Author Topic: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.  (Read 4509 times)

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ghosstt

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What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« on: February 17, 2007, 05:13:53 PM »
ok, what are you supposed to do after avast! finds a trojan/other threat. it says that the recommended thing to do is put it in the chest. so i did. what do you do with it after that? thanks for all your help

~ghosstt

Offline BJ_GeOrgE

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2007, 05:25:46 PM »
just keep checking the file when avast does an update to ensure that this file is indeed a trojan and not a false positive..according to ur results u will delete or restore the file..
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ghosstt

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2007, 05:28:13 PM »
one just came up and had the option of repair. so i did that, and pressed repair all.. then it just went to the normal scan screen.. is that supposed to happen?

Offline DavidR

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2007, 06:12:55 PM »
You have done the right thing, 'first do no harm' don't delete, send virus to the chest and investigate.
There is no rush to delete anything from the chest, a protected area where it can do no harm. Anything that you send to the chest you should leave there for a few weeks. If after that time you have suffered no adverse effects from moving these to the chest, scan them again (inside the chest) and if they are still detected as viruses, delete them.

Not all files can be repaired. Trojans generally can't be repaired (either by the VRDB or avast virus cleaner), because the entire content of the file is malware, so it is either move to chest or delete, move to the chest being the best option (first do no harm). When a file is in the chest it can't do any harm and you can investigate the infected warning.

The VRDB only protects certain files, .exe, dll and other system files, it doesn't protect data files or all files, it is not a back-up program, so there are going to be many occasions where repair won't be an option.

Only true virus infection can be repaired, e.g. when a virus infects a file it adds a small part to it, provided that file is one that avast's VRDB would monitor and you have run the VRDB, then it may be possible to repair the file to its uninfected state.

However, for the most part so called viruses, trojans (adware/spyware/malware, etc.) can't be repaired because the complete content of the file is malicious.
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ghosstt

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2007, 06:26:24 PM »
since the one file came up, and i pressed repair all, does that mean it will repair every thing that can be repaired from then on?

Spiritsongs

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2007, 07:10:11 PM »
 :)  Hi Ghosstt :

     "Trojans" are BEST "handled" by antiSPYWARE/antiTROJAN program(s), such as the Good &
      FREE "AVG Antispyware" from www.ewido.net AND the FREE version of "SUPERantispyware"
      from www.superantispyware.com ; do you have any of these types of programs on your
      computer ?

      Letting us know the SPECIFIC "Name" of the "Trojan" would guide us in recommending a
      PROPER "Removal" technique .

      AND you have NOT told us the Name of your Operating System or IF you have a firewall on your
      computer !?

ghosstt

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2007, 05:09:48 AM »
im running XP home edition SP2, windows firewall, with lavasoft adaware se personal.

Offline DavidR

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2007, 12:11:25 PM »
Whilst the windows XP firewall is usually good at keeping your ports stealthed (hidden) it provides no outbound protection and you should consider a third party firewall.

Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

- Zone Alarm free http://www.zonelabs.com works fine with avast and has a reasonably friendly user interface. There are others, Comodo, Sunbelt Kerio, Jetico, etc.

See some firewall tests for comparison, some are freeware but many are paid for versions http://www.firewallleaktester.com/tests.php. Also see http://www.thefreecountry.com/security/firewalls.shtml

You should add either AVG anti-spyware or superantispyware to your overall security, my preference is indicated in my signature ;D
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

ghosstt

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2007, 04:10:42 PM »
^^i us lavasoft adaware-se personal. its that adware and spyware protection?

Offline DavidR

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Re: What to do after avast! finds a trojan.
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2007, 04:39:47 PM »
Yes that is, but I would back it up with another, like avg anti-spyware, which is a more specialised anti-spyware/trojan hunter.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security