I Need Help

[EMO_of_LiGHT]

Ok, so I turn on my pc today, go on the internet like any other day, Avenged Sevenfold playing in the backround. Suddenly, internet explorer blocks the sight as "unsafe" and tells me to get Antivirus 360 to make it all better. Well I download this thing, and it shows me thirty-something spyware/virus things that none of my other security systems have ever showed me, but it won't let me fix the darn things unless I start paying them. I tried to get rid of the the thing, since 70% of the sites I go on are getting blocked, includeing this one, and it's a major pain to keep sneaking around the block. I can't even delete the damn antivirus that's causeing this stuff. As the Escapist has some of the best and craziest people in the world logged on, I am turning to you guys to help me with this. Thank you for your time.

 

[ellimist337]

Well, first of all, I would recommend Firefox as a replacement for IE. Second of all, you have gone to the Control Panel to uninstall, right? You're not going some other place? Delete all of it that you can. End whatever processes it's running in Task Manager. Lastly, never use an antivirus recommended by a pop-up. There are tons of free, quality antivirus programs.

 

[EMO_of_LiGHT]

Ya, I tried to uninstall it, my PC asks if it was me that started this, I say yes it was, it denies my right to delete it.

 

[Kriegsherr]

You've got spyware/malware on your PC. Look around for other programs such as Avast which should get rid of most, if not all of it. As a last resort you could always back up all of your stuff and then format and reinstall Windows. The malware installed is trying to get you to download this fake program which installs even more spy and malware onto your PC. When you get programs and popups claming to be from Windows for tools called Antivirus 07/08/09 or whatever, they're not actual antivirus programs and Windows/Microsoft would never install programs on your PC to promote tools such as this through popups and Windows alerts. The internet is full of crafty bastards like that.

 

[EMO_of_LiGHT]

Crap, I just found out that it's scareware, it's trying to scare me into paying them. Unfortunately, it still blocks my internet, and makes it slower, and interupts my games. I'm not paying them, they can't get my info, but I need to get rid of them.

 

[Berethond]

Just use CMD window to delete it.
Type "HELP" into your CMD window and it can tell you how.

 

[Portkins]

Get Opera! Don't fall into the Firefox! IT EATS UP A WHOLE 100MB OF RAM!

FIREFOX - NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE

 

[ChocoCake]

This post [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.78290.971523] outlines my view on this issue.

Get Opera! Don't fall into the Firefox! IT EATS UP A WHOLE 100MB OF RAM!

FIREFOX - NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE

This is also a good piece of advice. Opera is so much better than Firefox.

As to getting rid of the program just manually delete it. This can be done in numerous ways, such as "Add/Remove Programs" in Control Panel, CMD, and the handy delete key. Just hunt it down and click away.

 

[Actual]

Hey Emo_of_light,

It sounds like the program you installed was a very malicious piece of ad-ware. In future only install things you know to be safe or that are recommended by someone you trust.

Saying that I'm going to give some suggestions

I've had adware before and it's a pain to get rid of, a good idea is to get an anti spyware program to augment your anti-virus, normally going to a reputable site like download.com and browsing through the ones available there is a good bet. I use 'Spybot -Search and destroy' and have been very happy with it (it's free btw) but I won't be upset if you choose something else.

If you don't have another computer to plug your harddrive into as a slave then you could try booting the PC up in safe mode and running full anti virus and spyware scans. Be warned this could take hoooooouuuurs depending on how big your hardrives are.

And be more careful in future noob

EDIT: are you using windows Vista? It can be a pain about permissions for deleting files, or it could just be the spyware protecting itself.

 

[Spleeni]

Ok, so I turn on my pc today, go on the internet like any other day, Avenged Sevenfold playing in the backround. Suddenly, internet explorer blocks the sight as "unsafe" and tells me to get Antivirus 360 to make it all better. Well I download this thing, and it shows me thirty-something spyware/virus things that none of my other security systems have ever showed me, but it won't let me fix the darn things unless I start paying them. I tried to get rid of the the thing, since 70% of the sites I go on are getting blocked, includeing this one, and it's a major pain to keep sneaking around the block. I can't even delete the damn antivirus that's causeing this stuff. As the Escapist has some of the best and craziest people in the world logged on, I am turning to you guys to help me with this. Thank you for your time.

Oh, no.
NO!

NO!!!!!

You've just described the exact same sort of virius that wiped my last machine. You have to get a decent anti-virus NOW, and get rid of Antivirus 360 ASAP.

Prepare for a gigantic headache, you may have to wipe the machine.

 

[101194]

Ow god no... I had this happen...The Crazy fuckers try to con you into buying shit you don't need and they will continue to fuck with your computer, I ignore that shit and Use AVG Free 8.0 Its free and works better. Hopefully your Comp won't be fucked over. You need to get the Scareware off your comp before it Intergrates into Trojan Horse.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Whenever I find myself wanting to or needing to get anything in the from of an Executeable, (especially AntiViral programs), I search them on the internet. Typically if it's good, it's on Wikipedia, and will have some nice words about it. If nothing but ad websites come up, it's more searching for this guy.
Also, whenever I download ANYTHING, I download it to a file on my C drive so that when Firefox finishes downloading it and scanning it, I scan it again with my AntiVirus Program before opening it, regardless of what it is, from small TXTs to Giant ISOs.

 

[sneakypenguin]

This post [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.78290.971523] outlines my view on this issue.

Get Opera! Don't fall into the Firefox! IT EATS UP A WHOLE 100MB OF RAM!

FIREFOX - NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE

This is also a good piece of advice. Opera is so much better than Firefox.

As to getting rid of the program just manually delete it. This can be done in numerous ways, such as "Add/Remove Programs" in Control Panel, CMD, and the handy delete key. Just hunt it down and click away.

I have converted from FF to Chrome, FF was killing me in the ram dept. chrome has also been faster than Opera for me. FF 2 i will still use off and on.