Viruses in windows/system32

Viruses and worms
1

I keep getting these popups of viruses in my system32 folder, and the file names are always update14436236.exe, and like just random numbers. They keep popping up every like 3 minutes. Some types of viruses say worms, and trojan. Anyone got any ideas?

2

If a virus is replicant (coming and coming again), you should:

  1. Disable System Restore on Windows ME or Windows XP. System Restore cannot be disabled on Windows 9x and it’s not available in Windows 2k. After boot you can enable System Restore again.

  2. Clean your temporary files. You can use the Windows Advanced Care features for that.

  3. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast. Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning. Select for scanning archives. Boot. Other option is scanning in SafeMode (repeatedly press F8 while booting).

  4. It will be good if you download, install, update and run other trojan remover tools: a-squared and/or Free AVG Antispyware (trojan removers). Some users recommend SUPERantispyware or Spyware Terminator.

  5. Use the immunization of SpywareBlaster or, which is better, the Windows Advanced Care features of spyware/adware cleaning and removal.

3

Hey thanks a lot! It worked out pretty well. I haven’t seen any warning for anything yet.

4

You might also consider proactive protection, in order to place files in the system folders and create registry entries you need permission. Prevention is much better and theoretically easier than cure.

Whilst browsing or collecting email, etc. if you get infected then the malware by default inherits the same permissions that you have for your user account. So if the user account has administrator rights, the malware has administrator rights and can reap havoc. With limited rights the malware can’t put files in the system folders, create registry entries, etc. This greatly reduces the potential harm that can be done by an undetected or first day virus, etc.

Check out the link to DropMyRights (in my signature below) - Browsing the Web and Reading E-mail Safely as an Administrator. This obviously applies to those NT based OSes that have administrator settings, winNT, win2k, winXP.