[JoeProBono]

[jeffc]

Once installed it turns off Windows Automatic Update and stops you using the Windows Security Centre. It disables a range of internal services that could be used by anti-malware programs, blocks access to a number of anti-virus websites and even resets and deletes system restore points so you can't go back to an uninfected installation of your operating system

I've seen it. Nasty piece of software. I helped quite a few people recover from it.

[Raycpa]

If this is the same thing I recently fought in January, I think I got this as a Trojan horse from freeware. I am not a computer geek but until this attack I was able to remove prior viruses.

This thing was really nasty, it opened my lap top to all sorts of other viruses and it was like playing wack-a-mole. Get rid of one and two more spring up.

It changed so many things and managed redirecting in ways that I could not figure out, I figured I would never be certain of its removal so I opted for a reformat and reinstall.

Even then I am still afraid the thing can figure out how to restore itself somehow from the reformatted hard drive.

[ShadowAce]

[papasmurf]

"Once installed it turns off Windows Automatic Update and stops you using the Windows Security Centre. It disables a range of internal services that could be used by anti-malware programs, blocks access to a number of anti-virus websites and even resets and deletes system restore points so you can't go back to an uninfected installation of your operating system."

Reminds me of...of...of...hm...oh yeah, Windows!

[papasmurf]

All joking aside.

Download the FREE Windows application Steady State. It IS very good, and will return your machine exactly the way it was before the infection, just by rebooting.

I don't know who they bought out or stole it from (j/k), but, it actually works as advertised.

[TChris]

Once installed it turns off Windows Automatic Update ...

So much for "trying very hard to hide its presence."

It seems to me that any malware which shuts down services or otherwise changes the normal behavior of your computer would be very easily noticed. It may be difficult to remove, but that isn't what the author wrote.

Chalk one up to poor journalism, even in the UK.