AboutCarolyn Meinel Expertise I cover Windows, Unix, TCP/IP and Ethernet security questions. I do not cover Mac, Palm Pilot, or other networking issues.
Experience Books by Carolyn Meinel: wrote a chapter for The Hacking of America book (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567204600/happyhacker)
My article Code Red for the Web for Scientific American was reprinted in the book Best American Science Writing 2002 (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060936509/happyhacker). My book The Happy Hacker: A Guide to Mostly Harmless Hacking is now in 4th edition with a Japanese edition (see http://happyhacker.org/hhbook/).
Question Am requesting help as have failed to remove viruses despite extensive use of anti-spyware programmes (followed as far as i could off a techspot open board but not overly computer literate; and combofix wouldn't work, something about ''update out of date'', and one of the tools wouldn't open). Foolishly downloaded a keygen and now been loaded with ultimate defender/cleaner ("spyware threats detected), as well as some virus playing havoc with internet explorer (sending to random sites, either directly or pop-ups).
any help would be greatly appreciated
Answer Anti-spyware programs are not designed to remove viruses or just about any other form of dangerous programs except spyware or adware. And spyware and adware are generally just about harmless. To get rid of the really, seriously dangerous infections you need a product that advertizes itself as -- at the very least -- an antivirus program. Even better are programs that are called Internet Security Suites (or something similar.
If you aren't running one of these heavy duty programs, you need to install one immediately and run a complete scan of your computer. If you worry about paying money to get a really good one, here's one you can try for a month for free: https://store.f-secure.com/cgi-bin/dlreg/ml=EN?ID=FSISTB&desid=TRIAL
