Click here to scan your computer for viruses.

If your system is infected with a virus or other malicious software you will likely have noticed some of the following symptoms: exceedingly slow response times, pop-up ads even when not connected to the internet, mysterious crashes, error messages, freezes or changes to your preferences on both your operating system and Internet browser like new tool bars that you didn’t install or a new home page.

The first thing you should do is run a virus scan. In addition to viruses or malware, there are other causes of computer problems. If your system is running slow it is possible that you have too many applications running at once or if your system is slow to respond or freezing it is possible that it is running too hot and that you need to ensure that your fans are working. Viruses attack files and folders, not hardware, so your computer components should still operate even with a virus.

If you have done some troubleshooting, tried rebooting your system or restarting your modem to check the Internet connection and are still having problems than it might be a corrupted file. If you recently downloaded a software program and the problem could be a program execution error try uninstalling the program and see if that takes care of your problem.

If you still have problems then its possible you have a virus or other malware infection. If you frequently download files through peer to peer sharing sites like KaZaA and Limewire, click unknown links in emails or IM messages, download software from free sites, share USB sticks or other removable file devices or run questionable or .exe file extensions that you receive by email then you have significantly increased your chances of infection.

Your next step is to check which programs are currently running by launching Task Manager. However, it is an even better idea to run the free ProcessScanner service, available online that is certified by Microsoft since many viruses can get around Task Manager. Checking the programs your system is running and assessing the risks will help determine if there is anything unusual being performed.

The next step is to check the list of programs that your computer is set to launch automatically when it starts up. Many malware programs are designed to hide in this list and boot automatically when your system does. For this process click on the Run command in the Start menu and type msconfig.

In addition to these programs that are included with your computer’s operating system there are also a number of online virus scan software programs and commercial products available on the market. Installing a virus scan on your computer is a good way to secure your system. Antivirus software can detect, isolate and delete infected files, usually before they do too much damage. Even with the latest virus protection it is important to check frequently for updates as hackers and virus writers are producing as many as 200 new viruses each month!

If these steps fail to solve your problem the last resort is to format the hard disk, deleting the entire system and reinstalling the operating system. In this case you will lose your data saved to the hard disk so keeping back up files of important or irreplaceable data is a great idea.

Click here to scan your system for viruses and other potential threats

Like a biological virus, a computer virus infects its host and spreads throughout the body. In this case an infected file accesses a computer and spreads throughout the system to other files and folders.

The term ‘computer virus’ is commonly used to refer to any malicious or destructive programs including worms, Trojans, spyware and adware. While all malicious software does, in a sense, ‘infect’ a computer, a virus is a specific type of software that has specific patterns of behaviour.

Computer viruses are transmitted from system to system through the exchange of infected files or folders. Infected files are downloaded, either from a website or as an email attachment, in the guise of harmless files. Once the file is opened the virus is programmed to self-execute and infect the system. Viruses also spread through the exchange of infected files in external devices like floppy disks, cds and USB ports.

Once a virus is unleashed in a computer it takes over, self-replicating, spreading its code, taking over files and folders, and gradually destroying the system. Computer viruses result in damaged files, inaccessible data or programs, sporadic and unpredictable computer function and eventually inoperable systems.

In addition to spreading throughout the system and contaminating files, some computer viruses have an additional ‘destructive payload’, executed when the user unwittingly issues a preset command.

Some viruses infect computer systems corrupting code and causing a wide range of symptoms including slow response times, failure to open programs, freezing during commands, and eventually failure to boot up at all. Some viruses can damage programs, delete files and even reformat the hard disk.

There are a few reasons why people might write computer viruses. Like vandalism or arson, creating public mayhem through viruses may seem very exciting. Maybe it’s a thrill or an ego boost to design a virus that holds large numbers of people, as well as powerful corporations and government agencies in your control.

Some programmers might perceive writing viruses as a technological challenge in a war against the computer establishment. If people adept at programming are excluded from or at odds with conventional computer software design, or feel threatened by the power of major computer corporations, without a productive outlet this angry or thrill-seeking energy can result in programming viruses. As long as people write viruses corporations like Microsoft have to devote time and money to combating them. Or maybe people write them just to see if they can.

Antivirus software can help you secure your system against potential threats. Scanning your system and checking new files, the software identifies and isolates or deletes infected files. Often operating systems are equipped with built in virus scans that monitor and check files before they are opened. The antivirus software works by comparing the code content of the attached file against a registry of known virus codes so it is important to update your security software frequently. Scans can either be preset to run at periodic interval or be initiated manually as commanded by the user.

Click here to scan your system for malware protector 2008, viruses and other potential threats

MalwareProtector2008 is classified as a medium risk. It affects most, if not all, Windows operating systems and reports false or exaggerated system security threats in order to confuse the user and infect the system.

MalwareProtector2008 is a computer virus. The virus works by telling the user that their system is at risk from malware; spyware and adware, and prompts the user to buy the software program clone that it uses as a decoy. The application then threatens to re-infect the system if the user attempts to uninstall the application.

When the program is executed it creates files on the system and then deletes the application installer. Next, the virus creates a registry entry to program it to execute whenever Windows starts.

There are four straight forward steps to remove this virus from your computer.

First, disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP) Since the MalwareProtector2008 virus spreads every time Windows is launched, and System Restore is enabled by default to restore destroyed files if they are damaged, if the virus has infected files System Restore may repair and relaunch the infected files, spreading the virus.

Windows is programmed to protect System Restore from outside sources so antivirus software can’t remove threats that are already in the System Restore folder. So it is important that System Restore is free of infected files or they may be restored and the virus could be re-launched even after the rest of the computer has been cleaned.

Once you have turned off System Restore the next step is to update your virus definitions. MalwareProtector2008 has been added to the Symantec and Norton virus dictionaries.

Depending on the antivirus security program you run on your computer you can either access updates daily or weekly by running LiveUpdate or you can download the definitions using the Intelligent Updater where updates are posted daily. The Intelligent Updater is available through the Symantec Security Response Web site.

Next, using your updated antivirus software, run a full system scan. Ensure that the program is set to scan all files and, if any infected files are detected, follow the instructions displayed by your antivirus program to remove them.

It is important to note that if you are unable to run your antivirus product or if it reports that it can’t delete an infected file you may need to run the scan in Safe mode. For detailed instructions on how to start your computer in Safe mode use the Microsoft or Symantec Support pages.

After the files are deleted restart the computer in Safe mode. Since the virus isn’t completely removed yet, warning messages may be displayed at this point. They can be ignored and won’t reappear once the process is complete.

Lastly, remove the value from the registry. At this point it is important that you back up the registry before making any changes as they can result in permanent data loss and be sure to only modify the specified subkeys.

If the registry editor fails to open there is a tool to download via Security Response to resolve the problem.

Once in the registry editor:

1. click Start >Run
2. type regedit
3. click OK
4. Navigate to and delete the following registry entries:

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\”SMshcev9j0e1b1″ = “C:\Program Files\shcev9j0e1b1\shcev9j0e1b1.exe”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\shcev9j0e1b1\”DisplayName” = “MProtector”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\shcev9j0e1b1\”UninstallString” = “C:\Program Files\shcev9j0e1b1\uninstall.exe”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”RegistrationUrl” = “http://www.malwareprotector2008.com/buy/”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”RegistrationDiscUrl” = “http://www.malwareprotector2008.com/purchase/”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ADVid” = “”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”" = “C:\Program Files\shcev9j0e1b1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”InstallDir” = “C:\Program Files\shcev9j0e1b1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”domain” = “malwareprotector2008.com”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”SoftID” = “MProtector”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”DatabaseVersion” = “2.1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ProgramVersion” = “2.1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”EngineVersion” = “2.1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”GuiVersion” = “2.1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ProxyName” = “”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ProxyPort” = “0″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ScanPriority” = “1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”DaysInterval” = “7″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ScanDepth” = “2″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”ScanSystemOnStartup” = “1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”AutomaticallyUpdates” = “1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”MinimizeOnStart” = “0″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”BackgroundScan” = “1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”BackgroundScanTimeout” = “1″

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”MGuid” = “{0DB56EFC-EE39-447F-94AB-73409F51AC2E}”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”InstallationID” = “{F2D62961-6358-4CCF-B806-7664421D16B2}”

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\shcev9j0e1b1\”LastTimeStamp” = “B8″

* HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1172441840-534431857-1906119351-500\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache\”C:\Program Files\shcev9j0e1b1\shcev9j0e1b1.exe” = “shcev9j0e1b1″

Finally, exit the registry editor. And you should be clean!

Click here to scan your system for viruses and other potential threats

Computer viruses are no fun.  In fact, they can really wreak havoc with our computer systems, causing slow-running or incorrectly functioning computers and even computer crashes.  Here are a few ideas you can use to keep from “catching” one:

Get a good anti-virus program.  Many excellent programs are available today which can help keep your computer safe from viruses. Some even offer basic anti-virus protection free.

Be sure your anti-virus program receives regular updates. This will ensure that all the latest known viruses are covered.

Be sure your internet provider offers online protection. In addition to careless handling of incoming e-mail, surfing the net seriously increases our threat of becoming victims of computer viruses.

Never click a link inside an e-mail-particularly if the e-mail isn’t from someone you know and trust. To see where a link will take you if clicked, lightly pass your cursor over the link and look in the left corner of the status bar at the bottom of your screen. If the URL you see there looks suspicious, it probably leads to an unsafe site.

Never open an e-mail attachment from someone who isn’t 100% credible. Unless you know and trust the person and are absolutely certain the e-mail is from that individual, leave the attachment unopened.

Never download anything from a website you aren’t absolutely sure is trustworthy, and be sure you are really on the site you think you are before initiating the download.  Do this by right-clicking anywhere on the web page and then clicking “Properties.” The window that opens will tell you the real name and URL of the site you’re on.

Taking these precautions can help keep your computer safe from viruses.

Jeanne Dininni

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Do viruses have specifically defined device drivers?

Computer viruses typically arrive at your computer via another program or document that you have downloaded or transferred from another location. They are often piggybacked along with emails or document files as a method of infecting a computer easily and quickly, usually without your knowledge. Viruses can create problems for a computer or they can destroy a computer completely.

In fact, many viruses are more than capable of copying themselves silently and effortlessly. Furthermore, a computer user can unwittingly transfer a virus from one computer to another by carrying it on a CD, floppy, or USB drive. Viruses can also be transmitted when a networked computer accesses an infected file system.

Viruses can completely reformat a hard drive. They can also damage programs to the point of destroying their ability to function. Plus, viruses have been known to delete files or cause other disruptive problems. Viruses typically imbed themselves into existing programs on the computer.

Some of today’s viruses have evolved into devious combinations of a virus with wormlike functionality. These hybrids enter the computer through normal means such as an email attachment. Once executed, they begin to execute codes that continue the infection into other computers via networking or file sharing.

It is possible to remove viruses from your computer using special anti-virus software that has been designed specifically for detecting and removing viruses. This is the recommended course of action if you want to return your computer to normal functioning capacity.

Viruses come in many different packages and with an entire plethora of goals. However, the one thing that all viruses have in common is the fact that they are all some type of computer program or software application. Since viruses are a type of software, they do not utilize device drivers, which are designed specifically for computer hardware.

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Click here to scan your system for viruses and other potential threats

Why is it so tough to uninstall AntiVirus software?

In many cases, AV software is difficult to uninstall. In fact, for some of us, uninstalling any software can be a bit of a challenge. However, in the case of AV software, it’s quite normal to experience some difficulty in uninstalling the software completely. This might not make the process any easier for us, but it does do away with some of the stress that comes along with the process.

For one thing, AV software usually involves several different components, each of which must be uninstalled individually. Typically, this process can involve the need to reboot your machine in order to uninstall every aspect of the AV software. Once you realize this, it makes the whole process a lot simpler to complete.

For someone who isn’t aware of this aspect, it can prove to be downright frustrating to attempt to uninstall AV software. After all, some computer programs are easily uninstalled with a simple click of the uninstall button.  Who knew that other programs actually involve the need to uninstall them one component at a time with a reboot of the machine in between each individual uninstall? I know that it should be easier than this, but it isn’t.

Therefore, with most AV software, the need arises to uninstall its components one at a time. If this is not done properly, the AV software will not be completely uninstalled. This shortcoming can lead to problems. When this happens, sometimes newer versions of AV software cannot be installed since errors will arise due to the remnants that remain from the earlier installed version.
In some cases, the add/remove feature does not remove an AV software program cleanly from your machine. If this is the strategy that you have taken to remove yours, try to locate the uninstall instructions for the software. The first place to look for this information is from the manufacturer of the software. Uninstalling AV software with the method that the manufacturer intended is the best way to guarantee its complete removal.