How to protect and disinfect your computer

HOW YOU CAN GET INFECTED

Booting the computer from an infected hard disk, cd-rom or diskette.

Opening (by autorun) an infected USB stick.

Executing attached infected files (.exe, .com, .vbs, .dll, .sh, .bat , .scr, .pif and more) you may find inside emails.

Executing infected files (.exe, .com, .doc, .bat, .hlp, .htm, .ini, .js, .php, .pif, .reg, .ppt, .scr, .sh, .shs, .sys, .vbs, .wbt, .xls, .pdf and more)

Previewing emails usually sent by an unknown person, because they possibly contain destructive code in the form of .html, that is automatically executed upon the email preview.

Browsing infected webpages (usually .htm and .html ).

Just by using the internet. To be more specific, almost every operating system, especially Microsoft Windows, have "security holes" which are exploited by a new type of viruses in order to infect the computer, without asking at ANY point the permission of the user to install any type of software.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Make a backup of your critical files regularly, after having scanned them with an antivirus program.

Update your antivirus program as often as possible.

Update your internet browser program as often as possible.

Update your email client program as often as possible.

Update the program Adobe Acrobat Reader (if you use it).

Update the programs Microsoft Office and OpenOffice (if you use them).

Scan with your antivirus software every file you download from the Internet.

If you use irc chat, make sure you have disabled the auto-accept-dcc-files option.

Do not insert to your computer USB sticks from untrusted sources.

If you do not wish to use any antivirus/antispyware software, you can use a program with sandboxing feature, in which you will open SAFELY any file you download or find in cds/dvds/usb sticks.
You can find such programs in the page "Sandboxing: A New Method of Protection".

Unhide the hide-file-extension-of-known-filetypes option within your hard disk explorer. If someone sends you a file called pic.jpg.vbs, you may think it's a .jpg file and execute it!

Always have a boot disk or boot cd for repairing your computer in case you get infected. Most antivirus programs offer this disk.

Use two different antivirus programs, using only one real-time monitor. It would be best if one of the 2 programs is in the top-20 antivirus programs' list you will find in the results of our LATEST Comparative test of antivirus programs. Security is not a matter of money, it's a matter of life-and-death for your computer!

Use a firewall program (you can find a list of good and freeware ones in the "FREE antivirus software" section of the website).

Use an anti-spyware program (you can find a list of good and freeware ones in the "FREE antivirus software" section of the website).

Update the operating system of your computer often (especially Microsoft Windows), so that all known security holes are fixed. We should mention that certain Microsoft operating systems do NOT allow the user to install updates if they have not been purchased!

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU GET INFECTED

Disable Windows System Restore (if the windows version you use support it)

Update your antivirus/antispyware software and check your computer again.

Download the "Free Antivirus Tools Collection" and follow the instructions to remove the virus. Alternatively, you may download Avira Free edition, Spybot, Dr.Web CureIt, Ad-Aware Free and Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool; after you install them, update them (if possible). Restart your computer and press F8 in order to boot into Safe mode. Scan with every of the above software (scan with one at a time) all the hard disks and quarantine or delete any infected files. If one software detects something infected, wait for it to finish its scan and after it cleans/quarantines/deletes the virus, restart the computer and scan with the same software again. If it detects nothing this time, proceed with the 2nd software and so on.

If your computer remains infected, download one-or-both of BitDefender Rescue CD, F-Secure Rescue CD and after you boot your computer using them, update them and scan your computer.

If your computer remains infected, download HijackThis and using option "Open Misc Tools Section->Generate StartupList log" make a log file and post your problem in the forum section attaching:
-the reports of the software you used by now (which detect but fail to disinfect the virus)
-the log file of HijackThis
We will try to help you remove the virus, free-of-charge of course.

Do NOT format your hard disk! Formatting is NEVER a 100% guaranteed solution in order to face a computer virus. Have patience, faith in the antivirus program you have chosen and ... a bit of good luck!