Spyware/Adware

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Technophobe wrote:
> I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and it
> took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK to
> use this or should I use something else?
> amy advice greatly received

I'm usually wary of something telling me it found something and then
pointing to a website for a fix.
I did a quick Google search and it seems that in some cases there is
a malware/trojan/virus called PSGuard.
Not sure what the connection is between that and the supposed
anti-malware/anti-virus utility at PSGuard.com.

If you don't already have utilities to deal with this stuff some
of the better known are LavaSoft's Ad-Aware and
Spybot Search and Destroy for spotting adware/malware.
I use AVG Anti-Virus for virus detection.

Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

AVG Anti-Virus
http://www.grisoft.com/

Though I've never tried them you can have your system scanned
online from Symantec.
http://www.symantec.com/index.htm

Marc

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Marc D. Williams wrote:

> Technophobe wrote:
>> I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning
>> and it
>> took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is
>> it OK to use this or should I use something else?
>> amy advice greatly received
>
> I'm usually wary of something telling me it found something and then
> pointing to a website for a fix.
> I did a quick Google search and it seems that in some cases there is
> a malware/trojan/virus called PSGuard.
> Not sure what the connection is between that and the supposed
> anti-malware/anti-virus utility at PSGuard.com.
>
> If you don't already have utilities to deal with this stuff some
> of the better known are LavaSoft's Ad-Aware and
> Spybot Search and Destroy for spotting adware/malware.
> I use AVG Anti-Virus for virus detection.
>
> Ad-Aware
> http://www.lavasoft.de/
>
> Spybot Search and Destroy
> http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html
>
> AVG Anti-Virus
> http://www.grisoft.com/
>
> Though I've never tried them you can have your system scanned
> online from Symantec.
> http://www.symantec.com/index.htm
>
> Marc

This is connected with the Smitfraud trojan. Here is a link to a thread
regarding cleanup:

http://forums.mcafeehelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=252803

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

"Technophobe" <Technophobe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7431CF4D-89B4-4398-BFFF-349C224CCD71@microsoft.com...
>I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and
>it
> took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK
> to
> use this or should I use something else?
> amy advice greatly received

You could try our Anti Spyware product (free updated Beta version)
see
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/softwa...

--

Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

"Technophobe" <Technophobe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7431CF4D-89B4-4398-BFFF-349C224CCD71@microsoft.com...
>I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and
>it
> took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK
> to
> use this or should I use something else?
> amy advice greatly received
> --
> TP

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

thanks Mike - have done that, run a scan and removed the trojaninstell and
PSGuard found. However despite the antipyware scan telling me there is no
threat I still have my background screen when I log in as completely black
with the original warning still showing. as I was doing the scan it was
flicking between that and the "teletubby" screen image! any ideas how I
remove the black warning page?

Also having rebooted a couple of times each time I get a pop up telling me
that an internet security zone change needs my approval. I click block and
it goes but can I stop this happening in future or is it just part of the
security check?

thanks again for your help

--
TP


"Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" wrote:

> "Technophobe" <Technophobe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7431CF4D-89B4-4398-BFFF-349C224CCD71@microsoft.com...
> >I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and
> >it
> > took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK
> > to
> > use this or should I use something else?
> > amy advice greatly received
>
> You could try our Anti Spyware product (free updated Beta version)
> see
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/softwa...
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike
> --
> Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights
>
> Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
> newsgroups
>
> "Technophobe" <Technophobe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7431CF4D-89B4-4398-BFFF-349C224CCD71@microsoft.com...
> >I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and
> >it
> > took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK
> > to
> > use this or should I use something else?
> > amy advice greatly received
> > --
> > TP
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

"Technophobe" <Technophobe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning and it
>took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is it OK to
>use this or should I use something else?
>amy advice greatly received

PSGuard.com is what is referred to as a rogue.

They produce pop-up messages informing you of spyware, even if you
don't have any, in an attempt to get you to download and install their
software.

Their software is spyware.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Malke wrote:
>>Technophobe wrote:
>>
>>>I had a message that my PC is infected by Spyware/adware this morning
>>>and it
>>>took me to PSGuard.com to install something to disinfect my PC. is
>>>it OK to use this or should I use something else?
>>>amy advice greatly received
>>
>
> This is connected with the Smitfraud trojan. Here is a link to a thread
> regarding cleanup:
>
> http://forums.mcafeehelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=252803
>
> Malke

Thanks for the link. He's pretty detailed in his explanations.

Marc