Doctors check of your computer

[Hardy]

Windows users!

This is the time of year i want you to do something for the irc network and internet in general. Due to increased drone and trojan activity the past year, we were hoping that everyone could take a look at their computer and make sure its updated with the newest Microsoft patches and anti-virus definition files.

Please run Windows Update and install ALL recommended patches:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Check for Adware/Spyware. Download, install, update and run Ad-Aware:
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware

For more information regarding virus scanning software and general PC security, please refer to http://www.hackfix.org.

Thank you. And remember that not all your friends are the computer genius you are, so help them also

[Pills]

Also, don't forget Spybot Search & Destroy, which can be downloaded here:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-D ... ag=lst-0-3

[Jon]

I would like to add;

mIRC users please do not install the polaris script !

[tetedupet]

The best cleaner for IRC related trojans and viruses, from my personal experience is Moosoft Development's 'The Cleaner'. The creator of this product is in contact with IRC and he reacts quickly to new malware discovered.

It can be obtained from http://www.moosoft.com/products/cleaner/ and instructions on how to run it can be located at http://hackfix.org/software/configure/cleaner.html

tetedupet

[HM2K]

Seems that time of year has come around again when all the kiddies are off school for the summer working on new trojans and viruses for us to spend all our time removing (fortunatly I get paid for removing them, so its not too bad).

I must say that recently I have had a increasing demand for fixing computers that are screwed up because of viruses, it is SO important to do the following:

1. Use a firewall, know what's connecting in and out of your computer (Kerio is a good one http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_download.html or http://www.kerio.com/dwn/kpf2-en-win.exe )
2. Keep windows up-to-date (Windows Update http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ )
3. Keep your virus definitions up-to-date (Use a virus checker such as Norton Anti-Virus and use the Live Update)

Also these days its good practice to have a spyware remover such as ad-aware or spybot.

Enjoy.

[HM2K]

Speaking of which:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3840101.stm

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06/25 ... _websites/

Keep an eye out for that.

[biggy]

Everyone would be better off going to 5 friends and cleaning their computers rather than worrying about their own, esp since it's usually the lay person who hears about virus' and worms but could really care less until they are affected. I would hope the majority of IRC users are above average, although I understand it's probably not true, and are most likely savy to stay on top of the trends.
And in horror stories, I recently cleaned a computer with ~1400 instances of spyware/etc as reported by adaware along with ~70 virus' cleaned off. A customer who has broadband but was clueless as for what to do. 2 years of no protection and they didn't care until the computer became so bogged down it was unusable.
Would be nice to hear the other horror stories out there, who has seen the worse?

[deppy]

I was using my parents computer, and as a precaution before using peoples computers I will check what is running and what network connections are currently made to the PC.

I found a crapload of stuff, including a virus which was taking their modem and dialing a 1-900 # to help the owner get some more cash. My dad had yelled at my brother the day before for "dialing a 1-900 kidney stones number".

The computer savvy people on EFnet should always help their buddies in real life out by teaching them as much as possible about keeping their PC safe, or even setting stuff up so that things automatically get updated and scanned.