W32/Koobface.worm.gen.g

[Lizard]

I have Avast anti-virus on my computer which works fine for me.
My son had no anti-virus (he likes to live dangerously). He got the Koobface virus from using Facebook. I told him to download one of the free anti-virus programmes which would get rid of the virus for him.
Now he emails me and says, "I have downloaded all "free" anti virus programs. Cost R250 in airtime, all of them will "protect" your computer but none will remove the virus without buying the full version. It would have been cheaper and quicker to buy the software."
I don't believe this. I think that if you download Avast it will then rid your computer of the virus.
Which one of us right? Otherwise any other suggestions?

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Microsoft security essentials is free. Unless he's running an illegal copy of windows.

AVG Free is available, so is Avast.

Sounds as if he got XP Antivirus 2010 on his PC...

 

[DarkStreet]

My son had no anti-virus (he likes to live dangerously).

No comment :erm:

I would highly recommend NOD32 - been using it for years on all my PCs and never had any infections bypass it. Not free though.

 

[Lizard]

Thenk you for your quick response. His Windows Vista is legal and he has Microsoft Security Essentials which is what he says is telling him that he has the virus. He has downloaded Avast and AVG (and I think it was a mistake to download more than one anti-virus programme) but he says that they both tell him that he has the Koobface virus but that they will not remove the virus unless he pays for the non-free version.

 

[Lizard]

No comment :erm:

I would highly recommend NOD32 - been using it for years on all my PCs and never had any infections bypass it. Not free though.

Any idea what it costs. If it's within my means I will buy it for him.

 

[DarkStreet]

Any idea what it costs. If it's within my means I will buy it for him.

Yes, you are correct, he should not run more than 1 AV at any one time. Before installing a new one you need to ensure you uninstall the current one.

NOD32 AV pricing is here: http://www.eset.co.za/purchase/index.html - R 355.68 for a new licence, R 209.76 per year renewal. A little pricier than other AV apps on the market but I went for NOD32 simply because it uses very little system resources which was a breath of fresh air after having resource hogging Norton (which I've been told is not as bad any more but I can't be bothered to go back to that!).

 

[Lizard]

Yes, you are correct, he should not run more than 1 AV at any one time. Before installing a new one you need to ensure you uninstall the current one.

NOD32 AV pricing is here: http://www.eset.co.za/purchase/index.html - R 355.68 for a new licence, R 209.76 per year renewal. A little pricier than other AV apps on the market but I went for NOD32 simply because it uses very little system resources which was a breath of fresh air after having resource hogging Norton (which I've been told is not as bad any more but I can't be bothered to go back to that!).

Mmm, more than I can afford. But in the meantime I have found instructions for removing XP Antivirus 2010 if that is what he has got. Maybe then Avast will take care of the Koobface one (once he has uninstalled the other free AVs he downloaded). Little children, little problems; big children, big problems.

 

[Boomstomp]

also give Comodo a try... I've been using it a while and its nice

Also free, although some of the more advanced stuff (like a firewall) takes time to set up correctly.

 

[Ry4n]

You need to google a removal tool or process
http://www.freespycheck.com/malware-removal/remove-w32-koobface-worm-gen-c.html

Most Anti Virus will pick it up and block it but wont remove it from an already infected system.
GL!

 

[DarkStreet]

You need to google a removal tool or process
http://www.freespycheck.com/malware-removal/remove-w32-koobface-worm-gen-c.html

Most Anti Virus will pick it up and block it but wont remove it from an already infected system.
GL!

Do you have personal experience with the product in that link? I avoid "removal" tools unless I'm downloading it from a well known anti-virus vendor. Often these "removal tools" and "free anti-virus scan" products are malware themselves.

 

[Lizard]

Do you have personal experience with the product in that link? I avoid "removal" tools unless I'm downloading it from a well known anti-virus vendor. Often these "removal tools" and "free anti-virus scan" products are malware themselves.

Son is now at stage where he wants to format his hard drive but can anyone tell us, if he does that will it get rid of the virus or will that still be lurking somewhere? He says that with Vista there is an option to restore the computer to original condition. I still have XP so don't know.

 

[murraybiscuit]

not necessarily if it's a boot sector virus etc it could just recur afaik.
which is not the case with you it would appear.

he should be able to clear it up if he follows the instructions here.
http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2003-081119-5051-99
the system restore is often the issue, just follow the instructions to shut it down.

i wouldn't reinstall till i've followed the above. what a shlep. if there's other computers on your home network, you'd better check those too and quarantine the healthy from the infected.
and tell him not to flipping click any more banners or download any more software that isn't on sourceforge or softpedia. period.