Expert: Doug Woodall - 7/27/2010

Question
QUESTION: hi doug,
 how safe is it to make purchases online using a pc that was infected with viruses a couple of days ago?  my norton 2010 reports that they were quarantined but should i reformat just in case?  thank you!

ANSWER: Hi Danny,
How did you get the infections?
Was it while Norton was running?
Let me know.

Doug

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QUESTION: hi doug,
 i'm not exactly sure how i got the viruses but norton reports that the infected files were located in java (aservers.class, server1.class, server2.class) and yea norton was running. thanks!

ANSWER: Hi again Danny,
I get those too and Im using BitDefender. As long as they are quarantined you should be OK.
Just make sure when you go to buy that there is a LOCK showing on the purchase page in the lower right of the page. Usually it will be a "https" where the "s" means secure.

Hope this helps, stay safe.

Doug

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks doug!
 do you have any information on these viruses?  how could i have gotten them in the first place?  i've only been on legitimate websites like youtube, wikipedia, amazon, etc., and no bittorrent or porno sites!
 and also, in your experience, if the pc was still infected, would it still be safe to shop online as long as the purchase was done on a safe website, with "https"?  and by safe i mean from hackers and identity thieves.
 and lastly, if the files are quarantined, would it still be safe to open them?  especially since the file is java and i might need to reset the update settings.  or would it be safe for me to just redownload the whole thing from the web?  and how necessary is java to begin with?  for viewing websites, like youtube?  thank you!

Answer
Hi Danny,
Could they have come thru in your email?
If they are quarantined, your puter should be safe. You need Java for most everything nowadays. Is your Java still working? Sometimes the files with a Virus are named like that to get you to think they are a needed file.
You should not open them, even if Norton will let you.

You can go here,

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/top_ts_issues.jsp?id=tech_issues&selected

And select "I think my puter is infected" and go thru the steps to ask them about the quarantined files.

Hope this helps.
Doug