"It is recommended" I install VirusRemover2009

Hey all,

A little while ago, I clicked a link to another otherwise reputable news Web site and got a Firefox dialogue box (the Web site loaded before the browser showed me the dialogue box) telling me "it is recommended" I install VirusRemover2009. I immediately closed Firefox with Windows Task Manager and went back to the Web site in question; the box did not pop back up.

After a little Googling, I learned VirusRemover2009 is itself spyware. Big surprise, I know. While I didn't actually "install" the spyware in question, I'm concerned that the pop-up itself is a sign that my computer may somehow be infected. I ran Ad-Aware, but nothing turned up. I've got Avast and AVG, and neither turned up anything when I ran full scans a couple days ago. I'm not noticing any abnormal behavior with my notebook.

Should I be concerned? If so, any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks.

 

If you didn't click the pop-up you should be fine. I recommend installing AdBlockPlus add-on for Firefox for future annoyances.

 

For the future, install NoScript and AdBlockPlus for firefox.

 

Got 'em both, though I skipped the latest update to NoScript. Seems like there's one of those every other day. Thanks.

 

These spyware makers are starting to get clever in what they disguise their "products" as. Can't trust anything anymore...

 

new name again? meh.. hopefullly not a really new variant.

these are using rootkit method to hide themselves, quite often lately. and sometimes it's worth of being a bit paranoid so, in case that you still have AVG installed, try antirootkit scan (if you don't, try downloading & scanning your computer with GMER - it's free).

and just a note: "I've got Avast and AVG" - more than one AV system on a computer may cause troubles because of conflicts of the resident parts (from issues with malware detection & removing, to system failures). in case that you have more AVs installed, i'd highly recommend to choose one only.

 

Like entropy.cz wrote, having two AV's installed with standard configuration is a recipe for insecurity.
Choose one of them and install SAS/SUPERAntispyware or MBAM/Malwarebytes'Antimalware if you want a good on-demand malware scanner.
Btw, Avast has GMER antirootkit technology incorporated.
Cheers.

 

Those are really interesting points. Can you expand on why using two AV programs would make my system less secure? I understand that one program can read files of the other as false positives, but I wasn't aware that this actually reduces my security. I've used two AV programs on various computers for years and have never had problems. In fact, having two saved me once in that one program picked up an infection while the other did not.

 

the thing is, that in case that both AVs attempt to detect and/or remove malware, they will get in troubles: as soon as one detects it (it means that the file is being accessed), the 2nd one does as well. the file will be held an none of the AVs will be able to remove it.

"having two saved me once in that one program picked up an infection while the other did not" - one could prevent the other from detecting the file, for reasons mentioned above.

worse level of malware detection & removing is not the worst part of it, installing more than one AV may also end up with system instability and BSODs.

 

^ +1.

Problems will occur if both real-time scanners are active.
Depending on the settings used, read and/or write actions are checked, this means that when one AV program 'checks' a read action, the 2nd scanner will also notice a read action and do a 'check'.
If a malicious file is detected, both scanners will want to be the first in line to, depending on your settings, quarantine or delete it.
By definition, if one succeeds, the other 'fails'.
You can have 2 AV's installed but you'll have to use one as a pure on-demand scanner.
If you're adamant about having 2 AV's installed make sure to install/configure them properly and check the respective AV fora for details.
Cheers.

 

if you did not click on this link .than your computer is safe.

installed the anti virus software in the computer.
block all the pop ups so that they will not hit your computer.

 

antivirus2009.. same bloke hit my PC sm couple of months back.. i recall using malwarebytes..it wrked wonders fr me