Help!something called "Anti-Virus 360" is sending me Alarm Messages...How can I get rid of it?

[KoKo]

Started last night sending warnings and threats about my computer and I can't get rid of it. I've shut down and restarted the computer and it's still sending warnings. I Gooled to find a way to remove it and the sites listed want to scan my computer and sound bogus.

I use AVG Free and have AdaWare and Spybot which are all updated. This "Anti-Virus 360" has installed itself on my bottom toolbar and is mimicing my AVG by using the same color code.

How do I get rid of it! :banghead:

[mwb970]

1. Here's some info on Antivirus 360.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/remove-antivirus-360

[Bragi]

2. It's malware you need to remove

Here are removal instructions.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/remove-antivirus-360

[KoKo]

5. That site wants me to download "Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware" for 25 Bucks.

I checked out PC Magazine and their user reviewers gave it a thumbs down. Why can't I just remove it manually by finding the file? Are there instructions anywhere for that?

[hobbit709]

7. Go here, they have a free version and a pro version

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products.php
the free version works just fine.
It's hard to remove unless you know how to play with system files because it hides in about 20 different places on your system.

[KoKo]

10. Does this really remove it, easily? I don't know why my Spybot didn't get it...

I'm nervous about installing another program. Have you used "Malwarebytes?" yourself?

[hobbit709]

11. I have it running on all my computers that use Windoze

Have you updated Spybot Search and Destroy lately? I keep everything updated at least once a week.

[trotsky]

13. I have also used the Malwarebytes product.

As an IT professional, it's my #1 anti-malware tool. It removes crap that my previous favorites (SpyBot and Adaware) never even detected.

[KoKo]

29. Thanks to you and others who recommended it. It Worked! But it was fight to the death

with that "360" thing that tried to deny me downloading the Malwarebytes and tried to mess up the installation sending me "pornware links" in the middle of the download and the worst was a grey Microsoft Warning that "System is Unstable" and all kinds of other warnings. I checked the "Full Scan" in Malwarebytes and it started working underneath all the warnings that "360" kept putting up and even thought it took almost an hour for the Full Scan ...in the first 10 minutes the "Anti-Virus 360" stopped sending me the alerts and the two "Warning" icons it had placed in my toobar had disappeared.

I had 11 "infections" which it told me to delete and that the three it couldn't remove would be removed when rebooted my computer. So, far after the reboot things seem to be working fine and I don't seem to have any "missing drivers" or conflicts...at least so far..from the removal.

That "360" is some really nasty POS, though. It even installed itself in my "Start Program" and was sending me what looked like authentic Microsoft and AVG messages. I can't believe I haven't seen a warning about it anyware and that someone hasn't found the person who put it out there. Used to be that folks who created malicious programs like that would be hunted down or at least the Media would warn folks.

Anyway ...thanks. :-)'s

[trotsky]

33. Great to hear!

Yup, it is a never-ending arms race. They keep writing better (or "worse," as we'd call it) crap ware to keep you from removing it. They disguise their pop-ups to look more like real Windows ones, etc. Run that Malwarebytes program regularly - and if you haven't already tried it, give Mozilla Firefox a try for a browser. It (for now) is far less susceptible to malware. http://getfirefox.com

[KoKo]

35. I do use Firefox...and maybe that's why I've been lucky so far, until now...

but I have noticed those "pop-ups" that appear on pages of text are getting more and more numerous. Maybe that's where I got it from. I don't game or do the porn sites or chat stuff. Pretty much research articles from known places that's why I was surprised to get something that vicious that could disguise itself as Microsoft and AVG.. Weird.

[juno jones]

18. I use malwarebytes as well

the free version seems to work well.

If you are conversant enough with your files and registry, 'reanimator' has purged stuff when nothing else worked. I would also reccomend sites such as 'major geeks'. I've had people be so kind as to walk me thru the removal of several stubborn problems.

[Ganja Ninja]

19. I just had to use it on my work computer.

It works but you may have to reload windows and some drivers to get back to normal. Whatever you do don't use the pay site. It's likely a scam to get your credit card numbers.

[Jazzgirl]

23. What Trotsky said.

I actually liked it well enough to buy it but I have cleaned up many computers with antivirus "whatever" using it. The free version works just fine. Try it. You might have to download it from another clean computer though.

[Lucinda]

31. We have the freeware version of Malwarebytes. Love it!

[Posteritatis]

46. Malwarebytes is fantabulous

I keep Spybot around for the immunizations and the realtime protection that TeaTimer gets, but I use Malwarebytes for my nightly scan or whenever I think something got on my system. It catches stuff that Spybot won't anymore.

[madfloridian]

26. I don't see a free version there?

Or at least it does not specify it as such. What am I missing.

[hobbit709]

27. The Download Now button on the left

[high density]

9. The free version will remove it for you.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Just click the download button. Removing these things manually is often next to impossible, especially if you are coming here to ask other people for help.

[KoKo]

30. Thanks to you and others who gave the Link for the free download...It worked!

I posted above about how it worked.

[Renew Deal]

42. I've tried Malware Bytes before.

There is a free version. Only download it if you need to. I like Spybot Search and Destroy as well as Ad Aware. Spy Sweeper is good if you want to spend some money.

[MaraJade]

56. Malwarebyes free version is great

give it a try!

[Atman]

3. Get a Mac.

:hide:

Sorry, someone had to say it!

.

[hobbit709]

6. There's one in every crowd

Wait until the bastards start writing malware aimed at Macs-they are NOT secure at all.

[Ezlivin]

14. Different OS, different set of problems

The bastards can't write malware for the Mac because the underlying OS is different. Sure, there may be other problems, but malware is not one of them.

OS X is based upon Unix and Unix powers most of the computers on the internet. If it could be affected by malware it would have already been affected.

[hobbit709]

16. That's total BS

Nobody does it because there's no shock value. I know people who write code and they've done it-fortunately they're ethical about these things. ANY computer that connects to the outside is vulnerable-some more so than others but none of them are 100% secure.

[Ezlivin]

20. Shock value?

The reason that malware is doomed to fail on OS X is that the underlying OS is different.

Apple chose a secure software foundation and rigid platform control.

Mac OS X, on the other hand, never went through this same "we must be all things to all developers" evolution. It based its OS on a tried-and-true platform, the Berkeley Source Distribution version of Unix. The APIs into this system are few and well-publicized. BSD's security model is also both open source and well tested, having been used by educational, government, and commercial researchers for about 30 years. Yes, Apple made changes and extensions to the system, but they were done to make Mac OS X run well on Mac hardware, not a million different Frankensteinian combinations of hardware from thousands of different vendors. And in fact, Apple still exercises very tight control of its platform and operating system software by building in security features that prohibit Mac OS X from running on other Intel hardware, even though it quite easily could allow it.

The result: Mac OS X remains a much tougher nut to crack for malware developers. Why? There are actually a lot of reasons, but I'll stick with just my top three. Unlike Windows,

Mac OS X users don't run with administrator privileges. Until Windows Vista, almost every Windows user had all privileges to install and modify their OS at all times. Mac OS X, on the other hand, always has users run without such privileges. That means you have to type a password to install or change any critical system software. That minimizes the damage that Web- or email-based malware can do. And unlike Windows, there is no compatibility requirement for ActiveX binary code insertion into the user or kernel environment via the Web in Mac OS X.

Mac OS X has less spaghetti code. Ask any security guru and he or she will tell you: a simpler software model is easier to secure than a complex one. Any Unix has only about 200 entry points into the secure kernel environment. And while there are many libraries in the Mac OS X system, most of those don't have enough privileges to do anything really bad (see bullet point above). For a nice graphical comparison of the relatively low complexity of Linux (not the same as Unix, but similar in security philosophy) compared with the high complexity and threat profile Windows, see these lovely charts.

Mac OS X mail doesn't automatically run attachments.One of the poorest security decisions that Microsoft made was that back in 2000 or so, it configured its Outlook and Outlook Express mail systems to automatically execute script code on incoming HTML email without any user action required. This was one of the big vectors for virus proliferation earlier this decade. Microsoft has since patched that problem, but it remains a headache for the entire Microsoft ecosystem because unpatched systems still exist. Meanwhile, Apple mail systems have never run attachments or HTML code automatically, so this very common vector for virus transmission just doesn't exist in the Apple world.

Apple can actively manage and verify its hardware Apple doesn't need to sacrifice security for compatibility with a million different hardware configurations. In fact, as we've seen in its latest Leopard launch, Apple actively prunes the number of hardware configurations it supports. And Apple has demonstrated with its iPhone that it is no stranger to locking down its hardware/software products to guarantee a good user experience. As a result, Apple doesn't have to provide insecure compatibility interfaces for old hardware or software systems -- and therefore can minimize its threat exposure.

Taken from The Mac OS X Malware Myth Continues.

[hobbit709]

22. Just keep on believing that.

[Ezlivin]

40. It's served me well these past 25 years

No malware, no viruses, no worms.

[Atman]

47. Shock value? That's laughable on its face!

There is no "shock value" at all in writing a virus for Windows. Hell, a kid can do it. And they do! But I promise you, the first person who successfully gets a Mac virus into mass distribution will find out what "shock value" is all about. THAT would be news. A virus on a Windows machine is not only not news, it's practically a given.

.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. We had a RUMOR of one what seven months ago

and it wasn't

I run a virus checker (free) on mine what once in a while...

Now the vista machine... lets not go there

[mod mom]

38. my thoughts exactly!

[radfringe]

4. my partner managed to infect our desktop with it last year

had to send it to neighbor computer geek to get rid of it. Also my lap top a day later - I let her use it while the desktop was being disinfected, and she managed to go the same site that loaded the freaking malware up again

[KoKo]

8. I can't figure out where I got it from... I've been lucky so far and never had anything like

this infect my computer and my searches haven't found a reliable fix. Sounds like a bunch of sites wanting me to download a "fix" that might be as bad as the original. :grr: I'm hoping one of our whiz DU'ers can give me some reliable fix.

[hobbit709]

12. When you get one of those popups

NEVER click on it. There's a lot of drive-by malware out there now. All you have to do is move your mouse over something on an infected webpage and it will pop up.

[NashVegas]

24. The New Generation of Malware Pop-ups That Look Like Legitimate MS Alert Messeages

Are nasty to unsophisticated users.

[KoKo]

37. One of it's many "warnings" was to tell me to click on Microsoft "I.Q. Test" that

was an ad I saw pop up on DU a few days ago. Another was somekind of porn thing that it started to push along with warnings all over the screen that I had something called "Monster Virus" and then gave me a list complete with authentic looking Microsoft Security Alert Screen that listed all the places that I had their "so-called virus/malware" in my computer along with the dire warnings that I couldn't "x" out of easily to download "360" with a registration authentication and all kinds of crap.

I'm posting in case anyone else gets it and just to warn to keep hitting "ingnore" or try to keep "x-ing out" until you can get some help. Every time you clicked out, though a couple more warnings would pop up. It was like being stuck in a fire ant bed...the more you beat them off the more they kept coming.

[Trajan]

17. In many cases ....

Such 'anti-malware' applications are written by the VERY SAME persons who created the malware itself ...

Like a fireman who wants to be the hero, they are the one's 'lighting the fire' by infecting your machine, and then they 'come to the rescue' by offering a $25 product to get rid of it ...

How convenient ....

My son has had an 'anti-virus' bug stuck in quarantine for over a year now .... We cant get rid of it, but we were able to disable it, at least superficially ...

[Junkdrawer]

15. YouTube removal instructions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qq_ZL7XQOw

These programs are referenced:

http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2004-112210-3747-99

http://vundofix.atribune.org/

[peacetalksforall]

21. Thanks for the links. I watched a little of the youtube one, for now, and the first product

referenced for removal is Avast - which I have (the free one). I notice no one ever talks about Avast. Someone recommended it to me. I've had a few alarms go off - more so for e-mail. It immediately shows a window that allows me to click delete. This is a great step, imo, as I despise programs that are supposed to be helping me, but instead take over and I don't know if the problem is getting worse or whether I was duped further. Especially, when the product I'm using is not exactly a household name. So far, I can endorse Avast.

I envy all you people who know how to interpret all this stuff.

I keep looking for a class at a Community College or someplace that just covers security for the beginners like me - haven't found one yet and I'm in/near a big city.

[Sebastian Doyle]

49. Avast is good, if you're just looking for a stand alone A/V program.

Most people seem to go with the "internet security suites" now though, and I don't believe Avast has that yet. You can always run a separate firewall program, but it might eat up more resources to have them both running in the background.

[lildreamer316]

55. I have Avast, Malwarebytes and Spybot.

Have not had many problems at all (unless I forgot to clean regularly or dl'd something I did not check first - user error!!)

[KoKo]

34. The Malwarebytes Program worked great. But, thanks and

I'll check the You Tubes out for more info, though. That "360" is one nasty piece of work. It would have scared the hell out of any new user who thought they had to pay "360" to remove it and I'm not that computer literate but managed to do a Google to find out it was Malware before I downloaded anything. As it was...it was already in my computer and spreading as I kept "X'ing Out" it got more persistent. I was glad to be able to fight it back enough to post for help here on DU. Folks here are so great with computer help...they've saved me before but nothing has been as bad as this "360" thing.

:hi:

[tnlurker]

25. I may need this later

[L0oniX]

28. Go to Kaspersky and down load the latest version which is good for 30 days...

then at 30 days buy a 1 year key on Ebay for $10. Kaspersky is the the best avp and is the hacker and warez'rs choice and has been for years. I've had no infections or break ins for over 15 years.

http://usa.kaspersky.com/trials/home-users/anti-virus/

[snooper2]

32. Go to a DOS prompt

type

format C:\

It will ask you if you really want to do this...

type yes


:)

[KoKo]

39. Huh? That somehow doesn't sound very wise. The "Malware" free program worked., great.

:shrug:

[Renew Deal]

43. It will work.

Maybe not the way you expect, but you'll be virus free.

[KoKo]

44. I'll probably be free of the ability to use my computer again, too...

:D

[Renew Deal]

45. As Bush would say... You'll be liberated!

:evilgrin:

[Sebastian Doyle]

50. Nah, your computer will be just fine.

Well, the hardware anyway. :)

[KoKo]

52. Yeah...Right...I'm surprised that fellow DU'ers would be THRILLED at recommending

fellow DU'ers advice that would make their Computers Invalid. It's sort of "Enemy takes hold of Enemy" on a "Political Site," .......Fight to the Death. It's kind of sad...:-(

[tkmorris]

58. Don't do that. It's not funny

Not everyone is computer savvy enough to understand just how bad an idea that is, that you are "joking". Someone who doesn't know better might actually be desperate enough to try that without knowing better.

For anyone who doesn't get it, snooper2's advice is equivalent to suggesting that someone with a migraine shoot themselves in the face to cure it.

[ima_sinnic]

36. I had one very similar and highly HIGHLY recommend Avast antivirus

I went through a similar rigamarole as you with a self-installed ugly malware, actually a worm, FakeAlert, that kept popping up a warning in a very "official-looking" "Windows" message and saying it was about to install antivirus -- NOTE: WINDOWS WILL NEVER OFFER TO INSTALL AN ANITVIRUS PROGRAM. Never fall for those. Never click on the messages, and don't even hover over their source (a red spot with a white X that installed itself on my taskbar, like a big zit).

I got it after carelessly clicking on a link in google that I should have recognized from the listing as one of those "empty" sites that is nothing but a lot of meaningless or pointless text--I had also stupidly forgotten to enable my Windows firewall after downloading a program -- my "geek" brother recommended Avast after he had gone as far as he could, and after AdAware found basically nothing --- Avast found 33 bad files on the first run, and a few more on 2 subsequent runs.

I think AdAware has had its day. It is just not up to these new very deeply penetrating malware and worms. It was excellent a few years ago, but is not powerful or up to date enough. I get a brief announcement from Avast almost every day that the virus database has been updated.

on edit: meant to say--Avast has a free Home Edition.

[KoKo]

53. interesting what you say....I'll check that program out. n/t

[Fire1]

41. My husband's business is repairing and building computers and

when I got that message, he told me not to open it, because "it is a virus, itself." Hope you didn't. After ignoring and closing it a couple of times, it has not returned.

[TWiley]

48. Do not download any "codec's" so you can watch video's

That is how many are transfered. It is a trap. If you have anti-virus software, they will probably remove it for you for a fee. Just go to their website, and chat with a tech.

[PowerToThePeople]

51. http://www.linux.com/ n/t

[lildreamer316]

54. MALWAREBYTES !!!

EVERYONE (on windowz) should have this.
It is free and absolutely wonderful for catching stuff.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/