraw some symbols). This program was originally not free, but Microsoft released the newest version as freeware on January 11, 2011. Microsoft also provides Microsoft Mathematics Add-In for Word and OneNote, which adds Microsoft Mathematics features to those programs.

Programming

  • Small Basic

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up; .NET Framework 3.5

    Small BasicSmall Basic provides a programming environment suitable for beginner programmers. It uses a simplified version of the BASIC programming language. Even though it's found in the "Kid's Corner", it can be an excellent learning tool for both kids and adults who are just getting into programming. It includes a PDF tutorial to get you acquainted with the program and walk you through programming concepts.

Miscellaneous

Virtualization

  • Microsoft Virtual PC 2007

    System Requirements: Windows XP and up

    Microsoft Virtual PC 2007A virtual machine is a simulated environment in which an operating system can run without actually being installed on real hardware. It can have several uses – some use it to test software without altering their system; others use it to run an older operating system compatible with older software. Several free options exist for creating and running virtual machines, and one of them is Microsoft Virtual PC. Linux and other non-Microsoft operating systems are not officially supported (although it is possible to get them to work), but it runs versions of Windows just fine. When you create a virtual machine for a specific operating system, Virtual PC will recommend certain settings (hard drive size, memory), but you can adjust these as desired. Once your guest OS is installed, you can install a set of tools called Virtual Machine Additions that make the virtual machine run more smoothly. It also adds support for seamlessly moving the mouse from the host OS to the guest, drag-and-drop files from the host to the guest, and setting up shared folders. One feature that's especially useful for testing purposes is undo disks, which gives you the option to run a virtual machine without altering the virtual hard drive. Other virtual machine programs can run a wider range of operating systems, but if you're virtualizing a Microsoft OS, Virtual PC is a solid solution. It hasn't disappointed me in the 4+ years I've used it.

  • Windows Virtual PC

    System Requirements: Windows 7 only

    Windows Virtual PC is the latest version of Virtual PC, exclusively for Windows 7. It only supports (officially) guest operating systems from XP SP3 and up. If you have Windows 7 Professional or higher, you can download and install XP Mode – this installs a pre-configured XP virtual machine and allows you to run applications in the virtual machine while making them appear to run on the host operating system.

Software Development

  • Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express

    System Requirements: Windows XP SP3 and up

    This is a great free set of integrated development environments, essentially lightweight versions of the commercial Visual Studio programs. It consists of Visual Basic Express, Visual C# Express, Visual C++ Express, Visual Web Developer Express, and Windows Phone Developer Tools.  It also supports the newer .NET Framework 4. Registration is required within 30 days.

Again a very big thanks to http://www.techsupportalert.com for all the hard work of finding this information. 

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Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866 www.ComputerTutorHelp.Us

Monday, March 7, 2011

WordPress hit by massive DDoS attack

 

I love blogging.  Wordpress is one of the world's largest blogging host and it has been attacked not once but twice this last week.  Read on to learn more.  Credit to http://www.h-online.com

alt

On Thursday 3 March WordPress.com, the world's largest blogging host, was subject to a massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, the largest that it has ever experienced. The first notification on the status page for Automatic Inc., the owner of wordpress.com, stated that "WordPress.com is currently being targeted by a extremely large Distributed Denial of Service attack which is affecting connectivity in some cases. The size of the attack is multiple Gigabits per second and tens of millions of packets per second." Just over two hours later, Automatic reported that "Our systems are back to normal. We'll continue to monitor them and post updates here if needed."

Judging by various reports, there is as yet no indication of either the origin or reason for this attack. According to security company TechCrunch, the founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg, has informed them that: "This is the largest and most sustained attack we've seen in our 6 year history. We suspect it may have been politically motivated against one of our non-English blogs, but we're still investigating and have no definitive evidence yet."

DDoS attacks, such as those during Operation Payback, are usually mounted from botnets – a number of computers that have been infected by malware that, given certain instructions or at a preset time, flood the target site with excessive amounts of traffic.

WordPress is open source software for the design of blogs and other web services. The manufacturer provides not only the software, but also the necessary space on a web server. About 18 million blogs run on the platform.

This information came from http://www.h-online.com 

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Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866  www.ComputerTutorHelp.Us

A Virus for Macs?

A good friend of mine was showing off her very cool Mac products recently.  My daughter is obsessed with owning an iPod-touch.  Everyone wants an iPad…. WHY??? I don’t get it!!!  The entire line of ‘i’ equipment is WAY over priced and WAY overly complicated.  This is just my opinion.  Why would I pay hundreds of dollars just so I can use my finger to move things on the screen?  Doesn’t my daughters $20 MP3 player do all a 10 year old needs it to do?  Why do I want an iPad when I own a full laptop that has the ability to do everything vs the iPad that doesn’t have a keyboard, is a very tiny screen can’t play movies (ok I can but very small).  I do not get it – these people must just have extra money to burn and I really wish I could have it!  :-)  The big selling point is supposed to be that the Mac is untouchable, no viruses… maybe this isn’t so true.  Check out this info I read this morning. 

This information was found on www.howtogeek.com

Mac OS X Trojan catches Sophos' eyeA new Trojan has cropped up and it's targeting Mac OS X users, one security firm says. According to Sophos, the Trojan, called "BlackHole RAT" by its author and "MusMinim" by the security firm, is a variant of the Remote Access Trojan on Windows. The author of the Trojan says the malware is not yet completed, but it already does some annoying things.

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Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866  www.ComputerTutorHelp.Us

Friday, March 4, 2011

Best Free Operating System For Kids

If you read the blog during Feb I was playing with Joli-cloud and new operating system that allows me to use my Facebook login and user information in order to maintain a whole “computer in the clouds”  - if the term ‘cloud computing’ is new to you I suggest you read a few of the older Simply Seniors Computer Tutor Blogs or just google the term. 

Introduction

Keeping young children occupied these days is quite a challenge. Quite naturally they see computers as a source of entertainment and want to enjoy them along with the rest of us. Herein lies the next challenge in that some areas of the internet are not suitable at all for child viewing and can potentially present real life dangers.

Discussion

DoudouLinux Activity MenuDoudouLinux aims to achieve an optimum balance by providing an environment aimed at kids 2-12 which is fun, educational and safe to use. This is good thinking because it removes the need to let your kids loose with your own operating system and also prevents the possibility of them bypassing whatever security software you have installed on it. Never underestimate the ability of little minds to work these things out. Instructions for bypassing parental filterscan easily be found via Google or on social networking sites.

The easiest way to run DoudouLinux is from a downloaded CD image. Once you've burned the image to a disk, there is nothing to install, update or configure. Running it from a live CD also means you wont interfere with your normal Windows installation. To run Windows again just pull out the live CD and reboot.

An alternative using a USB key is also provided but this is a lot more complicated and not supported by all systems. The download link and instructions for both options are here.

DoudouLinux WholeAlthough DoudouLinux is designed primarily to run as a live CD, if you like what you see and have a spare computer, it is possible to make a full install.

Access to the installed system on which the CD is running is not possible so your resident files and settings are in no danger of being lost, altered or infected.

The system comes complete with a range of programs which are both fun and educational. Content filtering is included by default so you have no worries about your charges accessing inappropriate material when connected to the internet. Most of the programs don't even require a knowledge of files, folders or menus and can be operated without the ability to read.

DoudouLinux MiniSome users may even find DoudouLinux suitable for older people with learning difficulties or other disabilities.

There's no doubt that older kids will soon outgrow this and want the “real thing”, but for younger children, DoudouLinux is an ideal introduction to the world of com

 

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Keep watching for Simply Seniors Computer Tutors reviews on DoudouLinux in up coming blogs!

Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866

Thursday, March 3, 2011

How to Remove WinFixer / Virtumonde / Msevents / Trojan.vundo

This is an old one, it dates back to 2009 but for some reason it has been surfacing once again.  Here is a great resource on how to remove this Trojan if you have it on your computer.  You will probably find that the solution includes running Malware Bytes, (available for safe download through www.filehippo.com).  I hope you find this helpful.  The original information was posted at: www.bleepingcomputer.com – thank you to everyone at Bleeping computer, a great web site for technical help!

What this programs does:

The Vundo family of Trojans is one of the most common infections we find on user's computers. This infection can cause popups that include advertisements for rogue anti-spyware programs. Some common rogue antispyware programs that are advertised include WinFixer, SysProtect and WinAntiSpyware. Users are normally targeted by false positives, fake alerts, and warning of infections on their computer. An example of this type of misleading advertisement would be popups alerting users that they are infected with a blackworm virus. The most common method of infection is through outdated versions of the Sun Java platform; older versions are being exploited so it is important to firstly make sure that your Java software is fully up to date. This infection is normally detectable by users receiving popups when they use the Internet. Your antivirus program might also notify you via an alert that you have a Vundo Trojan on your computer.

The Vundo infection has evolved over time to include harder and harder protection methods so that it cannot be easily removed. These methods are random names, random autorun locations, random CLSIDs, and rootkits to hide these locations from removal tools. Due to this, specialized tools have been created in order to target this specific infection and remove it. The following guide will explain how to use the tool, and hopefully rid your system of this malware.

Threat Classification:

Tools Needed for this fix:

Symptoms that may be in a HijackThis Log:

The file names in these entries are random:
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {904e23fc-67aa-4ac1-89e6-dd4eed16b596} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\zibuzuhu.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nohawevufi] Rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\system32\vosevodi.dll",s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [7cc01263] rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\system32\ropoligi.dll",b
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CPM7ff321ff] Rundll32.exe "c:\windows\system32\kamideva.dll",a
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [nohawevufi] Rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\system32\vosevodi.dll",s (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [nohawevufi] Rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\system32\vosevodi.dll",s (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mufezuwi.dll c:\windows\system32\kamideva.dll
O21 - SSODL: SSODL - {EC43E3FD-5C60-46a6-97D7-E0B85DBDD6C4} - c:\windows\system32\kamideva.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: STS - {EC43E3FD-5C60-46a6-97D7-E0B85DBDD6C4} - c:\windows\system32\kamideva.dll

Guide Updates:

01/09/07 - Updated guide to reflect updates to the tools 11/03/09 - Updated for new removal technique.


Choose the removal method you would like to use:


Automated Removal Instructions for Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:

  1. Print out these instructions as we may need to close every window that is open later in the fix.
  2. Before we can do anything we must first end the processes that belong to Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde so that it does not interfere with the cleaning procedure. To do this, download the following file to your desktop.
    rkill.com Download Link
  3. Once it is downloaded, double-click on the rkill.com in order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde and other Rogue programs. Please be patient while the programs looks for various programs and closes them. When it has finished, the black window will automatically close. If your desktop was hidden, you should also now be able to view it again. Do not reboot your computer at this point, or the programs will start again.
  4. Now you should download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, or MBAM, from the following location and save it to your desktop:
    Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Download Link
  1. Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including this one.
  2. Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe. This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.
  3. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing and is at the last screen, make sure you uncheck both of the Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware check boxes. Then click on the Finish button. If Malwarebytes' prompts you to reboot, please do not do so.
    If you receive a code 2 error while installing Malwarebytes's, please press the OK button to close these errors as we will resolve them in future steps. The code 2 error will look similar to the image below.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Screen

  1. As this infection deletes a core executable of Malwarebytes' we will need to download a new copy of it and put it in the C:\program files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\ folder. To download the file please click on the following link:

Malwarebytes' EXE Download

When your browser prompts you where to save it to, please save it to the C:\program files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\ folder. When downloading the file, it will have a random filename. Please leave the filename the way it is as it is important that it is not changed. You may want to write down the name of the file as you will need to know the name in the next step.

  1. Once the file has been downloaded, open the C:\program files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\ folder and double-click on the file you downloaded in step 8. MBAM will now start and you will be at the main program screen as shown below.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Screen

  1. Before you can perform a scan, you must first update the program. To do this click on the Update tab, and that at the new screen click on the Check for Updates button. Malwarebytes' will now check for new updates and download and install them as necessary. When the update is completed, you will be prompted with a message stating either that you already have the latest updates or that they have been updated. Either way, you should now click on the OK button to continue.
  2. Now click on the Scanner tab and make sure the the Perform full scan option is selected. Then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer for Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde related files.
  3. MBAM will now start scanning your computer for malware. This process can take quite a while, so we suggest you go and do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan. When MBAM is scanning it will look like the image below.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scanning Screen

  1. When the scan is finished a message box will appear as shown in the image below.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scan Finished Screen

You should click on the OK button to close the message box and continue with the Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde removal process.

  1. You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should click on the Show Results button.
  2. A screen displaying all the malware that the program found will be shown as seen in the image below. Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.

Malwarebytes Scan Results

You should now click on the Remove Selected button to remove all the listed malware. MBAM will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the programs quarantine. When removing the files, MBAM may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot, please allow it to do so. Once your computer has rebooted, and you are logged in, please continue with the rest of the steps.

  1. When MBAM has finished removing the malware, it will open the scan log and display it in Notepad. Review the log as desired, and then close the Notepad window.
  2. You can now exit the MBAM program.

Your computer should now be free of the Trojan.vundo and Virtumonde program. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing the PRO version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future.

If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow the steps outlined in the topic linked below:

Preparation Guide For Use Before Posting A Hijackthis Log


Automated Removal Instructions for the Vundo or Virtumonde infection using VundoFix:

  1. Please print these instructions as they will be needed later when Internet access is not available.
  2. Save these instructions in word or notepad to the desktop where they can be easily found.
  3. Download Vundo Fix and save it to your desktop.
  4. When it has completed downloading, double-click VundoFix.exe to run it.
  5. Click the Scan for Vundo button.
  6. Once it's done scanning, click the Remove Vundo button.
  7. You will now receive a prompt asking if you want to remove the files, click the YES button. Once you click yes, your desktop will go blank as it starts removing Vundo.
  8. When completed, it will prompt that it will shutdown your computer, click the OK button.
  9. When the computer has shutdown, turn your computer back on.

The WinFixer and Vundo infection should now be removed from your computer.

If you are still having a problem then please perform the following steps:

Note: This step should only be used if the instructions in the previous steps did not remove the infection:

  1. Download VirtumundoBegone and save it to your desktop.
  2. Now reboot into Safe Mode.
    1. This can be done tapping the F8 key as soon as you start your computer
    2. You will be brought to a menu where you can choose to boot into safe mode.
    3. Select safe mode with networking using your arrow keys on the keyboard and then press enter.
    4. When you computer reaches the desktop make sure you log in as the same user which you had performed the previous steps,
  3. Once you are logged into safe mode, double-click VirtumundoBeGone.exe file you just downloaded and follow the instructions.
  4. Exit when it has finished, and reboot back to normal mode.
The WinFixer and Vundo infection should now be removed from your computer.

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Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866

FREE Internet! Yes, it’s possible!

I just received a phone call from someone that helps seniors.  She told me that her clients were looking for a free internet service provider (ISP).  I did a little research and I found a web site that give information on free isp’s according to your location. 

One thing you will need to remember (ok maybe two) 1st, don’t expect to be moving on the internet at lightening speeds! 2nd, if your computer is a newer desktop purchased in the last couple of years, more than likely you do not have an internal telephone modem. It’s no big deal, but this is a ‘card’ that will need to be installed into the computer before you can use a dial up service.  Additionally, you will have to have a phone line in the house as well, there are no free broad band ISPs at this time.  IF you see information stating other wise can you please pass it along.

Here is the link, I hope you find this helpful!

http://www.all-free-isp.com/

This is what is available in the Melbourne, FL area – the web site’s most recent date was 2009:

image

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These services work on all Windows based machines.

Simply Seniors Computer Tutor is the premier technical assistant for seniors! Not only do they offer classes at various locations throughout Brevard, they offer one on one in home services, repair, pick up and delivery, new computer set up and specialty projects such as photo recoloring, digital photo archiving and much more. Simply Seniors Computer Tutors are Florida and Brevard County background checked, arrive in identifiable uniform, with company ID, additionally, UNLIKE the 'average guy' posting on CL, our company is licensed, insured and certified to work on your computer. KNOW YOUR COMPUTER TECHNICIAN do not allow just anyone into your very personal data and information or your home! Simply Seniors Computer Tutor understands seniors have unique learning abilities and we have spent the last 10 years researching the BEST methods for computer training and senior citizens. Stop struggling to use your PC or stop your parents constant phone calls asking "how do I..." Call Simply Seniors Computer Tutor today at 321-431-3866