Spybot doesn't do viruses. What you're seeing is something else...more like a kind of interactive spam. Google, download and run "Avast!" (the exclaimation point is part of the word) Easy to figure out and use. Come back if it doesn't solve your problem.

And also download SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition
These security warnings you're getting are not from windows.
Your machine is infected.
What these people do is infect your machine, then give you a warning you are infected, and then want to charge you to take it off.

I just ran SuperAntiSpyware on a AOL protected machine the other night and it found 2,261 infections, and that was after running AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.5 which found 71 trojans.

Sounds as if AOL doesn't offer much protection.

Let us know how the Superantispyware works and if it gets rid of the pop-ups. You most likely have a Vundo or Smithfraud infection or both, sometimes easily removed, sometimes not, your next step would be to run Vundo.exe, then smithfraud scan.

I downloaded the SuperAntispyware free edition and ran it successfully and it found over 300 infected files. Then I tried to install Avg antivirus free edition 7.5 but my computer wouldn't let it install. So, thought I would try the Avast cleaner for viruses. It couldn't scan my AOL files. Any advice on how to get the Avg. antivirus to install? I am still getting the spyware infection warning. Thanks a lot....

Ok lets not get to many things going on at once remember only use 1 anti virus, AVG is not going to do much more then Avast so if you have scanned with avast that is enough scanning, more importantly DO NOT LET BOTH ANTI VIRUS RUN AT SAME TIME, if you want to keep AVAST un-install the AOL ANTI VIRUS. The other point here is these anti virus programs will not remove Vundo or Smithfraud and I think that is what we are dealing with, so please in the link provided read the directions and run the vundo fix several times very simple to follow and very effective tool if in fact we are dealing with Vundo--The next step is to run smithfraud I can give you that link if needed.

zep

Here is a link that might be useful: VUNDO FIX

Also we are not worried about AOL files, what we are concerned with are SYSTEM 32 FILES and VUNDO will delete those when you run it and it may take several runs I have seen stubborn VUNDO FILES take 3 or 4 runs to delete them

While cruising around in the GW site, I happened across this thread.....interesting. Out of curiosity, and a bit of preventive maintenance, I ran the Vundo program and guess what........I found a few things I wasn't aware of and cleaned them up. Many runs of both AVG and Spybot must have missed them. Now my machine seems to run faster, too.

Please expound on the Vundo and Smithfraud infections. Are they the same? Does Vundo Fix take care of both? Do you have a link for Smithfraud available?

Also, what would be your recommendation for the better of the three - AVG, Spybot or SuperAntispyware, and why...for my edification. I have both Spybot and AVG loaded on my machine, but would prefer just one. I like the extra tools Spybot offers, but if it doesn't do the detection and/or cleanup of something better, I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks.

(Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back).

Aufin are you asking about the AVG anti virus, AVG anti spyware or AVG anti Rootkit free program. They are all different and do different tasks.

You refer to "Spybot", is this Spybot Search & Destroy or another program with a similar name?

LOL, we would all like to run without all this needed protection but to do that we would need to remove the internet cable. I run one anti virus, three anti spyware and one firewall that is not Microsoft. I use different programs on different computers.

However I do not run the anti spyware program every day or even every week. If I have surfed aimlessly then a scan will get done sudden but if only my normal sites are visited then I will go perhaps a couple of weeks unless I feel the confuser is not behaving as expected. To each his own in that regard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smitfraud fix

SmitFraud has become a term to mean an infection where fake security alerts appear in your taskbar stating that you are infected. These alerts tend to be accompanied by a rogue anti-spyware program installed on your computer without your consent. Clicking on one of these fake security alerts will either bring you to a home page where you can purchase other fraudulent software or will install automatically, without your permission, one of these software.
These infections are difficult to remove and are usually bundled with so much other malware, that traditional antispyware or antivirus programs have difficult completely cleaning these infections. Due to this a specialized tool was created in order to help a user clean their system of these infections.
You can find instruction and link here:
How to remove the Smitfraud

Trojan.Vundo is a component of an adware program that downloads and displays pop-up advertisements. It is known to be installed by visiting a Web site link contained in a spammed email.

Another tool Combofix is a general tool that helps the helper cleaning up a Hijackthis log.
It is able to remove some common infections and helps a user detect files that general scanners cannot find.
It also lists registry keys such as the key keys, the desktop keys, and other areas where malware hide.
The tool has some rootkit detectors too, allowing a helper to see if a rootkit is present on the PC.

AVG is for Virus protection, Spybot & SuperAntispyware are for Spyware protection.
I prefer SuperAntispyware, another is Ad-Aware by Lavasoft.
Seems to me Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware are fading away and SuperAntispyware has jumped to the front this year.
Actually it's a good idea to have all three installed and run occasionally.
Another thing everybody needs is a Firewall.

Carol, waiting for you to get back after running the Vundo Fix, sorry if your tread was hijacked a little.

Owbist.........yep I'm running the entire free AVG suite.....and Spybot S&D. "However I do not run the anti spyware program every day or even every week." Nor do I. I was reading this thread and was wondering if there is something else newer, better out there. I also run the AdAware. They all seem to catch different things, so I usually run all three, one at a time of course. I think I stay pretty clean, but I never really know for sure. Just looking for something better, and asking questions so I'll know....or at least think I know.

Been to the "How to Remove Smithfraud" site. It loaded Spyhunter on my machine. Spyhunter proceeded to search for things, but wouldn't erase anything unless/until I bought and registered it. Plus, my control panel Add/Remove section wouldn't let me in to uninstall Spyhunter. I had to go through Windows Explorer to find the uninstall command. Not happy about a program getting that much control over my machine.

The Vundo Virus also blocks the users ability to access the control panel

Here is a link that might be useful: Vundo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

aufin,

Looks like you may have used wrong link you downloaded Spyhunter Instead of the link that Randy ca gave you for Smithfraud, If you want to or need to run this program follow the instructions in the link:

Here is a link that might be useful: Smithfraud instructions & Download

You weren't supposed to click on a paid advertisement on that page and download SpyHunter, that's how people get infected with these hard to remove programs.
If you can't get rid of it completely, do a System Restore to before you installed.
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
In fact I would restore anyway.
The link for the fix was half way down the page in Removal Instructions:
SmitFraudFix.exe

I ran the Vundo fix three times, no infected files at all. Still getting the windows security alert of a spyware infection warning that my computer is making copies of my Internet files, etc. Also, have lost all administrator rights, no add/remove programs and no control panel to be found. I occasionally now get a runtime error also. I have not run the SmitFraudFix.exe. Is that the next fix I should try? Thanks a lot...Carol

Try smithfraud,, wont hurt.

Think I would go to live.com and and see if your computer can do the free online full service scan.

Sounds like if you havent been able to fix things over the past couple of days maybe the easy fix would be to re-install your CD that came with the computer. Maybe copy the doc folder and export the address book to cd.

Unfortunately we can only do so much on this forum as we go along here we should be looking at a hijackthislog so we can see what is taking place, a vundo log and a smithfraud log then after review other stronger tools would be recommended to remove the infection if these tools are failing, but that is beyond the scope of this forum, I will include this because the vundo fix.exe is always being up-dated it is always necessary to un-install your version and re-install it and run it again---Like mikie said run the smithfraud pay attention to directions on that one a little more is involved you will need to run it in safe mode ect. Then I would run combofix I gave you a link--If all this is unsuccessful and it sounds like you are infected pretty good, you may as mikie pointed out need to re-install the operating system or proceed to a professional MALWARE removal forum in case you do not have the disk to re-install..

Here is a link that might be useful: Combofix

It's very important to have your spyware run every day. You get adware just having your computer internet connected. It's not dependant on running into certain "bad" websites or due to downloading. It is impossible for me to go more than 2 or 3 days straight without my program finding adware. What program you use is up to you. But everyone should be running one because 25% of all computers are running adware without the owners knowing it. And it should run every day--once a week is never enough. It's like trying to claim you are having safe sex when you only wear protection half the time.

Big difference in threat between adware, and spyware and malware.

Personally unless there is a cause and effect situation I am of the stance that a daily scan is excessive. Monthly is too long. I recommend to users weekly or bi-weekly depending on their surfing habits, but never longer.

Now if a user has a system that will allow an application to be enabled to operate continuously in the background, that is a positive.

DA

Daily scan is not excessive. You want it to run every morning so that if you intend to buy something on the net that day all threats, especially Trojans because they can be keystroke scripted,are quaranteened and rendered useless.

A good read on malware and the different types will change people's minds in how they should be more concerned with keeping their system secure.

System secure? Absolutely.

Scared of the dark? Never.

Quality protection? Priceless.

Experienced members are just that, experienced. They know how to obtain and how to ferret through material to make an informed decision. This forum has members like any other forum who are minimally experienced users and newbies who already want to scan for this and scan for that everyday. They want to scan in the morning. They want to scan at night. Some want to run two anti-virus applications. If their system burps they go on line and do a "free" scan. They want to restore or reinstall because they think they have something malicious. It's not that they are paranoid, they are just concerned in protecting their systems and inexperienced in doing so.

God knows we were all in their position at one time, and still are in some categories. I couldn't tell you anything about .html as I have never had a desire to study it so in that vein after all these years I am still a newbie.

As experienced members it is our responsibility to when asked clarify, teach, and suggest regarding all phases of computering. It is not for us to contribute to their fear.

I read a lot and I am quite comfortable in reporting I have heard a recommendation to scan daily for malicious 'ware only once before. Does that make me right? Of course not. However, it does comment on the need.

I wish I could give the member his/her due as I am quoting but unfortunately I don't remember who posted " ...the best anti virus protection is in between your ears..." I expand this thought to 'ware protection.

DA

Actually, it is a good idea to run more than one virus program--more than one spyware. Because no one program finds 100% of threats. There was just a good article out on this subject. Of course, who would do such a thing? The intent of the article was to hammer home the idea to casual computer users just how much at risk everyone is because the scammers are now so sophisticated. The more suspicious and parenoid you are anymore in this world, the safer you will be.

We used to know that we had a virus, or an adware because it was apparant. Not anymore---you have no idea because your computer works pretty normally. PLUS--at the very least, you are allowing your computer to be one of the members of the bot network. Scan away!!!!!!!!

You'll be interested to know that when my spyware loaded yesterday, I had no threats. This morning I had 37!!!!!!!

As long as I close the browsers, which clears cache, I almost never have any spyware found after running a cleaner program.

Cookes I approve for login/password sites like here. Otherwise...

Mike I seldom have a suspected critter and if I do its suspicious to low level. And as you say a cache dump clears things up. I am quite sure we could go to either of my systems right now, run all the detection utilities and find only site cookies.

Dollar to a donut cookies are being referenced above your post. Of course, some cookies can be malicious. However as we know, in general cookies are nothing to be overly concerned about. Mostly they are preference storage, site ping entries and data to allow a page to open faster on the next visit. Even data miners in most cases are non-offensive.

Now the issue of keyloggers is something which we all have to be wary of.

DA

I scan once a week (usually). I never have anything. Sometimes it surprises me because just a year ago, these same programs were finding stuff (mostly cookies), but now nothing. I sometimes worry the programs are not doing a good job. But I've never had a virus or anything else. So I'm either lucky, or something 'ain't right.'

Jane

I clicked a yahoo search item that caught my eye while looking for a picture of a local car wreck.

It was titled something like Cobra and Porsche wreck. The first page, a picture of an early cobra looked like a nice car and said click here to see the wreck.... (i almost bought a cobra one day, but took home a porsche instead)

. the very moment I clicked that link, up popped AVG as another picture partially loaded.. AVG said you have a virus such and such /// of course I instantly closed the browser to get that virus out of the cache , hopefully before it could do anything.

Pretty easy to pick up a virus, just takes one tempting mouse click.

That kind of thing happens to me maybe every other month. But always the virus program warns instantly.

Update on what is going with with my computer: I finally got it to stay out of safe mode. Still receiving the spyware warning infection from supposedly windows. I do not have any administrative rights; can't add/remove programs or find my control panel. I tried to reinstall windows xp but won't let me override what is currently on comptuer as the current version is newer than what CD version is. How can I get administrative rights back? Thanks for all your help so far with this big mess...Carol

You need to go to a Malware removal Forum, where they use hijackthis logs, Vundo, logs, Smithfraud logs, so they can see what is taking place, that's how this type of problem is addressed that's how it should be addressed...This Forum does not take hijackthis logs and for good reason you need to be trained to use it and remove Malware, Not sure why you have an install problem is that a retail version of windows xp. or a recovery disk that came with it. Would you like a link for Malware Removal Forum?

Carol,
Might run the System File Checker.
Click start > run > type > sfc /scannow

It'll probably ask for the Windows CD during the scan, but this should fix any system files that may be messed up.

Another scan you can do is start > run > type MRT

Wish we could put a name with the spyware warning.