Remove-Malware.com

Archive | Malware Tips RSS feed for this section

Where Does Malware Hide

Malware hides in only a few spots (typically). The folders below should be manually scanned with an anti-virus (kaspersky or Windows OneCare) and an anti-malware application (malwarebytes’ anti-malware) on a daily basis.

In Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\

C:\Windows

In Windows Vista:

C:\Users

C:\Windows

Most of the very malicious malware resides in C:\windows\system32

As a IT consultant I need to move from appointment to appointment. Scanning the folders above with manual scans allows me to clean up the infections quickly instead of waiting to scan the entire PC. Once the manual scans are complete and the malware from those folders has been neutralized I set their on-access scanners to clean and then quarantine anything left (if there is anything left…there usually isn’t).

USB Malware: INF/autorun prevention and removal

INF/autorun is USB malware (aka – a USB virus) that is automatically installed to your PC via an autorun.inf file. Since USB drives are so popular these days most of the new malware released also copies itself to the USB flash drive and waits to travel to a new PC.

The USB malware threat is somewhat overblown. Most antivirus programs can easily detect and clean USB flash drive viruses as long as the anti-virus software is up to date, however as we all know, not everyone runs anti-virus or keeps it up to date.

For more prevention, consider running a Host Intrusion Detection program along with your anti-virus (like Threatfire). HIT programs can easily prevent USB viruses from auto-installing and HIT doesn’t need to be updated as much as anti-virus software.

I personally have come into contact with a USB virus (from my wife ) and it was easily killed via Kaspersky.