Gah, it's dead, Jim

Skybird · 04-02-17, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

First thing I'd do is a Malwarebytes scan. It's so reliable you don't even have to look at what it found: say "kill it all"

That is irresponsible to advise, Robbins. MBAM is very good, yes - but not fail-safe. On very rare occasions it can produce false positives, though much more rarely than any AV suites I have ever used. And I use MBAM as long as I can remember. Two or three years ago they also messe dup people'S PCs by a terribly flawed update which made many people to reinstall.

You always have to have a very close look before hitting the "proceed"-button.

No security software is out there that you should trust blindly. Never. Even more so since today these security programs themselves get attacked to find entrance into the system. This turns them into a vulnerability themselves.

Rockin Robbins · 04-02-17, 07:48 PM

A "very close look" means nothing to 99% of people. You're best off by trusting what Malwarebytes shows you. At worst you might someday have to reinstall something it gave a false positive on. That's a tiny price for security.

Onkel Neal · 04-02-17, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catfish

Ouch. Do you have a restore point you can go back to ?

I wish. I get the restore option to appear but clicking on it does nothing. No response.

Same with running McAfee or Malwarebytes, they don't seem to work.

I will probably back up all the files on a flash drive and reinstall Windows.Been a while since I've done that, so I'm due, I guess.

HW3 · 04-02-17, 11:57 PM

Did you try booting into safe mode and then running them?

Onkel Neal · 04-03-17, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HW3

Did you try booting into safe mode and then running them?

I will try that next

Skybird · 04-03-17, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I will probably back up all the files on a flash drive and reinstall Windows.Been a while since I've done that, so I'm due, I guess.

Think again. You want to save files from an possibly infested system - and then play these files back onto a fresh system...?

No-no.

Better use an older data archive you have - even if that means you lose some of your latest data. It should be a data status from before your system got infested.

ikalugin · 04-03-17, 09:28 AM

Also, if it is a high end persistent payload - it spreads without any file transfer, just by plugging the USB drive or external hard drive.

Rockin Robbins · 04-03-17, 10:47 AM

These people are too paranoid. ALWAYS start from the simplest and most likely fixes and do the weird stuff only if that doesn't work. Chances are of this BIOS and persistent virus stuff of being present are very, very low. The vast majority of slow computers only have spyware and adware going on. If your computer handles millions of dollars in confidential transactions, is involved with international espionage or terrorism, disregard my position.

A simple MSE or other antivirus scan will find most other problems and eradicate them. Yes an atomic bomb will kill a mosquito, but does a lot of collateral damage in the process. Of all the hundreds of computers I've fixed I've only dropped the thermonuclear device a couple of times. The rest were simple fixes and remained fixed until they brought them back with newly acquired adware and spyware.

Yes, vaporizing all of creation will fix all problems. Permanently. No, it usually isn't called for. It's called minimum necessary use of force. Ask any police officer what that means. You can stop any crime by shooting the suspect dead. Assuming he needs to be dead is usually a mistake. A doctor usually doesn't amputate an arm for a hangnail.

Onkel Neal · 04-03-17, 06:18 PM

Man, today I went to start the computer up to a power off State and it just says "logging off"

Hey, it never logged on!

ikalugin · 04-03-17, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

That is irresponsible to advise, Robbins. MBAM is very good, yes - but not fail-safe. On very rare occasions it can produce false positives, though much more rarely than any AV suites I have ever used. And I use MBAM as long as I can remember. Two or three years ago they also messe dup people'S PCs by a terribly flawed update which made many people to reinstall.

You always have to have a very close look before hitting the "proceed"-button.

No security software is out there that you should trust blindly. Never. Even more so since today these security programs themselves get attacked to find entrance into the system. This turns them into a vulnerability themselves.

that wont wipe out bios persistent payloads

04-02-17, 07:48 PM	#2
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	A "very close look" means nothing to 99% of people. You're best off by trusting what Malwarebytes shows you. At worst you might someday have to reinstall something it gave a false positive on. That's a tiny price for security. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

04-02-17, 11:57 PM	#4
HW3 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gresham Oregon Posts: 6,574 Downloads: 458 Uploads: 0	Did you try booting into safe mode and then running them? __________________ "Some ships are designed to sink...others require our assistance." Nathan Zelk

04-03-17, 09:28 AM	#7
ikalugin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Moscow, Russia Posts: 3,212 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Also, if it is a high end persistent payload - it spreads without any file transfer, just by plugging the USB drive or external hard drive. __________________ Grumpy as always.

04-03-17, 10:47 AM	#8
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	These people are too paranoid. ALWAYS start from the simplest and most likely fixes and do the weird stuff only if that doesn't work. Chances are of this BIOS and persistent virus stuff of being present are very, very low. The vast majority of slow computers only have spyware and adware going on. If your computer handles millions of dollars in confidential transactions, is involved with international espionage or terrorism, disregard my position. A simple MSE or other antivirus scan will find most other problems and eradicate them. Yes an atomic bomb will kill a mosquito, but does a lot of collateral damage in the process. Of all the hundreds of computers I've fixed I've only dropped the thermonuclear device a couple of times. The rest were simple fixes and remained fixed until they brought them back with newly acquired adware and spyware. Yes, vaporizing all of creation will fix all problems. Permanently. No, it usually isn't called for. It's called minimum necessary use of force. Ask any police officer what that means. You can stop any crime by shooting the suspect dead. Assuming he needs to be dead is usually a mistake. A doctor usually doesn't amputate an arm for a hangnail. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS Last edited by Rockin Robbins; 04-03-17 at 11:12 AM.

04-03-17, 06:18 PM	#9
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,385 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Man, today I went to start the computer up to a power off State and it just says "logging off" Hey, it never logged on! __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web