PC In Trouble

[RolyPoly]

Recently I have been introduced to Mininova, a torrents website, where I can download movies, tv shows, ebooks and etc.

Unfortunately, after using it once, I notice my pc would on its own launch IE and introduce games website. At the same time, my pc is becoming very slow as though some other programs are running on it.

Has my pc caught a virus or spyware or adware? Or what is this program that keeps launching new website as I surf?

How can I resolve this problem? Help, please!

[kwchang]

Your PC has been hijacked by a trojan (there are very few computer viruses nowadays) - this is the reason why we should not use peer-to-peer downloads. Do you know that when you use any form of Torrent application, you are actually connecting yout PC to another PC on the internet to download your multimedia material? It is very likely the other PC is already infected with multiple trojans which happily infect your PC as well.

Moral of the story ... do not use peer-to-peer downloads, you are only asking for trouble.

[Mammoth]

Hey Chang, why you like that one? People already in the hot soup, you somemore add in Peppers and Salt?

I would suggest you download Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html) to scan your PC thoroughly.

[mlkok]

I don't see anything wrong with kwchang giving advice on how to avoid getting hit by malware.

Anything that's free online will come with a price.

If you actually spend a little time digging up security threats posed by p2p software and networking sites, you'll probably need days to get through it and probably get a heart-attack halfway through it. :p

[blurrman]

Your PC has been hijacked by a trojan (there are very few computer viruses nowadays) - this is the reason why we should not use peer-to-peer downloads. Do you know that when you use any form of Torrent application, you are actually connecting yout PC to another PC on the internet to download your multimedia material? It is very likely the other PC is already infected with multiple trojans which happily infect your PC as well.

Moral of the story ... do not use peer-to-peer downloads, you are only asking for trouble.

peer to peer download itself is not the issue, it is just a communication medium, it is just a way how pc talking to pc, just like your yahoo messenger talking to other messenger, your skype talking to other skype.

the real problem is the website hosting the seeds and the actual content that u are downloading. sometimes some website will lure you with torrent or emule download and when u go in, your pc will be exploited with malwares and spywares.

the 2nd thing is the content you download, might contain trojan and other spywares in it.

but these 2 problems is not only happening in p2p network, it can happen anywhere any website as long as you download contents and there is a vulnerability in your browser.

[RolyPoly]

It's enlightening to me as I didn't know that how P2P download works. Gotta be more careful in future. In fact this is the first time I try a torrent download. Didn't know the risks before I kickstart. This is a good lesson learnt! :( In fact, I didn't even finish downloading any movie coz it takes so long and I don't have the patient to wait!

I still have the trojan on my pc. Have downloaded Ad-Aware to remove the trojans and adware. But the problem still persist. Mmmm more scanning and scanning to do!

Hope the others would learn from my mistake and don't repeat it!

[mlkok]

Format is the only course of action you can take now.

There's quite a number of malware that cannot be cleaned because the way it is designed.

If you intend to try stuff you do not know, here's a few options you can choose:
1. Find an old machine that's lying around. If that machine gets hit, you can wipe it out and start again while your primary machine is safe.
2. Use Virtual Machines; my favorites are VirtualPC 2007 and VirtualBox.
3. Do this on someone else's machine. :p ( Just Kidding)

[kwchang]

RolyPoly

Try Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware from Malwarebytes.org (http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php) - it is like Ad-Aware and it may be able to clean some stuff missed by AdAware.

I suggest you restart you PC - during the restart, click on the F8 key until you get a black screen with the option to select to start in "safe mode". Use the arrow keys to move the highlight to safe mode and press Return (the mouse does not work in this black screen mode)

Once the windows start up in safe mode, you run either AdAware of the Malwarebyte anti-malware. The reason we do it is safe mode is to avoid the trojans from being activated at startup, so it is more likely to kill them.

To get out of safe mode, just restart the Windows again

Let us know how it works

[fRaNkY]

Best is backup your data then format it :)

[RolyPoly]

Thanks all. I have installed Ad-Aware & Malware, scanned pc and managed to remove the dozens of trojans!!! Very scary to find so many of them!

My pc is finally running well. Thanks to all for your help! No way am I gonna get close to downloading from mininova again!

[Kiki Lala]

which is better?spybot or adware org?
y not just use Kaspersky internet security?

[birdy]

Spybot and Ad-aware is free ..... whilst KIS is licensed software. I still trust Spybot even though I have anti-virus protection. I prefer double protection just in case.... :D

[mlkok]

[QUOTE=RolyPoly]Thanks all. I have installed Ad-Aware & Malware, scanned pc and managed to remove the dozens of trojans!!! Very scary to find so many of them!QUOTE]

Dozens of trojans? Someone must have been very naughty. :p

[kwchang]

...Dozens of trojans? Someone must have been very naughty. :p Not true - you get trojans by simply browsing the internet. More so if you do peer-to-peer software downloads. Did you know that you could also expose yourself to trojans by having social networking sites like facebook and the like?

[cMn]

Just being curious... Would using "System Restore" to restore the system to a previous time(before the pc became infected) help to solve problems like this?

:)

[kwchang]

Just being curious... Would using "System Restore" to restore the system to a previous time(before the pc became infected) help to solve problems like this? I had used it once for a trojan hijack and it worked to a certain extent but it still required more trojan hunting to completely clear the problem. There is no one-solution but restoring is one of the steps.

[mlkok]

I think a mild way of defining someone who wants stuff for free but do not want to pay for it would be "naughty". :p

[kwchang]

mlkok ... may I add, the "naughty" one gets punished by a massive trojan infection :D