New 'botworm' exploits Symantec flaw

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Removing spyware/virus???

I thought it was a waste of time to remove spyware. Most of them nowadays are backdoor trojans, which means they open the door for hackers to take control of your system and introduce additional vulnerabilities. No signature-based detector can detect those vulnerabilities, much less remove them. Bottom line, like Terminator said, "I will be back!".
I just save the user data by removing its hard disk to another computer, extract what files they really care about (no settings, sorry!) into a partition WITH FAT32 (NOT NTFS, mind you) to get rid of hidden ADS, extract their recovery partition contents likewise, then wipe out and recover/reinstall. Then update, update, update, remove junk software, remove, remove, harden system with antispyware (SpyBot, SpywareBlaster, AdAware), put their data back, scan it, and then off they can go.
The main advantages are:
+ I KNOW I'll be done at some point.
+ I KNOW this is a clean system, and it and its apps will be fully patched and secured.
+ I KNOW all the data I brought back will be clean or else any dirt will be detected and removed, with no hidden Alternate Data Streams (surprise surprise!).
+ That WILL TAKE CARE of whatever "my nephew's school friend" or my doggie did to my computer to mess it up (short of slobber it, or is it short-circuited it with its slobber?).
+ This is ALL YOU CAN DO TO CLUELESS HOME USERS that think that "letting go of the steering wheel" works with their computers when it does not work with their cars! (Hint: Don't try that on the road. I warned YOU!)

Posted by: lamp299   Posted on: 12/18/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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