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General discussion (archive)I really hate fake antivirus scamviruses.(51 posts)(51 posts)
(51 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted January 18, 2012
Lol, i always keep anti-virus tools on backup on my USB, it's just so handy...
Posted January 18, 2012
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orcishgamer: AdBlock, NoScript, and Flashblock is pretty helpful in avoiding drive by viruses. PDF files should also be avoided unless you really need them, no, using a 3rd party reader may not protect you as much as you think (some have the same exploits in them that Adobe Reader has).
It is really not that hard to protect yourself from bad PDF files, just make sure you disable Adobe Reader's JavaScript engine, and enable the Enhanced Security feature.

Two simple checkboxes (radiobutton in the second case).
Post edited January 18, 2012 by kavazovangel
Posted January 18, 2012
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LiquidOxygen80: I caught one, but I have a GoBack style utility that takes snapshots of my drive state, etc, everytime I shutdown my PC. I simply choose a safe boot and problem gone.

I agree with the OP though. These things really are the most retardedly annoying things ever conceived of.
Unless the virus/etc corrupts the restore states and you can't go back.....that happened to me once when I has system restore enabled on my old pc. For awhile it helped if a virus trashed my system once in a blue moon, but then a bloody virus came along that even trashed the restores which really sucked.
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Navagon: I'm not some complete asshole installing spyware infested toolbars from dodgy free internet games all the time. So yeah, I'd rather stuff did what it wanted to than asked me first. It's an arrangement that seems to work out just fine.

As for permissions, a lot of developers don't seem to take that into account at all and just code things to require the same level of permissions they have themselves. So UAC becomes a clusterfuck very quickly.
1. I'm the same way. I have UAC enabled but I usually run from the admin account so I have to deal with as little crap as possible. With that, Malwarebytes, and AVG I seem to fare well.

2. Yeah some games will ask for permissions each time you run their desktop icon/exe, even if they're not set to ask you each time you run them. This pisses me off when I have to click yes to run some games i've run for the nth time without issue.
Post edited January 18, 2012 by GameRager
Posted January 18, 2012
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GameRager: ...
Do your PC a favor and remove AVG. Install MSE instead. :)
Posted January 18, 2012
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GameRager: ...
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kavazovangel: Do your PC a favor and remove AVG. Install MSE instead. :)
Bah, AVG runs just fine for me. I use the pro version with firewall/rootkit scanner/potato peeler attachments.
Posted January 18, 2012
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GameRager: 2. Yeah some games will ask for permissions each time you run their desktop icon/exe, even if they're not set to ask you each time you run them. This pisses me off when I have to click yes to run some games i've run for the nth time without issue.
That is because you have them installed in system-wide folders, and they require permission to write in those folders.
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GameRager: Bah, AVG runs just fine for me. I use the pro version with firewall/rootkit scanner/potato peeler attachments.
PP? :D Hahah!

The rootkit scanner is a 'joke', since you'd have to be in safe mode to use it (for better results). There are faaaaar better and free applications for that in any case.

By the way, AVG made an antivirus software for WIndows Phone a while ago, that was 'scanning' user files (pictures, and audio / video files only), and marking them as viruses only judging by their name. Gotta love that virus.mp3 virus! :D

There was quite a shitstorm so they removed the application, to 'enhance' it more (seeing how WP cannot get viruses and stuff, it was a really funny reply).
Post edited January 18, 2012 by kavazovangel
Posted January 18, 2012
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kavazovangel: That is because you have them installed in system-wide folders, and they require permission to write in those folders.
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PP? :D Hahah!

The rootkit scanner is a 'joke', since you'd have to be in safe mode to use it (for better results). There are faaaaar better and free applications for that in any case.

By the way, AVG made an antivirus software for WIndows Phone a while ago, that was 'scanning' user files (pictures, and audio / video files only), and marking them as viruses only judging by their name. Gotta love that virus.mp3 virus! :D

There was quite a shitstorm so they removed the application, to 'enhance' it more (seeing how WP cannot get viruses and stuff, it was a really funny reply).
C:\games is a system-wide folder? Don't make me laugh.
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The rootkit scanner I mainly run in safe mode btw, and far better is only in the eye of the beholder after all.
Posted January 18, 2012
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GameRager: C:\games is a system-wide folder? Don't make me laugh.
Then something is messed up because games should not ask for admin rights.
Posted January 18, 2012
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kavazovangel: Then something is messed up because games should not ask for admin rights.
AFAIK that depends on what level of permission the games need. For example my own favorite game Re-Volt checks and writes Directplay entries in the registry editor when necessary, so that the game can be found by Directplay when it is called through external lobby launchers. That won't happen unless the game is set to be run by an admin upon startup.

On topic, I have a friend who was scammed into paying for a scamming virus. Have never seen him that angry before when he found out.
Post edited January 18, 2012 by Stockpile
Posted January 18, 2012
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kavazovangel: Then something is messed up because games should not ask for admin rights.
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Stockpile: AFAIK that depends on what level of permission the games need. For example my own favorite game Re-Volt checks and writes Directplay entries in the registry editor when necessary, so that the game can be found by Directplay when it is called through external lobby launchers (for online multi-player purposes). That won't happen unless the game is set to be run by an admin upon startup.
This
Posted January 18, 2012
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kavazovangel: Do your PC a favor and remove AVG. Install MSE instead. :)
I used to like MSE too. But AVG trounces it in numerous independent tests.
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GameRager: ...
It's a shame things like UAC aren't more intelligently designed. Surely it's not that hard to design something that can tell the difference between a mouse click and dodgy software doing stuff by itself?
Post edited January 18, 2012 by Navagon
Posted January 18, 2012
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Navagon: It's a shame things like UAC aren't more intelligently designed. Surely it's not that hard to design something that can tell the difference between a mouse click and dodgy software doing stuff by itself?
It is, all they do is install a fake device for the mouse and I'm pretty sure that's possible to do. And at that point the OS doesn't have any particular way of identifying that it's not a real mouse.

What's more, some things like this are more reasonably left to the user to deal with. Windows isn't anywhere near as well secured as some other OSes are. I know with FreeBSD if I up the secure level 1, IIRC, and you can't install any drivers or change any drivers without rebooting into single user mode. MS doesn't have that functionality or an equivalent AFIAK.
Posted January 18, 2012
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orcishgamer: AdBlock, NoScript, and Flashblock is pretty helpful in avoiding drive by viruses. PDF files should also be avoided unless you really need them, no, using a 3rd party reader may not protect you as much as you think (some have the same exploits in them that Adobe Reader has).
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kavazovangel: It is really not that hard to protect yourself from bad PDF files, just make sure you disable Adobe Reader's JavaScript engine, and enable the Enhanced Security feature.

Two simple checkboxes (radiobutton in the second case).
Since those are not the default it's not really a good security choice for most users. It's not really obvious when you open Adobe and things aren't set up this way and it's easy to forget when you're surfing on not your primary machine that it might not be configured this way. It's much better to just get in the habit of not taking pdf files unless they both come from a reputable source and you actually need them.
Posted January 18, 2012
I had to deal with one of these on a friend's computer. It wouldn't let me install antivirus software because...surprise...it claimed it was a virus! Oh the irony. So I booted the computer up in safe mode, installed my antivirus software, and KILLED IT WITH FIRE! AHAHAHAHAHAH!

It was very satisfying.
Posted January 18, 2012
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jefequeso: I had to deal with one of these on a friend's computer. It wouldn't let me install antivirus software because...surprise...it claimed it was a virus! Oh the irony. So I booted the computer up in safe mode, installed my antivirus software, and KILLED IT WITH FIRE! AHAHAHAHAHAH!

It was very satisfying.
Y'know what they say - if you have a problem, kill it with fire. If the problem isn't gone, you didn't use enough gasoline.
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General discussion (archive)I really hate fake antivirus scamviruses.(51 posts)(51 posts)
(51 posts)