Expert: Lorry - 9/12/2010

Question
QUESTION: I got a virus about three weeks ago and had a friend who works in the computer department get rid of it, since I could not.  He installed McAfee on my computer, but in the past few weeks, a new window would tend to open on the internet on various different pages.  Say, if you opened Google, sometimes a new window would open with some other website.  I just have been closing those.  

I work at home doing transcription and my computer is very important in my life.  Thursday, I ran the McAfee scan and removed 37 Trojans.  I have not looked at many things on my computer in the past week, other than some song lyrics which tend to open weird things, so I am not sure how this has happened.  Today, I finished work, went in the kitchen, came back in to do my proofreading and a box was on my computer, Microsoft Essentials detected potential threats that might compromise your privacy.....  My Word was closed.  My husband has finally been able to update McAfee and is running it right now (takes about two hours).  He could not update it at first, he turned off all the programs and when he tried to update McAfee the first time, here came that box, so he says it has attached itself to my virus software.  He did a few more things, he knows how to do some things, and now has the McAfee updated and running, but I imagine it will turn up nothing.  I cannot access anything, Word, the internet, etc.  Could you please help me?  I have two more doctors to type before Monday morning.  Thank you so much.  I hope I've explained this, have a little anxiety today.  Thank you.  And I did one restore to Sept 1 and it didn't change anything.  He tried to do a restore to August 23, which was about the time we put on the McAfee, and it would not restore.  Thank you so uch.

ANSWER: Hi Lisa,

Sounds like Fake Microsoft Security Essentials is on your computer. The following site explains what this threat does and has removal instructions:

http://www.precisesecurity.com/rogue/fake-microsoft-security-essentials-alert/

Make sure that you keep McAfee up to date and run a scan once a week. I would also suggest downloading Malwarebytes Anti-Malware  from:

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag

Check for updates after downloading Malwarebytes before running a scan.

Hope this helps!
Lorry

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

QUESTION: oh thank you so much!  We have gone to your link and doing a control alt delete does not do anything  :o(   My husband is looking for those two files and doesn't see them, the exe. files, but he is trying to find anything suspicious and delete it.  Any other help please, if we can't get the control alt delete to work?  Thank you so much!  I used to have that Malware loaded, but can't seem to find it now.  I will be sure and add it on there.  we can't get anything to work, no internet, mail or Word, it's horrible.  thanks for your help!

ANSWER: Hi Lisa,

You can right click on taskbar and select task manager.

Download Norton Power Eraser from:

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/DIY/index.jsp

Put that onto a CD, then install on the infected computer. Run a scan. You may do the same with Malwarebytes.

Start Windows in Safe Mode by tapping the "F8" key until you get a window with various ways to start Windows, choose Safe Mode. Disable System Restore by going to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore.

Run the above scans and remove the threat(s). Once you know they are off, re-enable System Restore. If you do not disable System Restore before removing the threat(s), they will back the next time you restart Windows.

Hope this helps!
Lorry


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

QUESTION: Sorry to keep bothering you, Lorry, and thank you.  We have McAfee on there right now.  My husband says if we try and run another virus program, we will have to remove McAfee from our computer to do that.  Is that what we should do?  Thank you so much.  As of right now, the infected computer will not access anything programs, internet, although McAfee will run, but says 0 detections.

Answer
Hi Lisa,

No problem, that is why I and the other "experts" are, we are to help in anyway we can. No person ever knew everything about computers when they first started using one, heck, I'm still learning different things regarding Windows. It is hard to keep up with it as there is something new practically everyday.

As a general rule there should only be one anti-virus program running at any given time. Basically the reasoning behind that is that one might consider the other a threat - when in realty it isn't. If you run a free scan from Symantec/Norton, McAfee, or any of the other available free scans - there is no need to disable or remove the installed AV program.

I would strongly suggest running the Norton Power Eraser and Malwarebytes in Safe Mode as mentioned earlier. Sounds like the threat on your computer is stopping McAfee from updating/running.

About.com mentions three AV programs that could be put onto a CD and then run on the infected computer. Check it out at:

http://antivirus.about.com/od/freeantivirussoftware/tp/avrescuecd.htm

To run any of the above, you would not have to disable McAfee.

Hope this helps!
Lorry

PS - Let me know the outcome.