problems with my new avast internet security 7

[jeffce]

oh, jeffce, the norton icon is gone !!  yea !!!  disappeared yesterday.

uninstalled adobe, no problems.  installed foxit reader, awesome !!!!  no bugs, no viruses, so far avast says i'm good.  haven't run malwarebytes since you had me get the last log file.

Great!!  Glad to hear! 

As for the Revo conversation I think I should apologize for opening that can of worms.  LOL!!  When I had you run Revo it was only after using the normal uninstall procedures as well as the separate uninstall tool both of which had failed.  I agree with DavidR about using the tool on non-security programs and only after the normal uninstall procedures have failed to remove all parts. 


Providing there are no other malware related problems...

IT APPEARS THAT YOUR LOGS ARE NOW CLEAN   SO LETS DO A COUPLE OF THINGS TO WRAP THIS UP!!

This infection appears to have been cleaned, but I can not give you any absolute guarantees.  As a precaution, I would go ahead and change all of your passwords as this is especially important after an infection.
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Clean up with OTL:

• Double-click OTL.exe to start the program.
  
• Close all other programs apart from OTL as this step will require a reboot
• On the OTL main screen, press the CLEANUP button
  
• Say Yes to the prompt and then allow the program to reboot your computer.
  

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Any of the logs that you created for use in the forums or remaining tools that have not yet been removed can be deleted so they aren't cluttering up your desktop.

Here are some tips to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future:

1. Make your Internet Explorer more secure - This can be done by following these simple instructions:

• From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
  
• Click once on the Security tab
  
• Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
  
• Click once on the Custom Level button.
  
• Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt
  
• Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable
  
• Change the Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable
  
• Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
  
• Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
  
• Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
  
• When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
  
• If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
  
• Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.

2. Enable Protected Mode in Internet Explorer.  This helps Windows Vista users stay more protected from attack by running Internet Explorer with restricted privileges as well as reducing the ability to write, alter or destroy data on your system or install malicious code.  To make sure this is running follow these steps:

• Open Internet Explorer
  
• Click on Tools > Internet Options
  
• Press Security tab
  
• Select Internet zone then place check next to Enable Protected Mode if not already done
  
• Do the same for Local Intranet, Trusted Sites and Restricted Sites and then press Apply
  
• Restart Internet Explorer and in the bottom right corner of your screen you will see Protected Mode: On showing you it is enabled.

3. Use and update an anti-virus software - I can not overemphasize the need for you to use and update your anti-virus application on a regular basis.  With the ever increasing number of new variants of malware arriving on the scene daily, you become very susceptible to an attack without updated protection.

4. Firewall
Using a third-party firewall will allow you to give/deny access for applications that want to go online. Without a firewall your computer is susceptible to being hacked and taken over. Simply using a firewall in its default configuration can lower your risk greatly.  A tutorial on firewalls can be found here[/color].  **There are firewalls listed in this tutorial that could be downloaded and used but I would personally only recommend using one of the following two below:
Online Armor Free
Agnitum Outpost Firewall Free

5. Make sure you keep your Windows OS current.  Windows XP users can visit Windows update   regularly to download and install any critical updates and service packs. Windows Vista/7 users can open the Start menu > All Programs > Windows Update > Check for Updates (in left hand task pane) to update these systems.  Without these you are leaving the back door open.

6. WOT (Web of Trust) As "Googling" is such an integral part of internet life, this free browser add on warns you about risky websites that try to scam visitors, deliver malware or send spam. It is especially helpful when browsing or searching in unfamiliar territory. WOT's color-coded icons show you ratings for 21 million websites, helping you avoid the dangerous sites.  WOT has an add-on available for Firefox, Internet Explorer as well as Google Chrome.

7.Finally, I strongly recommend that you read TonyKlein's good advice So how did I get infected in the first place?
 
Please reply to this thread once more if you are satisfied so that we can mark the problem as resolved.

[bambibear]

ok, long list, but i don't mind.  i 'll write down what i have to do, since most is done off-line.  will be back in about 3 hours to make my list here.  will advise when all my rasks are complete.  lol mchain, lol tech, lol davidr, lol jeffce, & to anybody i forgot, lol (lots of love, hugs included) to you.

[mchain]

@ bambibear,

Well, seeing as to how you now are in the home stretch, I have to say you've done a great job.  Basically, you are now at the point of seeing how your system is running, and letting all of us know when/if all is good.  Running with normal usage for a few days or a week or so should suffice.

If you have the option of setting up some restore discs for Windows 7, and have yet to have done this, might be a good idea?  Otherwise use a good drive imaging program to back up to an external USB drive might save you the hard work/hassle of ever having to do this again.

Here: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-drive-imaging-program.htm   We will, of course, be happy to recommend a good choice for you if the number of choices is daunting.  Just be aware that most of these programs will restore your system back to a time and date when your system was last known to be clean, and consequently any documents or files made since the last backup will be lost.  Backing up newer files on a routine basis will, of course, prevent the loss of files you want to keep.

As a side benefit, restoring from a known good drive image will mean you recover from disaster in minutes instead of days. 

As jeffce is the main player here, I view my role here to be supportive.  I certainly will not ever attempt to clean a system as jeffce has, as that would require extensive certification and training and knowledge I do not have.  I've been keeping an eye here, and helping where I can.

Glad to help.

Super job!     

[bambibear]

ok, ready to start with step one here.  sorry i'm late.

mchain, i've never had a backup of the windows 7, i don't think.  hp does have a backup for files.  can i do the windows 7 backup to a cd ot dvd ?  how do i back up my system or windows 7, just in case ?  thank you.  i'll be back after i do the OTL.

[bambibear]

hi.  i'm doing a system image on dvd's right now, then i'm going to do a system repair disk.  i hope these are my windows 7 backups needed, just in case.

ran OTL, still have all the programs installed per instructions, got rid of the log files.  ran disk cleaner & restarted.

[bambibear]

  hi there..OTL, done.  still have all the programs from here on the desktop.  got rid of all the log files. 

finally finished getting the system image dvd's done at 1 a.m., then it did a system boot dvd.  did i do those right ?

all but 1 internet settings were alreadt done that way.  however, i can't see the protected mode icon.  it's no big deal.

virus & spyware--avast internet security.  it's doing it's own updates, love it when it talks to me.  scared ma yesterday as she hadn't heard it.

firewall 3rd party--cnet must've had some major problems yesterday & today.  just now, 3:36 p.m., i'm getting the online armor firewall right now, finally.  nothing in CNET worked.  been using CNET & PSI secunia since they were born, 2 great products.

update for windows, irt also does this automatically, but i still check.

WOT--love this thing.  so far all areas are green, no reds or yellows yet.

now i am running windows 7 home edition;  64 bit.  browser--IE9.  i looked at firefox, google chrome & opera.  what is the best browser for my windows 7 ?  google chrome does have a beta right now, & my businesses have some google connections.  when ma & i had commodo, all we got was trijans, worms, malware, rootkits, etc.  don't ever use commodo of anything. 

no viruses this morning.  slow starting from i guess virus updates.

do i need to get any of the spyware protectors mentioned in "how did i get infected "?

have a great day.  time to go get vegies from my garden.

[YoKenny]

now i am running windows 7 home edition;  64 bit.  browser--IE9.  i looked at firefox, google chrome & opera.  what is the best browser for my windows 7 ? 

I would stick with IE9.

do i need to get any of the spyware protectors mentioned in "how did i get infected "?

Malwarebytes MBAM is good to have as well as WinPatrol.

[jeffce]

Great job!!  Sounds like you have it all well handled. 

what is the best browser for my windows 7 ?

I think that it is personal preference.  I am a huge Google Chrome user myself but Firefox and IE are fine as well.

Malwarebytes I recommend everyone have...other programs (besides your antivirus program) are at your own discretion. 

[bambibear]

hi.  i had problems with the 1st firewall, deleted it & rebooted.  there is a firewall i really like & someone uses it with avast, PrivateFirewall.  also in cnet.  the other 2 don't work with my windows 7, this one does.  but, it has it's own malware defense, will it go with malwarebytes ?  if so, i'll get the PrivateFirewall, as it also has some good comments (can't please every one).  i think it sounds like a great 3rd party firewall.  let me know.

hi YoKenny.   the reason i asked about the browser, was the article i read menrtoned firefox.  but i kinda am used to the new IE9 now, hated IE8.

[jeffce]

PrivateFirewall.  also in cnet.  the other 2 don't work with my windows 7, this one does.  but, it has it's own malware defense, will it go with malwarebytes ?  if so, i'll get the PrivateFirewall

I think that you will be just fine. 

[!Donovan]

With Firefox you can have a slick interface.

And you have the option of NoScript.


Edit: The graphics are so epic that I had to convert to jpg before I could post under the 192kb max file limit.

[bambibear]

hi again jeffce & !donovan. 

ok, i'm gonna get the personalfirewall, i like it's home page with all the info.  great part is it stops thise dumb hackers !!!  super cool !!  ok, this 53 year old woman i guess shouldn't say super cool.  ok, awesome !!

!donovan, yea that's what i liked about the firefox.

when i had commodo for 1 month, but paid for a year, viruses non stop.  got google chrome, laptop wouldn't start up, & when it did it crashed.  never have had firefox.  always, well almost always, had IE. 

will be back after i get the persomnalfirewall.  oh, & it's super great for my businesses besides me, double awesome !!

[bambibear]

personalfirewall working great.  no problems after restart.  had to turn off malwarebytes & avast so it could install, butno conflicts anywhere.  still have avast & malwarebytes.  just some fyi for you guys.

[mchain]

Hi bambibear,

The minimum number of posts to create a user profile is twenty.  You easily have more than that. 

My sig is below my post, just to give you an idea or two.  Sig is, of course, entirely optional.

Happy for you.   

EDIT:  I always go to the vendor site for an original program download, then I go to file hippo for any updates.  Here:  http://www.filehippo.com/  Never use C|net for anything. 

Don't overdo installing new programs; get only what you need.  Installing a new program can upset everything and then you have to recover, so...

[bambibear]

hi mchain.  you lost me.  what is a"sig, the thing that's optional"?  oh, you mean the last post ?  did i say something wrong ?  sorry if i did.  thank you mchain, for finding the right people to fix my system.