Infected with the dreaded "Internet explorer 2011" virus. Was/is terrible. Had to completely delete everything and reformat etc. My hard drive is in a bad way. Very fragmented and will not defrag. You will know if you are infected. A very realistic microsoft security centre will keep popping up telling you you are infected. Restore points don"t work and I still think there are remnants after reformat. Using AVG, Malware bytes to try and repair /remove damage. Aaargh!
Just had to reformat mine as well, you have my sympathy. Sadly Shadow learned some new bad words today!
You need a firewall, or if you have one, put it on a higher security setting. Oh, and stop going on all those porn sites, well, at least only frequent those you trust. For anti-spyware, I'm running AVG8.5 Free(for every day use), with Malwarebytes for once-a-week cleaning, and Spybot Search&Destroy for passive blocking. Finally, the firewall is Comodo(set on Safe Mode). Keeps me clean and virus free. That and I have long since ditched Windows Exploder.
This attack only went through the IE system, I think this one was the "LisaMoon" version. It was sort of insidious in that "closing it" started it. It was a "virus warning" from an apparent Microsoft site, and it wasn't all that easy to ignore or "skip". Don't get too locked onto Chrome or Firefox, as soon as they are the "standards" some enterprising hacker will make them a though-way to somebody's wallet.
I use four different engines. Explorer is still my favorite for pics, chrome for convenience and safety, firefox for speed and safari for the kids.
The whole point about Chrome, Opera and Firefox is that you have to take a conscious decision to use them. Virtually every computer sold today still comes with Exploder as default browser so Joe Public will assume it's okay "because it's Microsoft". I only keep it on my computer to do Windows updates on Patch Tuesdays and for one antiquated Portuguese website which works slowly in Firefox. If Microsoft put full functionality for XP updates through Firefox I'd dump IE tomorrow!
You do realise Safari got hacked within seconds at pwn2own this year? IE didn't do much better ... IE, Safari, iPhone, BlackBerry fall at Pwn2Own; Chrome, Firefox, Android, Windows Phone 7 escape - Faster Forward - The Washington Post
These viruses are actually fairly easy to get rid of, if you know what you're looking for. You don't really need to reformat (if they can't steal your info, having you destroy it is second best). Boot your PC into Safe Mode (usually by tapping F8 as soon as you reboot, until your keyboard starts beeping and yelling at you to stop). If you have another PC nearby, boot straight into SafeMode. If not, you can try SafeMode with Networking, which will allow you to hit Google. Do a search for whatever title the virus is popping up with, and click on any result that sends you to a website called "www.bleepingcomputer.com". This site will direct you to download/run MalwareBytes if you haven't already, plus will give you all of the folders/files/registry entries that have been found related to that permutation of the virus. 90% of the time, though, its up under C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\App Data\<random series of letters/numbers>. If you're running Vista or 7, its C:\users\etc. etc. Delete this folder immediately, and ALWAYS check for the folders listed on Bleeping Computer - Computer Help and Discussion. Reboot and let the PC come up normally, and if the virus doesn't come back, update your antivirus programs and run full scans immediately (these viruses are easy to get rid of, but they have a nasty habit of opening a backdoor for other viruses/trojans/worms to get in). This by far the most common virus I run into at work, at least one a month from users' home PCs or, worse, their work PC. They're not all that hard to get rid of, if you know what to look for. But wiping and restarting is always my LAST resort.
get bit defender and terminate all IE, find another solution. XP is behind the times and will be gone soon enough hopeful they can rid # 7 of it's slowness and probs but watch within 3 months there will be another extreme to download ? # 8 or 9 or possibly 10 plus.
MalwareBytes - Full scan, quick scan, full scan - should take care of it. Damn thing hides all over your hard drive so don't be surprised at the number of instances which are discovered. This thing is not a virus, it is malware. I keep an up-to-date version of MalwareBytes on a flash drive just in case.
MalwareBytes is a good piece of software. Troll around this site. It provides good info The Elder Geek Home
Thanks for all the good info....Like Belasar, my comp is used ONLY for serious research. Inter lesbian psychology and mating rituals can be sooo interesting. I've learned a lot.