Author Topic: Help on getting your computer secure before April 1st! (Read 5384 times)

BigMike · « **on:** Mar 30, 2009, 06:18:59 PM »

Hello Turtle Community,

It was brought to my attention today, however I believe many here are already aware, that the famous Conficker worm is expected to go crazy on the 1st of April this Wednesday.

If you are unaware of what the Conficker worm is, I highly recommend you read up on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

This worm is no joke and is reported as the worst computer threat since 2003, and apparently nearly 15 million computers are already infected with it.

To get your attention, please consider the following quote from the link above:

Quote

On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced the formation of a technology industry collaboration to combat the effects of Conficker. Organizations involved in this collaborative effort include Microsoft, Afilias, ICANN, Neustar, Verisign, CNNIC, Public Internet Registry, Global Domains International, Inc., M1D Global, AOL, Symantec, F-Secure, ISC, researchers from Georgia Tech, The Shadowserver Foundation, Arbor Networks, and Support Intelligence. Conficker is planned to attack once more on April 1st, 2009. No one knows what danger it may cause. The sign on your computer might say "Happy April Fools day!" but Conficker is no joke. Conficker is very dangerous and powerful.

As of February 13, 2009, Microsoft is offering a $250,000 USD reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals behind the creation and/or distribution of Conficker.

Pay attention now, 17 huge technology firms have all gotten together to combat this worm and a reward of a quarter million dollars is being offered for any info.

A bit of history of me and viruses
I don't know what you do for internet security, but I enjoy watching everyone here and would like to keep you guys online and happy contributors to the Marlin Crawler Community

Personally, I have NEVER had virus software. I hate virus software; I can't stand any of them. I have been quite the computer nerd since about 1992 and have only been hit with a virus that crippled my computer once, which actually happened this past fall.

Taking a step back, I was a big supporter of Lavasoft USA's AdAware - used it when it first came out. Then when SpyBot S&D came out I found it far more effective until this past fall when I got a virus that took me about a week to remove. The only software I could find that got it removed was Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (free version). It totally saved me. I was quite reluctant to give up SpyBot until I found Malwarebytes continuously finding things that SpyBot was not finding.

Since then I have replaced my SpyBot resident memory protector with COMODO Firewall (free version) which protects registry changes like SpyBot, but also includes a very robust firewall system.

Software I use to keep my Windows XP Pro system purring like a 3RZ-FE:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (free version): For periodic system scans. I manually launch the application for an update and scan maybe once ever other week or when I'm nervous for any reason.
COMODO Firewall (free version): Runs at system startup. I leave it on "Learning Mode" unless I am doing something I don't trust, then I switch to "Defense Mode" and manually allow/disallow whatever is going on with any piece of software.
FireFox v3 with the following security Add-Ons:
- NoScript - This prevents ANY javascript, activex, flash, pdf, anything outside of normal HTML use without my explicit permission. This takes care of popups, page redirects, internal iFrame scripting that would otherwise be going on behind my back.
- AdBlock Plus - I use this extensively to block as many advertisements as I wish. I subscribe to the EasyList Element to keep advertisements contineously away from my computer.
- SpyBot S&D - Eventhough I don't use SpyBot to remove adware any more, I do use it's Immunize feature to add bad websites to my computer's blacklist (hosts file) to even if I accidentally stumble onto a bad site, FireFox will warn me first and Windows will prevent that site from even contacting my computer at all.

Your computer and April 1st
If you aren't into computers and don't do any security yourself, I implore you to at least install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (free version) onto your computer, run it and let it update itself, and then perform a "quick scan". Here is a convenient download link: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

I've seen these "ooooooooooooo virus is gonna get you and eat your baby" scares before, I've seen them come and go and I've never had any trouble with them, but who knows, maybe this is that one huge virus hit that will nail your computer and delete all the pictures of your recent project build. We all want to see your progress on your trail rig, so keep your computer safe, take preventative measures against this virus garbage, save $$ on computer repair and breathe easy

Regards,
BigMike

kneedownnate · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 07:08:12 PM »

Well... I guess the best april fool's jokes really are those not done on april first

BigMike · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 10:00:29 PM »

Joke or not my trusty T9400 Duo is ready for anything

Slolyfe · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 10:08:03 PM »

Is it true Macs dont get affected by this? I dont know anything about computers! Thanks in advance

BigMike · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 10:24:58 PM »

According to Wikipedia's description of how this worm works, this will only affect systems using Windows XP and Vista. Windows 7 has some of the same features that are affected, but I do not know if 7 has additional protection for worms or not. At any rate, its still in beta state so I'm sure its full of vulnerabilities anyhow

Just remember, if you were a complete lifeless idiot with no heart and decided to create a virus to infect computers around the world, would you program a virus that only affects 8% of the computers connected to the internet (Apple/Mac) or would you program a virus that would affect 90% of the computers connected to the internet (those using Windows)?

I am sick of all the "oooohhhhh my Mac is 1 billion times more stable than Windows and never gets infected or crashes"

Yeah well only 2 programs in the world are made for it and no one has one!!!!!

Myself and all the other 3 billion idiots would logically focus all of our time and energy on how to exploit Windows and not Mac OS X or the like. Think about it in terms of programmers: If 90% of all the programmers in the World write programs to exploit a Windows machine while only 8% of the World's programmers write programs to exploit a Mac machine, which would you be more likely to hear on the news as becoming exploited?

Thomas P · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 10:35:16 PM »

lol, get 'em mikey! thanks for the heads up $Beer Chug\'n$

BigMike · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 11:10:50 PM »

After re-reading my post, sorry slolyfe, that was in no way directed at you personally.

I went overboard with that post. Basically I've never really had the chance to express myself on that point before

Slolyfe · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 11:23:44 PM »

hahaha No worries! At least I dont have any on the first... $Beer Chug\'n$

Thomas P · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 11:27:06 PM »

it didnt seem directed at him, but mac sure was gettin a whoopin'

BigMike · « **Reply #9 on:** Mar 30, 2009, 11:33:28 PM »

Unfortunately I don't have much arsenal left and will get

by a very knowledgeable Mac user for sure

I will agree that you are safer on a Mac.................................................because no one has one! baaahahahahaha

79yota350 · « **Reply #10 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 12:04:36 AM »

macs are for old people and retards.... the only reason they even have that 8% is because they have contracts with many college campuses and sell them on campus. i think i was 10 when i tossed my mac classic out the window and never looked back. i bet that worm is by that crazy russian programmer that sends hidden messages to the windows net safe guys.

BigMike · « **Reply #11 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 12:09:28 AM »

Quote from: 79yota350 on Mar 31, 2009, 12:04:36 AM

crazy russian programmer that sends hidden messages to the windows net safe guys.

Curious...................

unclejpl4x4 · « **Reply #12 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 06:42:47 PM »

well i got McAfee my DATs are up todate they say im safe

i upgraded my adblocker to ABP and added NOscripts <-- wich i need

i will have to learn my self how to use it.

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #13 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 08:05:36 PM »

AVG has a great FREE system, I've used it on several different systems to date and have never had any problems with any virus getting my computer. If you don't have any current protection or an expired subscription to one I'd get something that will protect you. It's free and it works, the only difference over the one you buy is technical assistance, with the free version you get none. Never needed any personally. This is not a trial version it is the real deal free for you to use.

http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html

79yota350 · « **Reply #14 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 08:12:25 PM »

just go to http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm?s_cid=sah and use the free scan. (if you are infected this scan may crash your computer) most likely it wont. you can also run in safe mode tomorow and you will not be affected by it. nobody is even sure what it will do yet so dont go panicing. also go to avg.com and use there free trial anti ware and your fine. at the very most you will have to re install your running system. so back up your personal files tonight. if your up to date on your updates from microsoft your most likely fine. there are a lot of people that dont use antivirus and don't update, those are the people that will have trouble. you can also use this site to clean it http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-011316-0247-99

46&2 · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 09:41:03 PM »

Quote from: 79yota350 on Mar 31, 2009, 12:04:36 AM

macs are for old people and retards.... the only reason they even have that 8% is because they have contracts with many college campuses and sell them on campus. i think i was 10 when i tossed my mac classic out the window and never looked back. i bet that worm is by that crazy russian programmer that sends hidden messages to the windows net safe guys.

Well I know I am not old, but I very well could be retarded though.

I have owned 4 macs since the age of 11 (I am 23 now) and I have never had a virus. BigMike does present a very valid point, 90% of computer users own PCs so it logically only makes sense that if you are going to make a virus, that it targets the most concentrated group of users. There are reports of viruses for Macs, so its not like they don't exist. Its just not very common. I am pretty sure it IS hard to do, because if it was as easy as creating a virus for a Windows based machine, I think it would be just as prevalent, despite the 90% less users.

As far as only old and retarded people using macs goes... thats not true at all. Music, movies, photography, graphics of any kind... the list goes on and on... Macs are the #1 choice for anything having to do with the aforementioned items. They always have been. PCs are making their way mainstream as far as all that goes, but I don't think they can compete with the Mac as a design studio.

Also, just for the record....I have never had a mac fail on me, the only reason I ever upgraded to a new mac was because it became outdated and I wanted to run the latest software and games. My first mac I sold, my second mac still serves my Grandma, my third mac belongs to my sister now and is regularly abused by her 3 kids and my 4th mac is still serving my faithfully.

Since there was so much Mac hate going on I had to give my :2cents:

I use both macs and pcs and the occasional linux on a regular basis and they are all great in their own right. After 10+ years of using computers (everything from word processing to graphic design) I just prefer Macs. Ease of use mainly. Plus, I can run Windows on my Mac anyway. Its a dual processor. No need to to own two computers when you can run both systems on one

Slolyfe · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 09:57:56 PM »

Thats exactly what is was gonna say! but i cant type.... Plus look how these things are made, Cut out of a single piece of aluminum stock. Any fabricator should appreciate this! http://www.apple.com/macbook/

79yota350 · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 10:08:27 PM »

hehe, im just giving you mac guys a hard time. ive owned many macs. if you want to make music or movies its mac all the way. its just preference. i still have my first mac classic i got when i was 10. the old black and white screen one box mac and yes she still works! fyi a dual core processor has nothing to do with what platform your computer will run.

46&2 · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 10:27:04 PM »

Quote from: 79yota350 on Mar 31, 2009, 10:08:27 PM

hehe, im just giving you mac guys a hard time. ive owned many macs. if you want to make music or movies its mac all the way. its just preference. i still have my first mac classic i got when i was 10. the old black and white screen one box mac and yes she still works! fyi a dual core processor has nothing to do with what platform your computer will run.

I forgot that Bootcamp is required to run Windows. I have no need for Windows so I never messed with it. But besides Virtual PC on the older macs, this option is not available on older macs, only the Intel based Macs.

94MtnYote · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 10:33:56 PM »

No morning worries here, the Mack-daddy will be purring like a kitten!

we have two Macs one which we got cheap, used from a university that was upgrading. works great ha ha

BigMike · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 11:11:07 PM »

No question Macs are on the rise and I am all for operating system diversity

boggerunner · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 11:20:28 PM »

i ran the malware program, and found 5 viruses, thanks mike for the links

BigMike · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 31, 2009, 11:27:51 PM »

Eggcellent

Have you guys tried http://www.ccleaner.com and http://www.defraggler.com ? These free applications remove old unneeded temporary files that were left behind by previous tasks that are simply taking up space, and reorganize the contents of your harddrive so that related file fragments are physically relocated right next to one another on the drive, respectability.

CCleaner (stands for Crap Cleaner) is a great one-click tool to remove garbage from your computer (potentially speeding it up just a bit, depending on how much left behind crap is on the computer to begin with).

Defraggler is simply a free disk defragmentation software (finally a free disk defrag util!!!). A VERY basic and easy to understand analogy of how keeping your computer's fragmentation down to a minimum may improve system performance drastically: Image you pull out your old ACDC record, you know, it's on your shelf beneath your Beastie Boys record, and you fire up the ol record player. Now what if the opening to Hells Bells was on the outermost edge of the record, but the first set of lyrics was located at the innermost edge of the record. So once the song began, you'd soon have to pick up the needle and reposition it to the first set of lyrics. Then, what if the chorus was broken into 10 parts which were all at different radial distances across the face of the record. You'd be continuously repositioning the needle just to hear that next part of the song, and the next, and the next, and all of your friends would leave your party because they'd be sick of waiting for your music to play through.

Such is the case with a highly fragmented hard drive. The needle (or head) of the harddrive would be constantly repositioning itself just to read that next set of data for the program that is being accessed. If you bunch all of the data for your programs into a smaller physical area on the surface of the disk (or platter) inside your computer's harddrive, then the needle doesn't spend as many miliseconds searching for that next bit of bytes (no phun intended).

Multiply this by 7 or 8 times because harddrives have multiple disks stacked on top of one another with 7 or 8 or even more needles all working feverishly to gather data for you. When the data is scattered all over the place on each disk, we call this a high degree of fragmentation. Reorganizing all the data into compact groups on each disk represents a state of low fragmentation. Data that is highly fragmented and scattered all over the place takes longer to physically locate and read.

I mention CCleaner because sometimes malware may store files for viruses in the temporary folders on your computer, so CCleaner often may erase viruses inadvertently that simply happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Defraggler happens to be made by the same company and its free too so get it and defrag your rowdy harddrive

BigMike

Yota Up · « **Reply #23 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 12:41:51 AM »

Awesome info. Thanks a lot.
AVG has always been awesome for me, personally.

COToy91 · « **Reply #24 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 12:46:03 AM »

Malware found 5 on mine also, thanks Big Mike. I downloaded all of these programs

Talon84x4 · « **Reply #25 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 11:09:08 AM »

It found 1 on mine with avg and spybot on there already. Thank you much.

jrock · « **Reply #26 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 11:15:45 AM »

April fools!

Oh, well, maybe not.

jrock · « **Reply #27 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 11:24:55 AM »

Quote from: BigMike on Mar 30, 2009, 10:24:58 PM

11,692 Members x 0.82%Linux = 96 members using Linux. So who are you and hows the virus protection.

All_Set · « **Reply #28 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 11:31:36 AM »

Anyone infected yet? So far soo good over here!

THK Matt · « **Reply #29 on:** Apr 01, 2009, 11:33:17 AM »

I run Norton Internet Security have since 2000.

only time we've been crippled on our pcs, is if we didnt update it or have it turned on.

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