is freefixer a harmful program?

[philly12]

I have downloaded and tried freefixer because it was recommended on a security forum to be an alternative to HJT.  None of my security programs have given any warnings about it, but i tried PrevxCSI free and it classified freefixer as being generic malware and wanted me to remove it.  So is freefixer really bad or not? 

[Lisandro]

I never heard it was a substitution for HijackThis... I thought it was just a fixer tool...
I think it's a good tool but being false positive detected.
Did you submit the file to VirusTotal?

[philly12]

hmm...here are the virustotal results so i guess its not?? (you can still see that prevx detected it)

Antivirus     Version     Last Update     Result
AhnLab-V3   2008.2.22.0   2008.02.22   -
AntiVir   7.6.0.67   2008.02.22   -
Authentium   4.93.8   2008.02.22   -
Avast   4.7.1098.0   2008.02.22   -
AVG   7.5.0.516   2008.02.22   -
BitDefender   7.2   2008.02.23   -
CAT-QuickHeal   9.50   2008.02.22   -
ClamAV   0.92.1   2008.02.22   -
DrWeb   4.44.0.09170   2008.02.22   -
eSafe   7.0.15.0   2008.02.21   -
eTrust-Vet   31.3.5557   2008.02.23   -
Ewido   4.0   2008.02.22   -
FileAdvisor   1   2008.02.23   -
Fortinet   3.14.0.0   2008.02.22   -
F-Prot   4.4.2.54   2008.02.22   -
F-Secure   6.70.13260.0   2008.02.22   -
Ikarus   T3.1.1.20   2008.02.23   -
Kaspersky   7.0.0.125   2008.02.23   -
McAfee   5236   2008.02.22   -
Microsoft   1.3204   2008.02.23   -
NOD32v2   2897   2008.02.22   -
Norman   5.80.02   2008.02.22   -
Panda   9.0.0.4   2008.02.22   -
Prevx1   V2   2008.02.23   Generic.Malware
Rising   20.32.42.00   2008.02.22   -
Sophos   4.26.0   2008.02.23   -
Sunbelt   3.0.890.0   2008.02.22   -
Symantec   10   2008.02.23   -
TheHacker   6.2.9.227   2008.02.22   -
VBA32   3.12.6.1   2008.02.21   -
VirusBuster   4.3.26:9   2008.02.22   -
Webwasher-Gateway   6.6.2   2008.02.22   -

[Lisandro]

Most probably, a false positive...
What problem were you trying to solve to download and use FreeFixer?

[philly12]

no problem, just checking my already fixed comp.  I just thought it strange to see that it was flagged for being malware by prevx and wanted to get a better opinion. 

[CharleyO]

***

A few minutes ago, I downloaded and ran freefixer. Not much was found that I was not already aware of and nothing bad was found. It is an interesting program and helpful in that you can click on "more info" to access freefixer's database on each entry. I did find out some useful info on a couple of dll's, drivers, and such. I sure would not say this program could replace HJT but it could be very helpful.

One should be very careful when deleting with this program.


***

[polonus]

Hi philly12,

This is absolutely a False Positive, and this is the second time I have a thing with prevx, allthough it is a Dutch programme, it presented me with a FP of a rootkit as well ther other day (see my entry in the virus and worms section). I think prevx is finding these things to sell their paid version that can remove these threats. I have Freefixer on my comp from day one, it is from the makers of Kephyr, it is reliable and when you have informed information on its scan can be used very much like HijackThis or as deinstaller of crap entries (empty BHO etc, malware processes, dll's),
I am glad I have removed prevx,

polonus

[rdmaloyjr]

Hi Polonus,

Prevx CSI has not found anything on my computers, no fp, nothing.  I don't think it is deliberately  detecting fp's to sell it's products/services.  If it is, then why are there no fp's in my scans?

Have a great day!

[polonus]

Hi rdmaloyjr,

I did have these neither with the previous version of Prevx CSI, these irritation started after a recent download,

pol

[Lisandro]

Edited (sorry, wrong post).

[polonus]

Hi Tech,

You somehow got on the wrong foot here. Freefixer was not a False Positive found by avast but by Prevx, I'd never had avast alarm about this tool, and I have it on my comp since day one. There are some security programs that are more FP prone than others: a-squared is/was notorious, but you can have a FP or many in this version of a-squared, while the next update is without these altogether. Some av programs are notorious because of heuristics, DrWeb flagged RUBotted recently and they have a whole range of so-called riskware they flag, very unpractical as you have installed them yourselves. Avast does not have a very bad FP reputation, but can misinterpret scripts. But who or what is perfect in this world? As a rule of thumb always have this at the back of your mind when something is found, that you have to Google first, is this real or a False Positive? If you cannot make a decision come to this here forum and ask those that know,

polonus