Virus warning: "System Security" virus. Its everywhere, even here!
 

Good morning, and Merry Christmas everyone.

Let me start by saying Gnutella is NOT INFECTED.
As you will read, the System Security virus can attack from any webpage, any where on the internet at any time.
__________________________________________________ _______________

Im wondering if you all have seen, or heard of, or have even been attacked by what is called the "System Security" virus?

I ask, because while perusing the Limewire forums, that nasty little booger popped up on me this morning, right here, in these forums pages.

System Security virus is a pop up that looks very much like a Windows alert pop up, informing you that some kind of virus has been found in your system. It then begins to run a visible scan, in the background, that shows a red line scanning across all of your C: drive folders, and, of course, it is finding hundreds of "viruses" on your system.

The original pop up box asks you if you (and I wish I could show you an image of this box) want to remove the viruses, and/or run the cleanup scan.

CLICKING ON ANY PART OF THIS BOX ACTIVATES THIS VIRUS. IF YOU CLICK YES, NO, OR EVEN X OUT THE BOX, YOUR INFECTED.

If you click on YES, for example, the system security virus is installed on your computer, a shield icon appears in your system tray, and pop ups begin to barrage your computer to the point that your computer cannot function.
A scan runs, finding all kinds of "viruses", and you are directed to a website where you can purchase the software to remove this virus.
You spend your money, buy the software, install it, and find out that, of course, it doesnt remove anything, and thats when you begin to realize that not only did you just become infected by a clever virus creator, you also gave him money for infecting you!

Its a clever, well hidden, scary, nasty rogue trojan (I think its a trojan), that will eventually begin to kill your systems ini files, freeze up your antivirus programs, knock out your ability to search with your browser, among other things, and eventually it fries, or erases, the important windows OS files on your hard drive.

This thing pops up on me maybe once every couple of months on websites like myspace, facebook, wherever...and now here at the gnutella forum pages.
I dont think it matters where your serfing, but I cannot tell you where this thing originates from, or why it activates on certain websites at certain times.

All I can tell you is this....There is only one way that I know of to stop the virus from entering, or activating, on your computer, when the fake alert warning box pops up.
And that is to hit ALT + F4, which is the keyboard shortcut that closes all open windows on your screen.

I will repeat that. If any box pops up on your computer while your serfing, or on a website, and it says viruses have been found, and it is NOT a warning from your AV software, hit ALT and then F4, and continue that until all of the windows on your screen have been closed.

If you have multiple tabs open in one browser window, the box asking if you want to "close all tabs?" pops up. You can click YES, or OK, on that one. Also, as you are closing your windows with the alt f4 command, that security yellow bar may open on any window you may have open. It is ok to x that warning bar closed, with your mouse, to allow the alt f4 command to work and to close that window.

Continue until all windows have been closed, open internet options and clean and delete all temp files and cookies, run a "clean disk", and then shut your computer down the normal way, with your start/shut off button.

Wait a few minutes (5 minutes is cool), and start your computer, and then run your antivirus program. A quick scan is fine, because for whatever reason, none of the antivirus programs are picking this thing up.....it is very well hidden, and apparently is not visible to your AV when it first shows itself, and your AV isnt going to find it anyway.

Ccleaner is a good program to have at a time like this. Its free, and it will quickly scan and remove all temp, prefetch, history, etc. files, and clean anything your computers cleanup scans have missed.

CCleaner - Home

I use Norton 09, (have used Norton for years), and it usually catches any and every attempt at a hijacking, but it doesnt see this one.

I bring this up here, in the Gnutella forums, because as I said, I just had the thing attack me while I was serfing these pages.
Ive had to learn the hard way, on my own, and thru google searches and forum pages, how to stop this thing when it attacks.
My daughters computer was the first to get this thing, and without going into particulars, it took about 2 days, (two shutdowns and startups) to completely fry her system.

So, beware, be warned, and please, please do not click on NO on the pop up warning box, because NO means "I GOTCHA", as does YES, and the X out box in the upper right hand corner.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone here on the forums who has been hit with, seen, or heard of someone else who got infected, or nearly infected with this ugly thing.
Anyone know of any other ways to stop it, I want to hear, please.

Merry Christmas, and safe surfing

Razz

I think you have other issues as that box has never popped up here for me....EVER...

Im very glad for you that youve never had this particular issue, peerless.

But Im more concerned about people that HAVE had this virus pop up on them, whether its here, or on some other website.

By the way, listening to the confidence in your comment, it might do you a bit of good to google "System Security Virus", so you can get an idea of what Im referring to.

Its deadly, bro, and warning the people is what Im about right here.

Thanks for your input.

Razz

thats a fake virus warning probly from visiting a bad site i know if had it happen to me s&d cought it as a fake virus warning.

Hey michwayne....morning.

It is a fake warning, but it certainly is no fake if you activate it.
The warning implies that you have viruses, which you do not, until you click on this thing.

Its no fake, because Im telling you, my daughters 'puter caught this thing and within two days, it was a lump of plastic and glass.

Over the 15 years or so Ive had my more recent computers, its popped up on me about 6 times. And only in the last couple of years, so its fairly new.

Look, I only posted this to give you good people a heads up. To let you know what to do if this virus warning thing pops up on your computer.

And yes, it did pop up this morning while I was searching for a forum thread to post on...not this one.

Anyway, y'all can take it from here. Just try and remember what to do if you get a system security warning box that looks like a windows warning display.

Here's a page from bleepingcomputer.com, with some screenshots of this thing. The screenshot that is missing though is the one that first comes up.
Anyway, take a look, and be informed.

http://http://www.bleepingcomputer.c...ystem-security

Later
Razz

Browser Security
 

razzell2

Like Peerless, I have never had this "System Security Virus" pop-up happen to me, however I do have my browser's pop-up blocker switched on along with other security precautions.

These traps usually catch the unwary or naive surfer but people who keep their wits about them are usually immune to such "old school" tactics. For example, I remember these silly pop-ups back when I used to use IE5.0 and early IE6.0. Back then the only way to deal with them was to re-boot your PC, not click any part of the pop-up box.

I can only imagine that you responded to this bogus "security alert" and, in so doing, downloaded malware onto your system which caused you to fall right into some criminal's (aka hacker's) trap.

Anyway, the best way to prevent such things happening again is to make sure your browser's pop-up blocker is switched on, that you have other browser defences running on your PC, like Spyware Blaster, SpyBot's immunisation's facility, etc., and, most importantly, a good dose of common sense.

Simply put, there is nothing that can protect you (or your PC) better than the ability to see something that is not right and backing out of it.



UK Bob

Razz

The link in your last post does not work.


UK Bob

hey guys.

i watched my daughters computer catch this thing, and she activated it by clicking on the pop up window.

i have never done that with my computer. i do not think i am infected with anything, and i plan to keep it that way. lol

the link i tried to insert was to bleepingcomputer dot com, a techie repair webpage. it was a link regarding informing and removing this particular virus.
let me try and insert it again.

How to remove System Security (Uninstall Instructions)

ok, give that a try. i think i put http in there twice, the first time.

thanks guys

it seems a bit of clarification is in order..

I have seen this pop up here and there before...been a while, but I have seen it...

but...it is NOT on this forum...if it is seen 'here' I suggest said user is infected/hijacked already...

you state you saw it here....I have more than a bit of trouble believing that...

well, let me try and clarify then...
i had my computer on, i had the gnutella forum page in my browser, i was looking to post about another matter entirely, and while i was searching for the correct forum to start my thread in, the security systems virus initiator box popped up.

now, lets be clear. i have other things on my computer that run, other than my browser...im referring to my addons and my gadgets and in particular, my google toolbar that runs and records where ive been and does whatever else it does.

i am in NO WAY, NO HOW trying to infer that these gnutella pages are infected with the virus, or whatever you want to call it, that weve been talking about.
and if you feel that you need some kind of an out, you can blame it on my google toolbar or my google chrome or my weatherbug widget or my vista sidebar.

all i am saying is that this thing popped up while i was getting ready to post a thread while my windows browser was opened on gnutella forums.

you see, being on gnutella forums is not the issue here, and i can understand your trying to deter and and all inferrence that this thing were speaking of originated here.
i dont belive it did. as i said, its popped up in other places.

the issue was, and remains what to do if you encounter it.

thats all, no more.

blame it on my google if you want. heck, i will blame it on my google too.

im sorry if i caused you any consternation, or sullied your forums name in any manner, and i mean that with all my heart.

razz

if i was you i would get spy-bot search & destroy update the definitions immunize and run a scan also check out this site -> MajorGeeks.com - Download Freeware and Shareware Computer Utilities. the sites got a bunch of good free spy-ware/malware/virus removal tools first you might want to tell them whats going in the forums there so you can get the proper help getting rid of it also make sure your pop-up blocker is on like ukbobboy said because i have never seen here at this forums not gonna happen...

How to Avoid Spyware
 

Guys

As a subscriber to "HowStuffWorks" I got a link this article entitled "How to Avoid Spyware", although it is basically reinforcing common sense rules it is still valuable for the uninitiated to read:

HowStuffWorks "How to Avoid Spyware"

What is also good about this article is that it also explains about some of the other types of threats that are out there.



UK Bob

Morning michwayne...
I have a littany of spyware, malware, and data miner locater and removal software programs on all of my computers, not to mention the stuff that comes with windows....malicious software removal tool, and defender, and of course, my NAV, which I have set up to remove data miners and cookies.

But, yes, I regularly scan my system with MBAM, Ccleaner, Spybot, Ad-aware, and I even have the the ATF cleaner that an HP linked me up to for download.

At the end of the day, when I close down my computer, I run most of these, and I guarantee you that I have nothing on my computer that is dangerous or threatening.

Were all protective of our systems, especially with highspeed connections....the more bandwidth and speed you have, the more s#!t your vulnerable to.

And once again, cuz no one seems to get it, I will tell you that this website is not infected with anything. sheesh.
dudes, for the final time, my intent was not to tell you gnutella forum mod's that your system has a pop up rogue virus flitting around in your code somewhere.....my intent was to inform about a specific issue that you might want to be aware of, if you weren't already.

You guys are so intent on bringing this thing back to "its not here, ive never seen it, its not gonna happen" that im thinking you keep up with that attitude, and somethings gonna sneak up on you and your gonna be blinded to it.

In any case, I agree (for the final time), theres no issue with the limewire forums. It was just a freindly post to friendly people, to help make them aware of a nasty virus.

Enjoy your day, people. (unreal!!) :confused:
(you can have the last word. im done with this. :bangh: )

you had the grace to point out that the pop up you describe didn't come from this site...and that's just grand...I pointed out that such pop ups do exist as I've seen them...

how's that for a last word?

Guys

I don't think this thread has achieved anything, let's all draw a line under it and end here.


UK Bob

just in case you misunderstand ukbobboy, I was trying to reassure razzell2 with my 'last word' ;)

Thanks Peerless.
I have been suitably reassured.
And I agree with you ukbobboy01......someone close this thread, please.

(But let me add one thing..

Peerless.... I am very interested in your signature line.

Quote:

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless

Ive been insured by State Farm for a long time...My home, assorted items inside the house, 3 trucks (1 is a couple of years old), and a new '09 Harley. Im gonna read your link, but are the issues your referring to restricted to Texas only?) { hows that for changing the subject? ;) }