Windows Protector - Be Warned!

[Username Taken]

Last night at 11:00 pm, I unwittingly downloaded an infected file. Scanned file with MSE. All clear!

Went to Downloads in Windows Explorer. Saw the file and double-clicked on it. Within seconds an unusual looking window popped up saying that 'Protector' has prevented Firefox from illegally connecting to the internet. I knew immediately that I had been got at! The pop-up recommended clicking on 'something I can't remember', but I chose to just click on the 'X' in the top right corner and close the window.

No sooner had that window closed than another larger window opened telling me that numerous files had been detected by 'Protector' as being infected by viruses. Alarm bells started ringing in my head. Not because of these viruses that 'Protector' had found, but simply by the fact that I actually keep my laptop protected, up-to-date, and virus scanned daily with MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials). I have no program by the name of 'Protector'!



Fortunately I knew what to do next. However, I was a little concerned that things might go awry.

Step 1: Immediately disconnect from the internet.

Step 2: Shutdown/Restart the computer. As it starts up keep hitting the 'F8' key. Eventually it will load a menu that will allow you to 'Start Windows in Safe Mode'. [Note: at this point, at first, I was unable to get the safe mode choice. The only choices were: Windows Repair or Start Windows Normally. I went for Windows Repair which ultimately gave me the option to restore to a previous Restore Point. Sadly, after trying 3 different restore points each one ended with an 'Unknown Error'].

Step 3: After starting windows in safe mode, Windows reported that System Restore had in fact been successful, and that we were now running from the restore point from 2 days ago. Next, I ran a Full Scan with MSE.

Windows started up normally. I connected to the internet, and all seems normal again. The virus scan didn’t find anything, so I’m assuming that Windows Restore had done the trick.

Lesson learned – be wary of any file called ‘something.jpeg.exe’ or ‘something.pdf.exe’, etc. Pdf’s and Jpeg’s don’t have an exe file extension. Be careful on that information super-highway!

Want to learn more about Protector, you can google search for ‘protector virus’.

[Chuangt2u]

Install Ubuntu via Wubi to have a dual-boot system.

When Windows breaks, use Ubuntu to access all of your files and perhaps fix Windows... or better still, use Ubuntu rather than Windows.


Fully automated downloader/installer here
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/windows-installer

[Khmerized]

Get a Mac or install a good linux distribution.

[Username Taken]

... or better still, use Ubuntu rather than Windows.

Have been promising myself to do that for a long time now.

Unfortunately it's a work laptop so I have no choice but to use Win 7.

On the other hand, my home PC running unlicensed Vista is a constant headache, especially when my kids inadvertently try to run Windows Update. Microsoft then installs it's own Malware forcing me to do a System Restore or at worst a re-install.

However, the above may be useful for others who suffer the same fate.

[Chuangt2u]

With Wubi, all you need to do is choose a user name and password, then allocate a partition size (ideal is prompted) - the rest is automatically handled by the installer.
The next time you restart your computer, you'll have a choice of OS - Windows or Ubuntu. Can't see how that would adversely affect a work computer...
All files/folders stored in Windows can be accessed through Ubuntu.
Nothing of Ubuntu can be accessed from Windows.

[cambod]

....

Lesson learned – be wary of any file called ‘something.jpeg.exe’ or ‘something.pdf.exe’, etc. Pdf’s and Jpeg’s don’t have an exe file extension. .

Pictures and pdf documents don't have .exe file extensions? Thanks for that hot tip!

Be more careful when U're porn browsering!