AboutLorry Expertise I can answer most questions regarding viruses/Trojans and help to remove them.
Experience This happens to be of interest to me as it boggles my mind that people have nothing better to do than to write a virus. Wish these people, the ones who write viruses would put the knowledge to good use instead. My job as a local tech involves removing viruses and/or spyware.
Question About 4 yesterday afternoon, as a moderator for Catholic Answers, I clicked on a link someone had posted to see if it was appropriate. I was immediately hit with porn and numerous popups for anti-virus software and related junk which either wouldn't go away or was instantly replaced with something else. The virus has now taken over my desktop, added icons (Spyware and Malware Protection, Privacy Protector, Error Cleaner), deleted others, is launching IE and rendering it useless, and ruined Firefox while I was trying to contact you earlier today. It successfully bypassed my DSL firewall (Alltel) and Norton, then disabled Norton as well as System Restore and other features of Windows XP. The computer is off now because the longer it runs, the worse the virus gets.
I think the Opera browser might still work, but it won't for long if I start trying to use it. The computer is currently off and disconnected from the internet as I try to contact you on a cheap laptop I ran out and bought last night.
Click the GO button, then under Virus Detection, click Start. You might be told that you need to download and install ActiveX Controls for the scan to work, answer Yes.
Write down exactly anything it finds, then go to: http://www.symantec.com/search/ and do a search for what was found. Symantec usually has a removal tool and/or directions for removing manually. Make sure that you follow the instructions for removal, step by step, especially the part regarding disabling System Restore.
If you cannot open Internet Explorer, run a scan using the Norton you have installed.
