Computer Help 9,000,001

My wife's computer got hijacked by "security tool". This virus won't let me run HiJack This or any other virus. Being computer illiterate doesn't help.

Can someone help using the most simplistic of computer terms.

Thanks

 

Try starting the computer in safe mode. Press and hold F8 when you start the computer. You'll get a series of choices, the top one being simply 'Safe Mode.' It loads Windows without loading any of the various drivers, and without connecting to the Internet. Then try running your virus scan program in that -- using the most complete setting.

If you need to update the virus scan software, then you can use 'Safe Mode with Networking' and it'll let you connect to the Internet.

You may also want to get yourself a piece of specific spyware removal software. I like Spybot - Search and Destroy.

 

If you've got the piece of spyware/malware I'm thinking you have, which tells you that you have a security issue (or virus) and you have to download their specific antivirus program, then I have a solution.

My wife's laptop had that, I did a Google search for the name of the program/security message it kept telling you to download and found 1,000s of people bitching about it. An up-to-date McAfee let it right through and wouldn't remove it. However downloading and installing Malwarebytes free anti-Malware program got rid of it. You can get it at: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

 

First, let me remind everyone - NEVER click on anything unless you are absolutely, positively certain of what you are clicking on. That includes anything masquerading as anti-spyware. Know what programs you have on your computer!

I am 99.9 percent sure of what malware your wife has on her computer and while I love Malwarebytes, the only certain way to make sure it's gone is to reformat the hard drive. This malicious program is insidious in its grip on a computer system.

In short, since you are computer illiterate, bring it to a professional.

 

Someone at work got this on her computer last night. It is vicious. Within about a minute, it was throwing porn site ads up at her. They'll have to reformat the hard drive, I'm guessing.

 

http://www.spywared.com/spyware-removal-instructions/2009/09/25/how-to-remove-security-tool-security-tool-removal-help.html
http://www.techjaws.com/how-to-remove-security-tool/

To edit your registry as directed, select the Run command on the Start menu and run regedit.exe.

 

Since you've said you're computer illiterate, I would simply take it to a professional. A lot of times they can clean it out of the system without having to reformat, though sometimes they have to do that. Either way, it's in your best interest to let them look at it.

 

Malwarebytes is the shizzle... I run them both, but bytes catches some stuff the other doesn't

 

The belt and suspenders approach is pretty much the way to go with this stuff. Once you get this problem cleared up, make sure you're keeping your protection up-to-date.

 

One of these got me today at work. I didn't download anything, it just showed up all of a sudden. Hijacked everything, including Task Manager.

It took the HelpDesk two hours to sort it out. Malwarebytes ended up deleting 16 different things that it messed with, from my background to IE defaults.

 

Those of you who have been infected with this or had to deal with an infection ... humor my curiosity: Which browser are you using?

 

My co-worker was using IE.