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Health & Fitness

How to Keep Your Computer Out of the ER

Here are some tips to help keep your computer safe from spyware and viruses.

Note: Make sure you understand how to install software programs before attempting any installation of the programs suggested below.

John's voicemail informed me of his computer problem. He had a window pop up on his monitor, telling him that his computer was infected with multiple viruses and needed to be fixed. He clicked the button marked "Continue" and his problems began to get worse. John had just invited a hacker into his system.

When I visited his home, I spent over three hours removing the spyware that had infected his system. I then installed a program to prevent this from happening again.

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What John had experienced is very common. Many computers are becoming infected with viruses and spyware, causing problems from pop-ups to crashes. These infections can be prevented with some very easy maintenance.

First, you need to determine if your computer is already infected.

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Some of the symptoms of a virus-infected PC are:

  • The computer runs slower than usual.
  • The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
  • The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
  • Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
  • An anti-virus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the anti-virus program cannot be restarted.

Some of the symptoms of a spyware-infected PC are:

  • Slow Internet connection.
  • Changing your web browser’s home page.
  • Loss of Internet connectivity.
  • Failure to open some programs, including security software.
  • Unable to visit specific websites, which may include redirecting you to  another one.

If you have any of the above symptoms, it is quite likely your computer has been infected. Instructions for the removal follow later. To prevent these infections, make sure you install an anti-virus program and an anti-spyware program and keep them updated.

I recommend two programs:

  • Microsoft Security Essentials (Free)
  • Malwarebytes (Free Trial)

To install Microsoft Security Essentials, follow the steps below. (If you are already infected, you may not be able to install the program and may need additional help.)

Note: Make sure you have uninstalled any existing anti-virus programs before installing Microsoft Security Essentials.

  1. Go to the Microsoft Security Essentials website at: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials.
  2. Click Free Download.
  3. If your browser prompts you to save or run the file, click Run.
  4. Follow the steps to install Microsoft Security Essentials.
  5. After installation, restart your computer and open Microsoft Security Essentials. On the Home tab, choose the Full scan option, and then click Scan now.
  6. If Microsoft Security Essentials finds any infections, remove them.

To download and install Malwarebytes:

  1. Go to www.malwarebytes.org and click the Download Now button for a free trial or the Buy Now button to purchase the full version ($24.95). (I highly recommend purchasing the program as it will prevent spyware from being installed.)
  2. If your browser prompts you to save or run the file, click Run.
  3. After the program is finished installing, you can run a Quick Scan.
  4. Note: Each time you run Malwarebytes you may be prompted to allow the program to run – click Yes. You should also select the Update tab and click Check for Updates. Doing this ensures you have the latest definitions for spyware infections, as these change daily.
  5. If Malwarebytes finds any infections, you will be prompted to view and then remove them.

Running Malwarebytes once a week is a good practice to follow.

Rogue virus alerts

Lately I've received quite a few calls from people telling me they noticed an alert that their computer was infected with multiple viruses. They were advised, in the alert, to click a button to download a program that would remove the problems. These people were not aware that this was a “rogue” program and clicked the download button. At that moment, their computer was infected. Many even submitted their credit card for purchasing the rogue program in hopes of removing the infections. In reality, the computer is not infected and the message is a scare tactic used by the hacker to get the user to click. The hacker can then monitor the computer or cause it to be used to send other malware to the infected user’s friends.

If you ever receive any warning about infections on your computer and the warning is not form your installed anti-virus program, I strongly advise you to hold the power button in on your pc until it shuts down, and then restart your computer. If you click anywhere on the rogue message, you’ll be infected. Yes, even if you click the close or cancel button, you’re caught.

Following is some information about rogue programs:

Rogue security software programs will try to make you think that your machine is infected by a virus and usually prompt you to download and/or buy a removal product. The names of these products usually contain words like “Antivirus,” “Shield,” “Security,” "Protection” and “Fixer,” so they appear to be legitimate. They will often run immediately when downloaded, or the next time your computer starts up. Rogue security software can prevent applications from opening, including Internet Explorer, and may display legitimate and very important Windows files as infections. Some typical error messages or pop ups you may receive may contain the following:

Warning!

Your computer is infected! This computer is infected by spyware and adware.

A good sign that the software is not beneficial to you is that when you try to close the window it will continually pop up warnings similar to:

Are you sure you want to navigate from this page? Your computer is infected! They can cause data loss and file corruption and need to be treated as soon as possible. Press CANCEL to prevent it. Return to System
Security and download it to secure your PC. Press OK to Continue or  Cancel to stay on the current page.

Proxy settings

Malicious software may change Windows Internet Explorer proxy settings, and these changes can prevent you from accessing Windows Update or any Microsoft Security sites.

Note: The following tip is intended for those who are familiar with editing the Windows registry. Incorrect usage of this tip may cause your computer to stop functioning.

To change the settings, follow the steps below:

  1. On Windows XP, click Start, Run, or on Windows Vista or Windows 7, press the Windows key + R.
  2. In the Run text box, copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V) or type the following: reg add "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet Settings" /v ProxyEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
  3. Click OK.
  4. On Windows XP, click Start, or on Windows Vista or Windows 7, click the Pearl (Start) button, and then click Run.
    In the Run text box, copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V) or type the following: reg delete "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet Settings" /v ProxyServer /f
  5. Click OK.
  6. Restart your computer.

Prevention is the best cure

Never open any attachments from someone you don't know. Be wary of any free software download that you have not requested. Don't place more than one name in the "To:" field of email (use the BCC: field for other names). Have your computer "tuned up" at least once each year. Practice common sense.

If your PC is severely infected, take it to a professional for repair. I offer this as one of my services. You may lose your data (files, music, pictures) if you have not backed it up. Most recovery from severely infected computers runs in the $125+ range, so it’s good practice to prevent this by following the advice in this blog.

Junk files

As you use your computer, temporary files build up and unnecessarily take up space. These “junk” files should be deleted to keep your computer running smoothly and to prevent problems with file corruption. I recommend the CCleaner program. It is a free program, although you may want to donate to help with the continued development of the program.

To install CCleaner, follow these steps:

  1. Go to www.ccleaner.com.
  2. Click the Download button.
  3. Either choose the Download from FileHippo for the free version or click the Download button under CCleaner Home to help support the program.
  4. Follow the instructions to download the latest version.
  5. Click Run if prompted.
  6. Be careful to not select any check boxes for installing additional software (usually step 3).
  7. After installing CCleaner, run the program by clicking the Run Cleaner button.

Note: You will have to click Yes when prompted to run the program. In addition, CCleaner will remove history lists and cookies. If you want to keep either of these, you must remove the check marks in the Cookies and/or History choices on the left side of the opening screen.

Running this program on a regular basis will keep your temporary files in check and keep your computer running at top speed.

Conclusion

Once more, common sense is necessary to prevent infections. Never open email attachments form someone you don’t know. Never download unfamiliar programs. If you think your computer is infected, do not repeatedly restart the computer, as this will increase the severity of the infection. Call someone for help.

Many other tools are available that computer users can use to remove more junk files. Most users should have a professional look at their PC to determine if any of these extra methods may be necessary. I advise everyone to stay away from the programs advertised on TV, as they remove too much information and may cause your computer to stop functioning properly.

Remember--prevention is better than cure.

In my next blog post, I'll look at Microsoft Excel formulas and functions.

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