Help!!! I contracted a virus on my PC. Here’s how I know. A couple days ago I thought Microsoft’s website was down. Then my co-worker told me he received a file from me via physical thumb drive in which his virus protection software alerted that w32/conflicker.worm!nf virus was found on the flashdrive. Then I noticed I couldn’t get to any website on my PC that had to do with antivirus software.
Yikes! I was able to load on AVG antivirus 8.5.287, but since the virus is blocking access to the website, I can’t get updates from AVG.
All my data has been backed up, and otherwise the PC system is running as normal, although I know that under the hood all my passwords are getting stolen.
What can I do???
Figured It Out, With Help
With the guidance of Weed, I managed to remove everything and get the system back and running. Damn viruses.
Haven’t run Windows in ages..
Sorry, my primary operating system has been Linux on my computers for the past nine years. My Windows knowledge, while not gone, doesn’t encompass dealing with the latest virus threats.
Nine years on Linux, no viruses. Then again, due to safe computing practices, I also have gone nine years with gaming rigs running Windows that never got a virus either…
–Matt B.
The Problem Is
The bad guys have figured out how to install viruses (via IE7) just by visiting a website. No opening the UPS.zip file or user action required.
That’s baaaaaad.
And while I know you love to tout the virtues of Linux, if it had 98% share of the desktops in the world, I bet they’d have found holes in it as well.
My $.02 Weed
Fair observation
It’s a fair observation that if Linux had dominant market share, it would dominate the problem-space, too. However, I maintain the open-source model gets fixes for “in the wild” problems out much faster than closed-source. Closed-source enjoys the appearance of rapid fixes only because they put a gag order on information about the vulnerability for months before they release a fix.
–Matt B.
I Agree
I agree. Microsoft (and others) are too slow and worried about bad press to nimbly handle security patches and such.
But conversely, open source, unless is has the weight of a corporation or very large, organized coder base, often lags behind in adoption of new technology. And you have to be familiar with text-file configuration to work with open source, unless it’s a mature technology (usually because of said corp/organization support behind it).
Microsoft would be wise to release it’s source code. There’d be egg on it’s face when people saw how some of it was coded, but in the end it would produce a better product. And since I’m sure it’s incredibly complex, it’s not like anyone else will be able to run with it and undercut MS for a long time.
My $.02 Weed
Yeah, Hello?
Yeah, hello people?!?! This is all nice, but I got a virus?!?! Remember?!?!
Where’s the sympathy?
Windows suxxors
Windows suxxors.
Stop using teh opreating system. U shld uze Linux instead.
g3t w1th teh pr0gr4m.
–M4tt
Pie
Microsoft is like the Third Reich.
Godwin’s law has been invoked.
End of Thread.