When Did The Internet Get This Bad?
<div class="IPBDescription">And i'm not just talking about pr0n here</div> Reformatted computer 2 days ago. On reflection, putting my viruschecker and spybot s&d onto a disk would have been a good idea.
I had to go out for an hour, telling my mum NOT to use the internet until I got AVG installed. I forgot to tell my sister the same. According to both my sister and my mum she had only been on for 10 minutes, and only went to 2 sites, yet we managed to accumulate NINE viruses* and THIRTY ONE items of spyware, including five running processes.
I've always known that not having a viruschecker, firewall or spyware removal tool is a pretty bad idea, but to not have any of the above is terminal!
Someone who had known less about computers than me would now have a computer infested with spyware and viruses, and also with the internet running at the speed of a 28k modem.
Oh, and one virus leaked through my antivirus crusade of yesterday, the one that was causing the slow internet. Turns out it was using my computer to make DDOS attacks <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
It was agobot if anyone's interested.
So I guess since I've gotten that out of my system, feel free to share your own stories of horror, what's the most viruses you've ever found on someone else's computer? And what's the nastiest virus you've ever had?
*yes I know viri is the plural of virus but viruses sounds better. Like onos and oni.
*edit* Hmm, housecall just picked up another one. The virus shares it's name with a popular swear word starting with F <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I had to go out for an hour, telling my mum NOT to use the internet until I got AVG installed. I forgot to tell my sister the same. According to both my sister and my mum she had only been on for 10 minutes, and only went to 2 sites, yet we managed to accumulate NINE viruses* and THIRTY ONE items of spyware, including five running processes.
I've always known that not having a viruschecker, firewall or spyware removal tool is a pretty bad idea, but to not have any of the above is terminal!
Someone who had known less about computers than me would now have a computer infested with spyware and viruses, and also with the internet running at the speed of a 28k modem.
Oh, and one virus leaked through my antivirus crusade of yesterday, the one that was causing the slow internet. Turns out it was using my computer to make DDOS attacks <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
It was agobot if anyone's interested.
So I guess since I've gotten that out of my system, feel free to share your own stories of horror, what's the most viruses you've ever found on someone else's computer? And what's the nastiest virus you've ever had?
*yes I know viri is the plural of virus but viruses sounds better. Like onos and oni.
*edit* Hmm, housecall just picked up another one. The virus shares it's name with a popular swear word starting with F <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Comments
#1 LEAVE UN-UPDATED/UN-SECURE PC'S OF THE INTERNET/LAN!!!11
#2 Download all you need for the new unsecured pc on another <b>updated/secured pc</b>
#3 Burn the programs/updates on a DVD/CD or put it at any other medium you have atm.
#4 Install all windows updates/security program you need on the unsecured pc.
#5 Hook it up and have (for the time it lasts).
Alternative: Take Linux! >)
Yea, spyware is bad these days. I did a house call last week, and with AdAware alone, I hit (my new record) 3018 spyware related files. Dear god! It was a kid's computer, of course. I already knew he had Kaaza on there (was smart enough to keep it on the desktop), so who knows what virii he had. Heh, scared the mom, though. Was wearing my Homeland Security hat that day (GO HOMEBOYS!). I took it off and showed it to her, and asked her to talk to her son about reconcidering having Kaaza. Freaked her out ^_^.
Sigh...stupid people and their p2p... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Yea, spyware is bad these days. I did a house call last week, and with AdAware alone, I hit (my new record) 3018 spyware related files. Dear god! It was a kid's computer, of course. I already knew he had Kaaza on there (was smart enough to keep it on the desktop), so who knows what virii he had. Heh, scared the mom, though. Was wearing my Homeland Security hat that day (GO HOMEBOYS!). I took it off and showed it to her, and asked her to talk to her son about reconcidering having Kaaza. Freaked her out ^_^.
Sigh...stupid people and their p2p... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
!!1 PLEASE tell me you have a screenshot of that # of Ad-Aware items found...!!
*cries*
It was hilarious....I tried so hard to keep a straight face! But hey, I have to fix somethin for her again, so I'll be sure to do it then!
Teaching people how to keep their PC healthy should be obliged >)
sheez 3000+ items found, I "only" found 300/400 on those of my "lesser gifted" friends!
p2p isn't that dangerous, just NEVER download software with it.
Or binary files..
You should've seen my brother's computer, he had <b>278</b> spyware in his computer. And trust me on this, more than 50% are not tracking cookies. Around 40% of those were involved with making popups and hijacking the browser.
Rendered his computer unusable. Well, almost unusable anyway <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
And remember, when you reformat your computer, ALWAYS unplug from the internet. Hide the plug even. Nothing warrants more than someone finding it, plugging it in, and accumulating tons of virii and spyware.
I'm clean from virii, i only get 1 per 1 or 2 weeks, which norton rapes every friday when I do a scan.
I have KaZaA(Lite) and i've yet to acquire a virus from it, i guess i'm just lucky.
not mine, but this just remonded me of this thread:
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47796&hl=adventure' target='_blank'>Adventures In Coil-land, or, coil tries to make some $$://Adventures In Coil-land, or, coil t...me $$</a>
No p2p programs.. dodgy websites with spyware / viruses etc.
I come back, 5/6 P2P programs, 50 something viruses and lots of adware.
Thank god for my own PC ._.
It seems like it would be too much to ask to run a virus and adware scanner once a week, but you'd be better off in the long run becasue you'd catch most stuff early.
Please use a proper browser *cough* Firefox *cough* to stop the insanity =D
Please use a proper browser *cough* Firefox *cough* to stop the insanity =D <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
What he said.
Firefox FTW!!
As to when did it get this bad, about the same time when pron became very popular and the average idiot could easily use a computer.
He gets back two weeks later and the thing is flooded with adware and viruses! Just starting the computer brings it to its knees, so it was pretty much impossible to fix it. My friend starts looking through the internet history and finds anime and cartoon porn of all types. But my favorite: unicorn porn!
Anyway, that's not where the story ends. After fighting it for a week he gives up and formats his hard drive. He installs XP and is ready to get the windows update. I'm standing next to the router about to plug in his fat cable and he has his cursor over the Update Button. On the count of 3, I plug him in and he clicks Update. It finds the components and begins to download. About a 45 seconds in (3/4 done)... BLASTER VIRUS!!! Whole computer shuts down! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Took him another 2 hours to battle the onslaugt of viruses while setting up security. Very entertaining to watch.
Guess what is the default page of the default browser? That's right: MSN, with their ads. Messenger ads. About 50+ of them, in the front-page. Un-plug + Terminated IE + Installed firewall = problem solved before got any viruses. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I never really understood why people were so terrified of using IE (cept for that whole crashing thingie, but I can live with that)
Never had a virus. Never got hit with a worm. The worst thing I ever had was 32 tracking cookies. With proper maintenance Windows is a very stable OS. With proper maintenance. Did I mention proper Maintenance?
Improperly configured Linux based systems are just as bad as Improperly configured Windows systems. It just happens to be that most people who can figure out how to install Linux, are a bit more savvy than Joe User and thus will have the more secure machines.
Teaching people how to keep their PC healthy should be obliged >)
sheez 3000+ items found, I "only" found 300/400 on those of my "lesser gifted" friends!
p2p isn't that dangerous, just NEVER download software with it.
Or binary files.. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Funny I got all my Linux binaries/ISOs via BT.
P2P is a great technology. You just have to know where and what to download. Knowing how to verify what you have downloaded is an added bonus though, that's why they have md5 checksums.
Computer security is not just what antivirus or firewall you use. It is about knowing what the threats are and how they can affect you. The Joe User infected with 3k spyware is unlikely to know what they are and how they affect his online life. They need to be educated.
Are you sure you are connected to the Internet? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Then again, how do you know you have no spyware unless you have installed Spybot/Adaware to verify it?