Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

[mrstheresa]

HELP   How do I know if I have a real Internet Security 2010?   I was either on facebook last night or our local newspaper site and something popped up suddently saying there's a virus, and another popped up saying to scan, etc.  I said no, or X'd out.   And 5 minutes later it would pop up again.  I went to bring up the task manager and it wouldn't let me open it.  Then it changed the desktop "wallpaper" and wouldn't let me change it.

So I google the term Internet Security 2010, and most of the hits, you can see in the first few words, things like "it's a fake" and "how to delete" (which of course takes you some other unknown sight, e.g., bleepingcomputer.com).

Now, in addition to those hits, there is the term "Internet Security 2010" in connection with Norton. 

So, I don't know if these hits are trying to dissuade you from using a Norton product so their own product could infect your computer, or if there really is some kind of spyware, virus, whatever that is called Internet Security 2010.

Couple things, this "trial" version thing does not contain the word Norton anywhere.  And I did not download anything by that name.  It placed itself on the start menu and if I right click and properties, it says it was created yesterday at a late hour when I was using the computer, but I know for a fact I didn't download anything at that time, actually can't remember when I've downloaded something unless it was a file I sent myself from work.

Real or not?  How do I get rid of it?

[edmrx7]

Yeah, it sounds like you've got it.

I had it last night... it was a pain to get it out.

I used Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to get rid of it.

Good luck! 

[Yaso_Kuuhl Norton Fighter · Accepted solution]

Hi mrstheresa,

Please download the free version of Malwarebytes from this link:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

If you have got malware which is trying to prevent you from downloading it from the site above, please go to this download location:

http://www.filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/

Install Malwarebytes, launch the program and go to "Update"; click on "Check for Updates" and let it download the definition files. Then go to "Scanner" and have it run a full scan.

When Malwarebytes has finished the scan, it will automatically generate a log in a Notepad file, which will pop up on your screen after the scan. On this window of the Notepad file, please go to "File", then to "Save as"; type in a name, save the file to, for instance, your desktop, then post it over here by using the "Add Attachments" feature underneath the orange "Post" button when you write your next post.

Message Edited by Yaso_Kuuhl on 01-08-2010 12:25 AM

[mrstheresa]

OK, that log thingy is attached

[cgoldman]

Well you are certainly infected with the virus "internet security 2010", and some others., What antivirus programme was loaded on your company prior to the infection and what operating system are you using please?

[Yaso_Kuuhl Norton Fighter]

Hi mrstheresa,

Please have Malwarebytes delete all that stuff it found - as your logs indicate and as cgoldman has stated, you are infected with some nasties, including, as you suspected, the rogue antivirus Internet Security 2010. 

Also, as cgoldman has asked, what kind of security software were you/are you running? 

You mentioned bleepingcomputer.com in your first post; Bleeping Computer is a highly recommended malware-removal forum. Users who have got particularly stubborn rootkits/malware are recommended to get help from Bleeping Computer.

You can also read more about Internet Security 2010 and removal instructions over here in the Malwarebytes forum:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=34225&st=0&p=173771&#entry173771 

cgoldman: the user seems to be running Windows XP with Service Pack 2.

Message Edited by Yaso_Kuuhl on 01-08-2010 11:24 AM

[mrstheresa]

Hi, I must thank you immensely for that malware site & software.

I actually saved that log thingy and proceeded to do the remove.....and problem is solved.  I must admit though, I was a bit concerned after I did that scan and deleted the stuff, there was a point at which I had to restart, and when I did, I still had the same "fake wallpaper" and I thought, "oh no!" but knew it was just kind of left over (without the jpg file (or whichever was used) as I was able to change the wallpaper....which it didn't let me do previous to that. 

I've used ad-aware frequently in the past and then as I have AOL also---it has some kind spyware check.

But actually, what I've used for my virus, spyware and firewall thing was, oh, what's it called, it was Easy Armor, and I see this CA now.  It's a subscription provided at no cost as an internet subscriber to Road Runner.  And while I'm aware of these Norton, and McAfee, it was always this "cost money."  Yeah, I know, pay for preventive services.  But the free subscription was not some trial size version, it was a full thing.  And truthfully it worked very well, I never had any problems, and it was easy to use.

Then my computer finally died.  The hard drive, but not virus related.  Gosh they don't make things like they used to.  So I had a new hard drive put in, the computer was at my dad's when we were staying there while redoing stuff in our house.  And with enough work done, my son and I came back here just before Xmas a year ago.  But we didn't transfer back the internet and such right away.  So I was kind of without my computer for about 4-5 months.  Finally brough it home, spent so much time on the mails, and videos, photos, and fave internet sights that time went by.  Then I wound up with an annoying pop ups if I had I.E. open  (It was called Privacy Center). I was always able to get rid of this one because I knew how to find the exe file, and I learned as long as I didn't use IE, it wouldn't install itself again.   Finally set my mind to calling RR about getting that subscription again, I dl'd it, but it screwed up stuff on the computer, or so it seemed.  So I called RR, someone from CA was to get back to me, I don't know who called me back about 10 days later, they did an online scan, said I had to call Hewlett P to get instructions to remove a virus.  Tried calling but on hold forever or something.  Xmas came, was busy busy, and only the night I mentioned did that real annoying thing (the I.S. 2010) start.  So you got me fixed easy.  Naturally with money tight, I'll put CA on again, and really shouldn't have a problem cuz the puter is basically fixed. 

Thank you again, and I'll surely call upon your knowledge in the future if needed.  I got a kick out of it, in a way, when I looked at the description of those things where it really said "fake agent....."or similar.

And rest assured, I will recommend people to this board and you when others have issues.

[boneidle]

If, as mentioned above, you only have SP2  installed on your  XP, why not do a 'Manual' Windows Update and install SP3.

This will help bring your Security up to date, and help towards preventing these things happening again.

[Yaso_Kuuhl Norton Fighter]

Hi mrstheresa,

Glad everything worked out :-) As boneidle has recommended, you may want to upgrade to Service Pack 3.

If you consider your question answered to your satisfaction, please mark this thread solved by clicking on the green solution button of the post which solved your issue, that way other viewers know that your question has been answered and can see the solution directly. Thanks :-) 

[cgoldman]

I'm glad your problem is resolved. This forum is for users of Norton Internet Security and Norton Antivirus. If I understood correctly you had neither of these products.