Computer virus question

Little House on Unaka | December 30, 2009 | don-o

[don-o]

I am getting a neighbor / friend's computer running. It's a Dell (4100 I believe) running XP home. According to her, she has never been on the internet or e-mail. I can verify the latter because I set up her Outlook Express. (I know someone was using it, because of the shortcuts on the desktop.)

Nevertheless, she had the computer hooked to the internet, but powered off. I removed McAfee and am installing Charter's Security Suite. Began a scan last evening and it's finding a ton of virii.

My question is, can a computer be infected w/o active participation of a user?

[ShadowAce]

[don-o]

Thanks for the ping

[ansel12]

I want to make this as clean and simple for her as I can.

For someone that doesn't want to get involved in security, then I would use Microsoft Security Essentials, it is passive and invisible, that and automatic updates will probably keep her pretty safe without her having to get involved, or learn anything new.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And you even have to pay for that special ability of Windows....

Linux Mint doesn't seem to have the easy capability...in fact no matter what I try on the internet it doesn't seem to acquire all of that good stuff.

Mint info

[AFreeBird]

I would also institute the creation of user accounts that are not of “OWNER”/”Admin” security level. It’s a PITA sometimes, but not allowing a basic user access to system directories is a tried and true security measure. Something M$ has ignored pretty much up until now.

[don-o]

AJ!!NTSA

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"My question is, can a computer be infected w/o active participation of a user?"

Well, the computer and the cable modem both have to be turned on, but yes, a Windows machine can get infected just by being connected to the Internet, even if you take precautions.

I have a fully-patched XP machine that sits behind a hardware firewall. All it does is serve our family VOIP. It does no browsing and no email. 99% of the time its screen is not even turned on. In addition to the hardware firewall for our network, it runs antivirus (which updates itself daily) and a software firewall. And yet, just sitting there like that, it managed to pick up some malware.

A study a couple years ago showed that an unprotected Windows machine will get infected within twelve minutes after connection to the Internet. From my own experience and my wife's and sons' repeated infections despite all my precautions, I have determined Windows machines to be practically impossible to fully protect. Your example is just another confirmation.

[PIF]

Linux is fine for guys that like to tinker, but not so hot for gals that know nothing except how to send and receive email and stuff like that.

don-o would have to be there alot to show her how Linux works. She needs something simple that doesn’t get bad stuff.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Did you check browser history/download history?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Linux is fine for guys that like to tinker,

Those were the old days...believe me.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

She needs something simple that doesn’t get bad stuff.

Well don't get Windows 7 and an anti-virus pkg...

My daughter just moved one kid's computer from Mint to Window 7 for convenience and within a few weeks it is all garbaged up ...

Daughter is running Mint ...no Virus problems.

[don-o]

Did you check browser history/download history?

Nope. And I have decided to go to cybertechhelp.com and let them hand hold me through the process. Guy at work suggests a reformat and reinstall. I really do now want to do that unless it is my only option.

Thanks to all who have responded.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Just got off the phone with my daughter as we work on the teenage girls system...she had installed a new Windows 7,...64 bit variety with McAfee Anti Virus plus 2010 version....prior to putting the computer back on the internet....

which is via a Verizon DSL router....

But after a period of time ...days the girl says it acts strange...

She is on Facebook a lot....which is known to sometimes get infected.

[don-o]

I had a problem with my Firefox browser (3.5) Installing the 3.6 beta version has helped that a lot.

[visualops]

XP needs to be updated to SP3.
The cable company’s security will probably not be enough. Turn on Windows firewall, For a browser set up the latest Firefox with Adblock and NoScript.
If there really is a ton of crap on there you may want to just restore the machine, then proceed with updates etc.
If not then I suggest using this program in addition to malwarebytes-
http://www.gmer.net/

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Nope. And I have decided to go to cybertechhelp.com and let them hand hold me through the process. Guy at work suggests a reformat and reinstall. I really do now want to do that unless it is my only option.

May not work with certain kinds of Rootkits. Some of those are pretty nasty, and will re-write the firmware of your system. Might be worth a visit to a computer store to have BIOS re-flashed before you do a re-install.

[Gondring]

Have any problems running games on it?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There are games for Linux ,...but the serious high powered stuff is pretty well wired to Windows...which is fine...

But for a serious go any where internet Browsing machine....Windows sucks.

[Born Conservative]

You don’t necessarily need a local email client like OE; someone could have been using a webmail....