(no subject)
Jan. 22nd, 2010 09:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gategrrlOMG. After my computer went kablooey with a virus, I went onto Mermaid's school computer, and promptly let a virus onto IT. The virus kept sending me to a blackmail page, where you pay big bucks for an antivirus software (ransom-ware). I didn't buy it, and it wouldn't allow me to activate the anti-ware that was already on the computer.
When the Guy came home, he figured out how to kill it and clear the computer (partly in thanks to a coworker whose mother's computer caught the same evil virus; that guy spend hours helping her to clear it off over the phone). So, Mermaid's school computer is working fine now. My computer? I think it's zorched. Meaning, all that comes up now is a blank Dell screen.
Once the Guy realized what kind of virus had attacked the school computer, and mine (although I think mine had a similiar but different version of the same virus) he let up on blaming me for it. After all, at one point, his computer had been invaded by a virus that did the same thing, and he paid the ransom--and then put that program on OUR computers as well. So it's not like I did anything particularly stupid.
Anyway. I think he's going to have to wipe my computer this weekend. In the meantime, I can do necessary stuff from Mermaid's personal computer (like bank stuff) but I'm going to severely limit my online exposure to LJ and email. I can't risk exposing the other computers at all. And I really hope that virus didn't invade my external harddrive. It has all of my digital photos on it, iTunes file, everything that's important to me. And no, I don't back up to CD or DVD at all. I probably should after this.
When the Guy came home, he figured out how to kill it and clear the computer (partly in thanks to a coworker whose mother's computer caught the same evil virus; that guy spend hours helping her to clear it off over the phone). So, Mermaid's school computer is working fine now. My computer? I think it's zorched. Meaning, all that comes up now is a blank Dell screen.
Once the Guy realized what kind of virus had attacked the school computer, and mine (although I think mine had a similiar but different version of the same virus) he let up on blaming me for it. After all, at one point, his computer had been invaded by a virus that did the same thing, and he paid the ransom--and then put that program on OUR computers as well. So it's not like I did anything particularly stupid.
Anyway. I think he's going to have to wipe my computer this weekend. In the meantime, I can do necessary stuff from Mermaid's personal computer (like bank stuff) but I'm going to severely limit my online exposure to LJ and email. I can't risk exposing the other computers at all. And I really hope that virus didn't invade my external harddrive. It has all of my digital photos on it, iTunes file, everything that's important to me. And no, I don't back up to CD or DVD at all. I probably should after this.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-25 04:44 pm (UTC)How it transmits is via a pop-up window, but it is not a regular pop-up. You think you're clicking the red X to close the window, but all it does is actually start the download and install. Tricksy bastard. While relatively harmless because so far I haven't heard of it doing damage, it is annoying as hell.
To easily kill it in the future (if it sneaks in anywhere), bring up the task manager and stop that process. Then scan your harddrive for the file and delete the entire folder. It can no longer run and it doesn't exist once you delete it, so you're clean, but running a spyware program is better safe than sorry.