Doh! I have a Microsoft Issue....

[Naperville]

I have a Microsoft Windows 10 issue, but it will be taken care of by tomorrow. I am busy scanning every file in my computer with the Microsoft Safety Scanner.

I receive a lot of email from a number of systems security professionals. I do not study these documents because I'm not working right now, but I do read them to see what I should be looking out for.

There was a warning, maybe Taz got the same warning today, I suppose she did if she's signed up for these notifications but, Microsoft wants all businesses to immediately scan their Exchange (Mail) servers. I dug just a little deeper and the scanner works for all systems, 32-bit and 64-bit, including home Microsoft PCs. In other words, you will benefit from running this FREE application and seeing what it finds.

My copy of the Microsoft Safety Scanner has been running for 6+ hours and it has found 80+ pieces of spyware, viruses, and other potentially unwanted software. While it is unlikely to have found a virus(because I run Symantec software for just that), I suggest that you run this for yourself to secure your systems.

Opens to: docs.microsoft.com
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... r-download

[Ankerson]

Depends on what virus software one is using, some are better than others.

A lot of people run those FREE ones.

I don't so.

Running it now anyway, looks like it will take an hour on my system to get done, full scan.

But then it's a high end machine and has very fast SSD's.

Found one small thing on a junk drive and removed it.

[cody6268]

I recently ran it on my backup computer and it found and removed two things Norton/Symantec missed. The problem was bad RAM, I believe actually (will swap them out soon), but I noticed the PC ran faster after those two "malicious files" were removed. Need to run it on the laptop.

[Naperville]

Yesterday, I chose to complete a full system scan. I do not know for certain, but the application seemed to be in a loop, scanning the same 2 to 4 files over and over. I stopped it at a little past 9AM. It had allegedly scanned 17 billion files and was not yet complete!!! Maybe I should have let it complete, but I killed it.

What I thought was, maybe I have too many files. So today, I scanned top level directories. The scanner seems to find the same 2 bad files on C: every time that it starts and it is not deleting them. After a few runs, I set it up to do a full system scan again.

I know that I have "spyware" because I save a lot of download web pages on my system. These trackers are not a huge issue, yet I want them removed. I may have to buy a Webroot application if this does not work. Webroot is better at attacking spyware.

Aghhhhhhhh!!!!!

[jpm2]

I ran malwarebytes, nothing found.
Ran defender, nothing found.
Ran this scanner and 5 minutes into the scan, it showed 4 infected files. I had to leave before it completed. When I came back it had completed, saying it found nothing. So why was it showing it had detected, but then when finished showed nothing found?

BTW, my home computer is just short of being bricked since a windows 10 november 16-17, 2020 update. It reinstalled over half my programs and all the usb ports quit working.

[Naperville]

I ran malwarebytes, nothing found.
Ran defender, nothing found.
Ran this scanner and 5 minutes into the scan, it showed 4 infected files. I had to leave before it completed. When I came back it had completed, saying it found nothing. So why was it showing it had detected, but then when finished showed nothing found?

BTW, my home computer is just short of being bricked since a windows 10 november 16-17, 2020 update. It reinstalled over half my programs and all the usb ports quit working.

After using that program at least 6+ times, I find it lacking in telling you exactly what it has done too. I was afraid that I had too many files, so I deleted a lot of OpenBSD and Linux stuff, but I can download all of it again. The Microsoft scanner had 90+ issues....and when it completed it just said that it had removed them. It did not even tell me what they were. I suppose it has a log file, but I'm already moving on.

I am now running a Norton/Symantec full system scan. Then (even though I paid for Norton) I'm going to install a FREE copy of ESET and scan again. ESET is supposed to be #1 or #2 according to the 4 major AV testing orgs. I may end up using ESET for a month to see how I like it and replace Norton with ESET.

[Naperville]

ESET is FREE for only 30 days, then I will have to pay for it. It is very highly ranked with Kaspersky and Bitdefender.

[RustyIron]

Years ago, I used to carry Benchmade knives.
Now I don't.
Years ago, I used to be concerned with viruses.
Now I'm not.
Years ago, I used to run Microsoft software.
Now I don't.
Sorry for your hardship.
The road to happiness is clear.

[Naperville]

Years ago, I used to carry Benchmade knives.
Now I don't.
Years ago, I used to be concerned with viruses.
Now I'm not.
Years ago, I used to run Microsoft software.
Now I don't.
Sorry for your hardship.
The road to happiness is clear.

Apple_first_logo.png

I hear you loud and clear, and am not in the position to argue. Apple makes a nice high end computer and a nice OS.

I went about as high end as I could with my desktop system(Win 10 and Dell Alienware) and I will soon be saving for another one. I love my setup and it was one of two that I use, but for now my server is not running.

I used to run the Alienware system and a Dell T-410 server with VMware vSphere on it and a dozen different operating systems. It was fun.

[yablanowitz]

You know what really helps? Keep that sucker off the Internet.

[Naperville]

ESET found a trojan.

[jpm2]

You know what really helps? Keep that sucker off the Internet.

But then, I'd miss the joy of windows update corrupting my computer.

[Evil D]

Been paying for Trend Micro for about 5 years now and haven't had a single bug get through but have had MANY try to.

[Naperville]

Been paying for Trend Micro for about 5 years now and haven't had a single bug get through but have had MANY try to.

Make sure once in a while to check where your antivirus applications fall, and try out some of the FREE options from the better resources. FREE is usually good, and you may find things aren't as perfect as you think.

I've been using Norton/Symantec for 20+ years but I think I'm going to drop it and go with ESET for AV, and get a Proton VPN.

Check these out these industry tests to see what your AV is catching!

https://www.virusbulletin.com/

https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

https://www.av-test.org/en/

[Ankerson]

Been paying for Trend Micro for about 5 years now and haven't had a single bug get through but have had MANY try to.

Make sure once in a while to check where your antivirus applications fall, and try out some of the FREE options from the better resources. FREE is usually good, and you may find things aren't as perfect as you think.

I've been using Norton/Symantec for 20+ years but I think I'm going to drop it and go with ESET for AV, and get a Proton VPN.

Check these out these industry tests to see what your AV is catching!

https://www.virusbulletin.com/

https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

https://www.av-test.org/en/

The FREE ones pick up things that aren't really viruses.

I use McAfee and been using that for almost 30 years now.

With Windows 10 and the built in Windows Defender they work pretty well MOST of the time as long as one stays off the more questionable sites.

WHICH is why the program only found minor thing and that was on my junk drive. OLD program that I don't even use anymore.

Also remember anything FREE always gets GREAT reviews.

The same with anything CHEAP.

Doesn't mean they are actually good, just FREE or CHEAP.

I always question those so called independent reviews when it comes to reliability for a few reasons.

They are getting their money from someplace, sponsorships, yeah..

Same with those FREE programs, I am sure they are giving things away for free just out of the goodness of their hearts.

[Naperville]

Been paying for Trend Micro for about 5 years now and haven't had a single bug get through but have had MANY try to.

Make sure once in a while to check where your antivirus applications fall, and try out some of the FREE options from the better resources. FREE is usually good, and you may find things aren't as perfect as you think.

I've been using Norton/Symantec for 20+ years but I think I'm going to drop it and go with ESET for AV, and get a Proton VPN.

Check these out these industry tests to see what your AV is catching!

https://www.virusbulletin.com/

https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

https://www.av-test.org/en/

The FREE ones pick up things that aren't really viruses.

I use McAfee and been using that for almost 30 years now.

With Windows 10 and the built in Windows Defender they work pretty well MOST of the time as long as one stays off the more questionable sites.

WHICH is why the program only found minor thing and that was on my junk drive. OLD program that I don't even use anymore.

Also remember anything FREE always gets GREAT reviews.

The same with anything CHEAP.

Doesn't mean they are actually good, just FREE or CHEAP.

I always question those so called independent reviews when it comes to reliability for a few reasons.

They are getting their money from someplace, sponsorships, yeah..

Same with those FREE programs, I am sure they are giving things away for free just out of the goodness of their hearts.

ESET is FREE for just 30 days, then it's around $60/yr.

It found a worm and a trojan AFTER I completed full system scans with both the Microsoft scanner and Norton AV.

[Ankerson]

Been paying for Trend Micro for about 5 years now and haven't had a single bug get through but have had MANY try to.

Make sure once in a while to check where your antivirus applications fall, and try out some of the FREE options from the better resources. FREE is usually good, and you may find things aren't as perfect as you think.

I've been using Norton/Symantec for 20+ years but I think I'm going to drop it and go with ESET for AV, and get a Proton VPN.

Check these out these industry tests to see what your AV is catching!

https://www.virusbulletin.com/

https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/

https://www.av-test.org/en/

The FREE ones pick up things that aren't really viruses.

I use McAfee and been using that for almost 30 years now.

With Windows 10 and the built in Windows Defender they work pretty well MOST of the time as long as one stays off the more questionable sites.

WHICH is why the program only found minor thing and that was on my junk drive. OLD program that I don't even use anymore.

Also remember anything FREE always gets GREAT reviews.

The same with anything CHEAP.

Doesn't mean they are actually good, just FREE or CHEAP.

I always question those so called independent reviews when it comes to reliability for a few reasons.

They are getting their money from someplace, sponsorships, yeah..

Same with those FREE programs, I am sure they are giving things away for free just out of the goodness of their hearts.

ESET is FREE for just 30 days, then it's around $60/yr.

It found a worm and a trojan AFTER I completed full system scans with both the Microsoft scanner and Norton AV.

Don't know about Norton, haven't used that in a very long time.

They were on the C drive?

[Naperville]

Don't know about Norton, haven't used that in a very long time.

They were on the C drive?

C: and D:

I download a lot of web pages, and most if not all of these baddies were attached to files that came down with web pages.

From now on I'll just copy paste the content that interests me.

Be careful out there folks, I've never seen any of these buggers on a system that I own and I'll be working to keep them off now.

[Ankerson]

Don't know about Norton, haven't used that in a very long time.

They were on the C drive?

C: and D:

I download a lot of web pages, and most if not all of these baddies were attached to files that came down with web pages.

From now on I'll just copy paste the content that interests me.

Be careful out there folks, I've never seen any of these buggers on a system that I own and I'll be working to keep them off now.

Yeah, saving web pages, I never do that.