Am I under attack?

[MichaelM]

Microsoft Security Essentials keeps detecting threats.

After loosing patience, I disconnected the pc from the internet and did a full scan. It detcted over 2 million potential threats!

PC was fine until I connected to the www, then MSE starts flashing warnings again. I took the pc offline, did another scan & ran Malawarebytes, pc was fine until I reconected to tye www - now MSE is regularly flashing warnings again.

Any advice?

 

[snorri]

There is a sub section in the Know How section titled Computers and Electrical, try posting your query there, that's where the computer boffins hang out.

 

[MichaelM]

Cheers,

There used to be a cafe and an electric cafe - didn't notice that.

 

[Archie_tect]

Throw it away and start again.

 

[vernon]

Any advice?

Use Linux or buy an Apple computer.

 

[Zoiders]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[vernon]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

Just turn it off, leave it off and buy a non-Windows computer.

 

[swee'pea99]

That sounds very weird. 2 million. Hmmm. Never heard the like.

Perhaps come at it from different angles? Malwarebytes is good I hear, but perhaps try downloading, say, Avast and see what that turns up, then Spybot S&D and see if that helps? None of them finds everything...I have found in the past that using different flavours can help. Is it possible that a trojan has corrupted your MSE? Or one is pretending to be your MSE?

 

[ASC1951]

Well, I use a Windows computer and have only once had a trojan get through. People don't bother writing malware for Apple machines because the zillions of us out there who want to use a computer for proper work naturally choose a PC. But when Apple phones are targeted, what a surprise, those are as vulnerable as everything else.

Nothing wrong with MSIE, either. I have used it and Kaspersky and it's pretty much as good even though it's free.

The answer, MichaelM, is that you need to set up your PC and MSIE properly. That's a bigger subject than anyone can answer on here, so you need to get someone to show you or read one of the hundreds of books and computer magazines on security basics. Or read some of the gigabytes of stuff online - here is one, taken at random from a Google search. http://www.itsecurity.com/features/20-minute-guide-pc-security-021307/

 

[fossyant]

Also try superantispyware - it's good at getting rid of real nasties. Spybot's also good.

 

[ian turner]

Go into the network connections menu via control panel (the one that shows the wired and wireless adapters, may take a bit of searching if on vista or 7 in which case go via the network status option then manage networks), right click on the one you're using and select properties then click on tcp/ip settings (IP4 if using vista or later) and check that both ip address and DNS servers are set to automatic.

Also check the internet options in your browser and makesure that a proxy hasn't been set.

Security software will detect nasties but won't necessarily identify if you're being redirected by such changes to dns servers that redirect you through malware installing intermediates.

 

[MichaelM]

It became unusable, turns out it was some kind of root virus. Now £65 worse off after getting it fixed.

 

[Garz]