MSE is ok but not as good as other proper antivirus.

 

Avast is one of the better free ones.

 

ESET NOD32 if you want to buy.

Install Avast and ditch MSE, and if you dont use PCbackup then delete it. Adobe often bundles crud when you download updates, but I dont thing it is the source of this, ditto Malwarebytes.

 

As I mentioned, ESET is the only AV/AM program that lists the program as a PUP (yes PUA is the same).

 

If you worry about getting infected via email, you could install Mailwasher - it previews your mail before it is downloaded, so you can delete or blacklist anything you dont want. For a single email account there is a free version, or you can get a hacked version that only talks "Pirate" (I like the Pirate version so much, I didnt bother to fix it when my licensed version decided it wasnt licensed a few months ago)

Install Avast and ditch MSE, and if you don't use PCBackup, then delete it. Adobe often bundles crud when you download updates, but I dont thing it is the source of this, ditto Malwarebytes.

The only problem is I cannot find it to delete it. Nothing in my programs list.

Give Malwarebytes another try see if it picks it up.

 

Also might be worth running CCleaner (free).

 

https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

The only problem is I cannot find it to delete it. Nothing in my programs list.

Could mean it's already partly gone, was blocked from installing or another infection is reporting itself as a pup instead of its true identity (more and more common now) to evade detection and removal which I recently had on the in laws machine. Seemed to be half loaded ransom ware which was bundled in some game their grandkids downloaded. Thankfully Norton seemed to have stopped the majority of the infection allowing it to be cleaned.

Sometimes you just have to throw several detection apps at a machine to find and get rid of nasties.

Your bandwidth issue which alerted you could easily have been downloading the nasties payload or been acting as a botnet or payload distribution infecting others.

It's too big to be windows updates and seems far too small to be windows 10

Could mean it's already partly gone, was blocked from installing or another infection is reporting itself as a pup instead of its true identity (more and more common now) to evade detection and removal which I recently had on the in laws machine. Seemed to be half loaded ransom ware which was bundled in some game their grandkids downloaded. Thankfully Norton seemed to have stopped the majority of the infection allowing it to be cleaned.

Sometimes you just have to throw several detection apps at a machine to find and get rid of nasties.

Your bandwidth issue which alerted you could easily have been downloading the nasties payload or been acting as a botnet or payload distribution infecting others.

It's too big to be windows updates and seems far too small to be windows 10

It's not the bandwidth issue that alerted me really, that happened at the start of September. Nothing else unusual until late October.

 

The alert for me was the certificate issue (#1) with my email account within the last few days and the few glitches like the blank email page and missing messages. (the missing messages appeared the next day).

I am sure my password for email could not be guessed or found with a program (I am watching scammers on C5 now) but it is stored on my laptop. Would this be encrypted???

I have ran both Mse and Mwb scans again but nothing found.

 

Re - Eset - Definitely no option to Quarantine, only to remove threats. Any idea if I select to remove threats, how much it would cost.

 

Cheers

Edited 28 October, 201510 yr by Tilt

Tick that then.

It won't cost you

Most likely it is a browser addon, OR it has been deleted but left a few files behind. I will do a bit of digging if I have time later.

Just a thought, have you tried running MWB and the other programs in "Safe Mode" ?

 

This will often stop malware etc from hiding itself.

 

Also, you have never mentioned getting a pop-up asking you to perform a back-up, so it is most likely either a file fragment, or (a very small chance) another PUP/Virus being misidentified.

Just a thought, have you tried running MWB and the other programs in "Safe Mode" ?

I do not know how to scan in safe mode, but will search it now. It must be easy?

According to Bright Hub, only worth running in safe mode if normal mode cannot be accessed. Malwarebytes state easier to clean infections if active.

 

This will often stop malware etc from hiding itself.

 

Also, you have never mentioned getting a pop-up asking you to perform a back-up, so it is most likely either a file fragment, or (a very small chance) another PUP/Virus being misidentified.

Ties with what Gadgetman mentions in #55.

I appreciate your time Guys.

As the security alert has only appeared in the last few days (since my first posting) am I correct in assuming the problem (virus???) has only been on my computer since around that time??? Just curious really, and trying to learn / understand.

Edited 29 October, 201510 yr by Tilt

I have deleted a few more email messages. Nothing more - just deleted (using bin symbol).

 

If I right click on Back Page (arrow) it brings up things like (these changed colour to blue after 'enter' so assuming a link?

Maybe DO NOT CLICK??? Admin-Please remove if they are a risk?

 

                    https://xsi.outlook.com?63581570487862

                    https://xsi.outlook.com?cId=GEQKABDGG0 amongst others re outlook.

 

Are these normal??? possibly the deleted messages?

Edited 29 October, 201510 yr by Tilt

I will be watching Watchdog, tonight. (as usual).

 

'The team scam the scammers in an investigation into computer virus fraud'.

If I suspect a problem I ALWAYS run Spybot and MWB with the PC in Safe Mode, some years ago I discovered that doing so - after cleaning up an infection, that the Safe Mode scan found MORE problems that the normal scan hadnt.

 

Your links both give me a blank FireFox window.

 

Personally, I suspect your problem has just been a software glitch, and the ESET "find" is possibly a false positive; if you had the named program you should be getting fairly constant nags to back up your computer to their server.

 

I understand Outlook STILL stores all your saved mail in one long alphanumeric string; I had no end of problems with the string getting corrupted when it reached a certain size, rendering any back-ups useless and losing older mail and saved files.

If you've got Avast running, then perhaps it's time to let it do a scan on your system. A "scan for viruses" does a boot time scan, which may take some time, but works off OS, so it's working in stealth mode.

xsi.outlook.com is legit.

 

It's part of the Outlook / O365 environment.

I have now downloaded the new Avast Antivirus (free version).

 

I have run a full scan and the following 1 threat (fixed automatically / action successful).

C:\$Recycle.Bin\...\$R5DBAVO.url*                  Status    Threat:INI:Shortcut-inf* (Trj)               (so Trojan then).

 

Can anyone explain this* (as I like to learn) and is there any link to the one that the ESET scan found?

 

How important is it for me to uninstall Mse?

 

I am going to shutdown and restart and run another full scan using Avast. And might try safe mode also.

 

Cheers guys.

You do need to switch off MSE if you have another AV running.

 

AVs don't get on well, they tend to see each other as a threat so just one at a time.

 

Make sure the windows firewall is on too or  a firewall in your router.

You do need to switch off MSE if you have another AV running.

 

AVs don't get on well, they tend to see each other as a threat so just one at a time.

 

Make sure the windows firewall is on too or  a firewall in your router.

Cheers, and will do then.

 

My windows firewall has always been on, but thanks for reminder.

If you've got Avast running, then perhaps it's time to let it do a scan on your system. A "scan for viruses" does a boot time scan, which may take some time, but works off OS, so it's working in stealth mode.

Hi, I have now installed the new Avast. (free version) Please also read #66.

 

After #66, I ran an Avast boot scan, and noticed whilst it was running, an error (number) message and two files corrupted.

At the end of the scan, windows started automatically and I only got a glimpse of the last moments of the scan.

The only other thing I noticed was (I think it said) Files infected 0.

 

I do not fully understand this as it said 2 files corrupted earlier in the scan, and this was still showing on the last (glimpsed) page.

 

If you (or anyone else) can explain this a little, and advise what, if anything I need / may want to do next, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers.

You do need to switch off MSE if you have another AV running.

 

AVs don't get on well, they tend to see each other as a threat so just one at a time.

 

Make sure the windows firewall is on too or  a firewall in your router.

Can it be switched off, Aspman, without uninstalling?

 

I did not even realise MSE had real time settings. This was on though.

 

Does this newer Avast have real time protection????  I think this is the reason I was recommended MSE when It came out as the avast we were using at that time did not.

I have disabled MSE by switching real time off, now. Is this good enough for Avast to work uninterrupted???

 

See #69 if you can help with that too, please.

 

Cheers mate.

Edited 31 October, 201510 yr by Tilt

Prob best to uninstall MSE if you want to use another antivirus

Hopefully getting there now.

I have run another ESET scan and removed the MyPCBackup application. (hopefully anyway).

 

The only other thing I noticed after the Eset scan, upon closing down, a message came up saying "'waiting for background programs to close' ???

On startup, Avast then brought up IEPDFPlus Reader Control as a disliked add on. I have now removed this.

 

I will keep a close eye out for any other unusual activity.

 

Cheers.

Avast is a full AV suite, so has a real time scanner as well as in-depth file scanning options. Real Time scanner is on by default.

Avast is a full AV suite, so has a real time scanner as well as in-depth file scanning options. Real Time scanner is on by default.

Ian your 'posted image (of you and your loved one) now shows the 'no symbol' sign.

 

What setting is blocking this please, and guessing it will block other stuff I want to see, How do I allow?

 

Cheers.

I dont think this is your problem, my avatar has suddenly reverted to an older photo.

 

I have occasional issues with Briskoda relying on google api's that I usually block - because of tracking cookie issues, but I dont see how they could have caused a reversion. Although saying that, the Briskoda system currently claims I have NO media files saved, when I know I had a number of photos stored.