Possible Virus?

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 05:35 PM

I was recently browsing /b/, and while trying to copy + paste a link from a seperate tab into the /b/ tab(I am a fan of tabbed browsing

), I accidentally copied a link from the /b/ tab into the search bar and hit enter(I am really out of it today

). Almost immediately, my faithful Microsoft Security Essentials detected something wrong with it(this thing is a

ing lifesaver sometimes) and I deleted it. About a minute later another bad thing appeared, and I deleted that too. Both were trojans.

Then a third one - a worm - came up and I "quarantined" it(it was the recommended thing to do, even though I wanted to delete it). That was about an hour ago. Since then I have restarted my computer(I was downloading updates via Windows Update) and now my Microsoft Security Essentials isn't starting. Seriously, I opened action center and tried to open it from there, but it isn't starting because it says "the Microsoft Security Essentials service cannot be started", or something like that.

Now, I've never had something like this happen before on this computer, and it's really worrying - after all, I update my computer's security every possible time I can, even if it's an optional update. Is it possible the quarantined worm somehow damaged or destroyed my computer security, or am I just getting worried over nothing?

Thanks in advance.

**Akar** · July 31, 2011, 05:52 PM

Just to be safe you should download Malwarebytes and run a full scan in Safe Mode.

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 05:53 PM

Danke, will try that now.

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 06:15 PM

Lol, two minutes into the scan I had 156 infected items

it's 11 minutes in now, still 156 infected items

I found a freaking motherload

but I still have a ways to go...>.>

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 06:39 PM

36 minutes in now, it's risen to 184 infected items.

**vimy** · July 31, 2011, 06:48 PM

dont be too worried, it is likly you only have regular comercial cookies, which most anti virus software scare you as virus like.

in the future, if your security finds a problem, right down the name of the virus and do a google search. this should give you links explaining what it is you got, (often its not a trojan etc but an important file you may want to keep). Just type in the name of the security threat and do a search, you should find links which detail the issue.

if it is however a virus, google should be able to identify it and different users probably already posted information on how to get rid of it.

consider getting a professional anti virus program, microsoft is minimum protection, i would not trust it. I like Norton's, but there are many to choose from. Everything microsoft makes is often the first thing that gets hacked, simply because they are the biggest, most important company in PC.

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 06:52 PM

But my security reported it as a Trojan, it gives details on what the problem is and what kind of virus it is, as well as the threat it poses to my computer(on a scale of "minimum" to "severe").

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 07:23 PM

now 80 minutes in and 190 infected items.

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 07:37 PM

Well, scan finished, 262 infected items, Akar, what do I do now?

**Dave Strider** · July 31, 2011, 10:28 PM

Okay, I deleted all the virus files, re-scanned and deleted the few that slipped through, and my tech guru uncle says he'll try to help me use system restore tomorrow. Thanks for the help, guys.

**Dave Strider** · August 01, 2011, 01:07 PM

Damn!

My tech guru uncle says I'm not able to use system restore because I don't have any restore points on my computer. Guys, do you have any solutions? He says my only two options are either to live with the virus or wipe my computer. Please tell me there's another way.

**Top-Tier-Tech** · August 01, 2011, 01:48 PM

I don't know why he is telling you you have to "live with the virus" when it has been removed. Technically there is no need to restore at this point as long as the scan is coming up clean. Although if I had a virus I'd re-install the OS out of principal rather than using a restore point.

So basically you can either trust malwarebytes that it is gone or you can back up your data and re-install the OS.

**Akar** · August 01, 2011, 07:41 PM

Sorry about not replying, forgot about this thread. What Top-Tier-Tech says is pretty much all you can do at this point. Though I would recommend creating a restore point, in case you get another virus. In addition to that, you could run Malwarebytes again just to be safe, if you don't believe that you killed the virus.

**Dave Strider** · August 02, 2011, 10:47 AM

The thing is, though, my uncle got a theory that the worm that caused this attached itself to my Microsoft Security Essentials. So when I quarantined it, I quarantined my security system.

Anyways I used system recovery, got my computer back to out-of-the-box condition, and installed a crapload of updates as well as Microsoft Security Essentials, my Uncle is gonna help me put this on some Restore Discs when he wakes up, so after that is done I just need to reinstall my games and I'll be set.

**Top-Tier-Tech** · August 02, 2011, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Chernov

The thing is, though, my uncle got a theory that the worm that caused this attached itself to my Microsoft Security Essentials. So when I quarantined it, I quarantined my security system.

I thought your uncle sounded a bit nutty before, but now...

Not that what he theorized makes any real sense but even if that was the case (I repeat, that wouldn't be likely at all) then I would have deleted MSE and run Malwarebytes again. I can't remember anything ever cropping up after Malwarebytes has run assuming it said it was able to successfully remove the problem. So if there is a choice between believing malwarebytes or your shady uncle I'd choose malwarebytes every time.

It certainly doesn't hurt to have re-installed your OS though. I would have done so myself if I had acquired something, just to be sure it is indeed gone.

**Dave Strider** · August 02, 2011, 11:41 AM

Well if I deleted the virus then why was I still unable to start MSE? And if I deleted MSE with the virus, then why, when I tried to install MSE again, did the installation say that MSE already existed on my computer?