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QOTD: Has a Virus Ever Infected Your PC?

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12:41 PM - March 27, 2009 by Tuan Nguyen

Once in a while, there's always a major outbreak of computer viruses. This year, the Conficker virus is making the rounds.

Simply put, computer viruses don't play on vulnerabilities of the operating system, they play on the inexperienced. This is of course, unfortunate. Several years ago, viruses were the only hot news in terms of malicious software. Now, spy-ware, ad-ware and other forms of malware are the hottest topics.

Even if you're experienced and savvy with computers, there are always going to be friends and family members that are not so experienced with how to handle themselves around a computer. It's always easier to trust people we know, and virus writers know this. I personally hate receive emails from anyone that asks me to check out a cool or funny slide show. It doesn't even matter if it's from my family--the email goes into the trash right away.

Then there's simply normal email. Not enough people know how to use the BCC (blind carbon copy) field in their email client when sending out emails to multiple recipients. This frustrates the heck out of me.

The question of the day is: Has a virus--or other nasty adware--ever infected your computer?

Let me know what you use to protect yourself, if anything.

Personally, I haven't used an anti-virus for nearly a decade. It all boils down to knowing what to keep an eye out for. But sometimes, just sometimes...

Source : Tom's Hardware US

Talkback
Add your comment
kingnoth 03/27/2009 7:03 PM
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-1+

Jumper.B !!! Ah good old floppy disk virus....

Tekkamanraiden 03/27/2009 7:03 PM
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I get virus every once in a while, usually while fixing someones computer. Can't aways killdisk and reformat. Sometime they want to to try and save their data.

deltatux 03/27/2009 7:03 PM
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No viruses on the systems that I own since 2003. However, my family computers ... not so much since they have less security scrutiny than the amount of attention to security detail that I place on my computers.

HermDawg 03/27/2009 7:06 PM
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Yes

dfusco 03/27/2009 7:07 PM
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Yes, but my AV usually picks them off.

MagicPants 03/27/2009 7:08 PM
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Once back in 1999 I got the stone monkey-b virus. Nothing since then. I've had virus checkers catch things about 3 times that I think were real threats. These days I use no script, ad-block, kaspersky and a hardware firewall.

I know ad-block is bad for the sites I visit, I wish there was a way to just block the annoying flashing or slow loading ads instead of everything.

Tech-Boy 03/27/2009 7:11 PM
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Yes only once. I used no anti virus for 3 years until one day bam the screen changed its background and the computer would not work properly. Since then I have used avg free and haven't gotten a virus since.

leo2kp 03/27/2009 7:12 PM
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When I don't turn off scripting, then yea I get them. Happily I don't forget to do that too often when I'm looking something up potentially hazardous :) I've only had two infections in the past 7 years, none of which were too terribly bad, but I reimaged nonetheless.

theubersmurf 03/27/2009 7:16 PM
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I had one once, but on a computer bought several years ago and has since been reformatted and sold to someone else.

I Use Panda's Antivirus since then.

A funny story, the computer that got infected was a dell, with a free brief subscription to McAfee Antivirus. When I got the virus, I called McAfee for support, the tech I talked to, recommended That I switch to either Panda or Trend Micro's PC-cillin. Never had a problem since. So, at least, if McAfee's product was completely ineffective (and it was) at least their tech support is good. :P

jhansonxi 03/27/2009 7:18 PM
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Not with Linux. I have a separate subnet for Windows systems under repair. They usually have viruses so on this subnet they don't get gateway access and can't connect out. I then run Knoppix on them, export the drives with Samba, and offload the user's files from a Linux system. Then I format, reinstall, update, install anti-malware apps, and then transfer the user's files back. The Windows system is good for a month or two.

Dreasconse 03/27/2009 7:18 PM
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Yes. before I really knew about computers, I was using Norton, a virus got into it, and then next thing I knew there were thirty.

spanner_razor 03/27/2009 7:22 PM
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Serious viruses tend to be attracted once a year but that's what happens on the seedier side of the internet. Where grizzled nerds come to drink shandy and talk of exploits past. So many antiviruses these days pick up legimitate programs as viruses and you have to monitor them too much as the auto-learn features are naff.

mwinfie 03/27/2009 7:32 PM
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I haven't been hit with anything seriouse for quite some time. I did remove a lot of MSBlast viruses back in the day for a buddy who owns a PC-Repair shop. There were at least thirty computers lined up along the floor to be vacinated.

thartist 03/27/2009 7:33 PM
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no... not that i remember... since my first pc in 98.

in my opinion you really have to be (if not a novice) an idiot to get a virus. i don't get all the security/insecurity buzz.
in fact, i just install an antivirus from time to time to see how things are going, and get the same false positives of always about some keygens (oops! never said that!). no more security measures and i'm no genius (well, maybe that is false modesty).

just download everything from official sites, or renowned sites. in my case betanews, softpedia, or filehippo. and that's the magic formula. security BS panic over the web is just business.

pogsnet 03/27/2009 7:40 PM
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Virus is a thing of the past. Trojans are here... You never know if your infected or not unless you install an antivirus.

Avenger_K 03/27/2009 7:41 PM
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Not my own, but my dad's PC (Win95) once got one back around 2000.

Antilycus 03/27/2009 7:46 PM
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I did, have no idea where it came from and I am pretty damn savy. Ended up reformating and put it back on since the files were locked and an unlocker wouldn't let me delete them. I have no virus protection as I just look at the processes and port activity.

I usually use Super Anti Spyware Home edition to remove my threats, but I would refer NOD32 in the pay environment.

Tindytim 03/27/2009 7:47 PM
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everyone has gotten a virus, but it wouldn't be a good virus if you knew it was there. By the time there is a noticeable effect on performance or function, there are already multiple pieces of malicious code running on your machine.

I just reformat my windows partitions every few months with an few discs I've slipstreamed.

deck 03/27/2009 7:51 PM
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If you are getting lots of viruses, you need to stop going to all those Porn sites...

jk, but seriously, a large majority of viruses are self inflicted. Most people just need to take more care about where they go and what they click on on the internet.

chromaone 03/27/2009 7:53 PM
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Not since a floppy boot sector virus in the days of Windows 3.1.

Greatwalrus 03/27/2009 7:58 PM
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Not on this computer I haven't been infected with a virus which did any harm. On Windows, Norton has always backed me up pretty well with that respect - and in the past 1.5 years or more, I have not gotten a single virus or alert except for tracking cookies. On the other hand, in the past, my sister would always attract massive amounts of viruses to our family computer. SO MANY, it was like hundreds a week.

chromaone :
Not since a floppy boot sector virus in the days of Windows 3.1.


Haha, I have a Windows 3.1 copy and tried it out the other day. Fun stuff - I can only imagine how prone it would be to viruses :P

jgoette 03/27/2009 8:12 PM
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for the most part, i think you have to be fairly inexperienced with computers to actually have your pc infected...

its pretty easy to tell what stuff is bad, especially if you have any half decent AV software

robsgr8 03/27/2009 8:15 PM
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A week after I bought my first computer way back in 1996 or so I got my first virus. Back then I bought a top of the line Gateway PII 350 with 64mb ram and a whopping 3.2gb hdd. Which a really good friend told me I wouldnt be able to fill up for 10 years :). I dont remember how I got it but all it did was put an annoying logo on the screen that said DO YOU EAT POOP. After 15 minutes of head banging the close friend mentioned above walked me through deleting it in dos. 14 years and 40 computers later I still get virus's but nothing that NAV cant handle. So far only one AntiVirus program seams to do the job and that EndPoint From Syanmtec IT WORKS

crisisavatar 03/27/2009 8:20 PM
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i also dont use anti-virus and my machine has been infected about 3 times over the past 5 years but i simply wipe the disk when said happens ( i dont keep anything important and games have disks; as well as my precious image gallery ).

Glorian 03/27/2009 8:22 PM
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Yup got one on my first pc in college, p4 2ghz 256 rambus memory gforce mx440 graphics, think was smoking, till it got infected, thats when i learned how to do my first fresh install of windows, and was became the local computer guy from that day on. Now that i am a computer teacher i feel like all i get asked is "can you help me with my computer?" only to find out the thing is infested with crap.

rigaudio 03/27/2009 8:31 PM
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I got one years ago when I didn't know what a .bat file was. Since then, I've been squeaky clean.

ph3412b07 03/27/2009 8:34 PM
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Please don't tell me that picture came from a poor computer repairman having to unplug a cable from a condom....just saying you can never underestimate what people do to tech.

I've only acquired a virus while using Norton Antivirus and browsing questionable sites about hacking (i know, pretty stupid)...Used "Stinger" to remove the virus. Been using free programs like AVG, and not had any problems for years.

You gotta know what to look for. Don't needlessly swap USB flash drives, don't browse the web in unprotected browsers.

gm0n3y 03/27/2009 8:41 PM
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I think the best protection is to just not be a dumbass about what you view and how you view it. I haven't had any sort of anti-virus or spyware protection on my machine for the last 6 years and I haven't had a single problem. I don't understand how people get viruses. Just don't open email attachments unless you know exactly what they are, don't download from untrusted sources, don't use IE, don't use crappy P2P programs (i.e. Kazaa or whatever the kids use these days) and don't search for 'free' anything on the internet. I download torrents every day and have never had a single issue with them (and you can get anything you need via torrents).

Anonymous 03/27/2009 8:44 PM
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Back in the day I got Stoned. What ever happened to the good ol days when a virus didn't destroy your life, just your ability to see the screen through the pretty colors for awhile?

IzzyCraft 03/27/2009 8:44 PM
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Nothing noticeable just use a hardwear firewall and little host blocking via
http://hostsfile.mine.nu

MustWarnOthers 03/27/2009 8:46 PM
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robsgr8 :
I dont remember how I got it but all it did was put an annoying logo on the screen that said DO YOU EAT POOP.



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