SwiftVets.com

DavidS · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:43 pm Post subject: Computer Worm

Several weeks ago I was on this Forum and went to the Index and got a message containing "Fatal Error". I shut down and restarted with no trouble.

A few days later the same thing happened and after shutting down could no longer access drive C:. As you can guess, I lost all my hard drive data.

I had been using Norton Internet Security but apparently to no avail.

Had anyone had a simi8lkar problem?

Thanks.
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BuffaloJack · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:11 pm Post subject:

DavidS:
You could have gotten a computer worm from almost anywhere. The fact that a "Fatal Error" message came up may only mean that the worm was already there or it may mean nothing. These virus writers are sometimes quite talented and although Norton Internet Security is good, no anti-Virus program is perfect. On my system (3 networked pc's), I run Norton on one machine, McAfee on the second and the Computer Associates on the third. Several times a day, the machines scan each other and very frequently find viruses, trojans and worms on the other networked machines they are scanning. To top it all, about once a week I run the TrendMicro housecall (free to run over the internet link) and find stuff all three of the others have missed. The best advice is to run your normal AV program and augment it with the one-time free scans available at the sites of the other AV vendors. Additionally, if a virus gets in before one of the AV companies has a defination for it, it will frequently hide within the AV program and be undetected. You should run the AV from safe-mode to be sure.
Also don't forget to run a spyware killer like Ad-Aware (also free) to get rid of the resource hogging marketing crap that shows up and collects personal info on you for shipment back to the agency that originated it.
It's too bad all this stuff is necessary, but cruisin' the internet is like taking a PCF up a canal. The bad guys are going to put you in their gunsights.

air_vet · PO2 Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 374

DavidS,

This is not a computer troubleshooting forum, but I suggest you follow all the steps at http://www.securitytango.com/ in order.

DavidS · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:30 pm Post subject: Computer Worm

BuffaloJack;

Thanks for your excellent advice.

DavidS
_________________
Keep A Zero Bubble!

DavidS · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:33 pm Post subject: Computer Worm

Air_Vet;

Thanks; I had thought that perhaps someone was trying to sabatage this site.

DavidS
_________________
Keep A Zero Bubble!