Internet Explorer 8

[bikermickau]

I would be carefull with using Loaris as I just ran it and it claimed to pick up 14 Trojans.

I haven't as of identified what all 14 files are for, however several of the files picked as Trojans are for a program called Nero.
One of the identified Tojans being advrcntr2.dll on which I just did a search in google for and from I have seen it is legitimate and is required for Nero.

I haven't as of yet used Nero, it came installed with the computer from the shop, I believe it's for burning CD's.

Post Updated with list of the 14 files as detected by Loaris (most appear to be for Nero)

advrcntr2.dll - HEUR.TrojanDownloader.n
coreavcdecoder.ax - HEUR.Suspicious.UPACK
nedvd.ax - HEUR.Suspicious.UPACK
nevideo.ax - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
nevideohd.ax - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
nevideo2.ax - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
msa.dll - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
MSAxp.dll - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
vis_nas.dll - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
nps.dll - HEUR.TrojanDownloader.n
DVD Shrink 3.2.exe - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK
{2447500B-22D7-47BD-9B13-1A927F43A267}\Setup.exe - Generic.dx
(D94A8E22-DF2B-4107-9E51-607A60A7671D}\Setup.exe - Backdoor.Win32.Hupigon
DVDBlockAcc.dll - HEUR.Suspicious.ASPACK

Post updated again,
Loaris doesn't like WOW either, it freezes on scanning one of the WOW exe files.

Yep - it's Loaris Trojan Remover, which I fortunately picked up cheaply this weekend,

http://loaris.com/

There's a free trial which will identify infections but won't remove them. Still - it's better to know, I think.

Mike

[Nick29]

Well, I downloaded Loaris trojan remover, and set it to work on my PC, which was previously protected by Norton Internet Security, then Kaspersky Internet Security 2008, and now Eset Smart Security 4.  It has been heavily and repeatedly scanned by all of them.

Loaris claimed to find 24 trojans !

One of them was the Google search bar.
Another one was in Family Tree Maker.
It found one in my HP Printer software.
Another one in Cyberlink Power Cinema.
Two in two screensavers that I downloaded from the BBC Website.
It found one in a freeware media player.
It found 5 in the Opera browser.
And another 2 in the BBC screen savers.

And, Loaris can't spell "scanning".

But who or what is Loaris Inc ?  I've been playing with computers for over 25 years, and I've never heard of them.


So, I did a "whois" ......... Loaris.com registered by Eugene Loaris from Varna Bulgaria on 9 December 2008. 

Loaris.com is hosted on Lunar Pages,  a cheap and cheerful $4.95 a month web host.


I think it's a major con !

Save your money and buy a proper AV program and firewall !

[tomkin]

    For example always be careful of the free scans on the Internet.

   These will scan your computer and literally find hundreds of problems.

   People panic and buy their product.  They are laughing all the way to the bank.

  Also be very careful about removing Trojans. Seek proper advice. Some

 Trojans bind themselves to Registry files. Remove the Trojan and you remove

 the file . Result!!! Major computer problems. Fortunately these are rare, but

 always seek expert advice. In fact,take the Trojans description and google it.

 You will always find loads of information.


  Tomkin.

[robbo43]

I had a Kaspersky Virus scanner when I had my first desk top computer. it was very slow and thorough, checked every file just like the Russian KGB!

Appropriate, the chap who developed it is an ex KGB officer.

Robert

[Nick29]

  Also be very careful about removing Trojans. Seek proper advice. Some

 Trojans bind themselves to Registry files. Remove the Trojan and you remove

 the file . Result!!! Major computer problems. Fortunately these are rare, but

 always seek expert advice. In fact,take the Trojans description and google it.

 You will always find loads of information.


  Tomkin.

Yes, good advice.  It's far better to get a good anti-virus and firewall program in the first place, and then you won't have to worry about how to remove viruses, because they'll never make it onto to your PC.  I know times are hard, but skimping on anti-virus programs really isn't a good idea.   Ask yourself - why would anyone give a program away for free, if they could make money selling it ?  Unless of course they have an ulterior motive.

[Nick29]

I had a Kaspersky Virus scanner when I had my first desk top computer. it was very slow and thorough, checked every file just like the Russian KGB!

Appropriate, the chap who developed it is an ex KGB officer.

Robert

Kaspersky is a little faster these days, and it's certainly better than Norton 

Not as fast as Eset, though.

[GeoffP]

30 Euros seems expensive, specially with the £ low but picking up!

Cheaper than having your identity stolen or hacked  ::

This is getting well away from the original posting on IE8 but interesting. It was only by reading this thread I decided to make a scan using Lauris and was surprised to find 2 Trojan infected files categorised as " threatening". In both cases they were part of program files which I was unaware that I had on my computer. I was able to identify the files involved and then remove them. I certainly would not delete any program files which are important to the use of my computer.

I then found another site which claimed free scan and removal

http://www.emsisoft.net/fr/

and here I found another Trojan infected file which I could again isolate and eliminate.

I certainly would not pay 30 Euros for dubious claims of these sites but I am surprised that I was able to find " Trojan" infections on my computer which ('like Nick) is protected, in my case by Norton and scanned on a regiular basis.

As far as I know, today my computer is free of any infection but I have certainly learnt some interesting facts from this thread.

                               Geoff

[MKG]

I couldn't agree more with most of what's been said. Obviously, anything picked up by ANY Trojan scanner should be checked (unless they're dead simple - I had infected Norton files, which is strange as I've never had anything vaguely Norton-like on my machine. They were immediately deleted). As for the rest, most were reported infections of dll files. It's usually easy to check what a dll file is for on the net and, especially if they're system dll files, to download a clean version (and easy to check them size-for-size).

Loaris does NOT delete things as a matter of course - files which are suspect-only are not marked for deletion, and there is always a note to say that deletion of such files is not recommended. Yes, it appears to be very keen in its identification of infection sites - but I'd rather that than have any missed, and than I can make up my own mind. Sorry if I appear to be championing the program - I'm not - but I feel that the "it's no good unless you pay a lot for it" attitude is basically wrong. Either that, or we must write off the entire open-source movement which has given us, among other gems, Open Office, Firefox and Scribus.

Loaris is certainly likely to identify "infections" which are no such thing - but it is, in my opinion at this moment in time, one of the programs most likely to dig out even the best-hidden genuine infection and allow you to take appropriate action. A con? I think that's going a little far.

Mike

PS Loaris spelling mistakes are a result of the developer's translation efforts - he/she is not a native English-speaker. I don't like it either, but I also don't like Microsoft's spelling and syntax errors.

[tomkin]

[ A con? I think that's going a little far.

/quote]

  Hi Mike,

                I will delete my reference to that because it's not what I meant

  although that is what it appears. ( If that makes any sense.)

  All the anti-virus programmes, root kit detectors, firewalls, spyware,etc

  and other programmes that I use are all free. Each one has been tested by

  independent sources for their efficiency, ease of use and ability to do what

 they claim.  I also have access to an I.T. helpline (for which I pay ) who are

  very good in sorting out any problems of any nature that I may have. IF

necessary they can take over the computer remotely and resolve any conflicts.

How they do it for the money beats me as even the phone calls are free. Then

again I rarely have any problems so I suppose I'm cost effective as far as they

are concerned.
Tomkin