How Does My Pc Get Infected Repeatedly

I am not so proud to have continually needed the experts help in removing malware etc.

BeeCeeBee has pointed out some ways I might have invited them, for instance using P2P. Its my understanding that includes torrents, file sharing, Skype, & instant messenger. Understandable I realize some differences, mainly the last 2 are almost done with people you know. Not anonymous strangers.

File Sharing
In the last week I downloaded a few torrents to update a GPS. That may be risky behavior but it was the 500 people who commented on it over several years both success and a few disasters that provided me a sense of safety in numbers when I decided to do it too. Not one post in 3 years, 3 map updates suggested they instead got a horrible virus. They may have had trouble installing the maps (I never tried, and have deleted the files they had me download). I promise I wont try this again but I am not convinced its the source of my last virus.

Instant Messenger
I don't messenger much these days but I was a yahoo power user, when I worked in the lending industry almost everyone used a messenger. We used whatever our IT chose when they set us up, but within one office we had yahoo and trillion. My messenger has very few contacts now, but nearly every time I log on I have off line messages from weirdos that I report as spam. It happens on both of my yahoo screen names. Is messenger a dangerous P2P?

Mail
I dont clink on links or download any attachments from people I do know (most the time I cant believe that crap they thought I should read) & I delete messages from unknown senders. That leaves just the electronic bill notifications. I believe I am safe from any mail attacks.

Streaming Content
So I watch everything on the web, I hate watching things when they air on TV. The sites utilizes players like divx, JWPlayer, xvid, etc. I cant pick the players, so is it the sites delivering the content? Is MTV safe but not YouTube? That would be like saying you can use any ATM but prefer BofA for safety reasons. Does the streaming content allow more then the video, does saving the video now to watch later matter?

Anti Virus
Years ago I deleted all antivirus programs and surfed the web with no noticeable issues doing everything then I do now . Yes I picked up something eventually and that is when I asked for help on CHF to remove it. Based on the expert opinions of members here I needed a firewall and constant monitoring. Yes things run great, better then eve, except when they don't. About every 4 weeks I wind up back here. I happen to be the most frequent poster for malware removal, so I have to wonder if I get infected because my PC now has antivirus on it?

 

Have you considered that, the only difference between now and then is that before you didn't realise you were getting infected?

The best people to answer this question or person would be the malware experts who have cleaned your system, as they would know what you had, and how it is normally transmitted.

Not knowing what GPS NAV system you have, I can't really judge if that's the cause, I do know that some allow free downloads of updates and some charge, I assume you have one that charges for updates, I also know people that do the same as you without problem.

although this activity is illegal and is theft, their are ways of minimizing the risk by choice of sites and software used to download.

the same applies to streaming media, I use You Tube and other similar sites regularly, and also use TV channels sites to watch programs I missed when aired on TV, the main risk here is when you are asked to download a codec to view the stream, film program or whatever, I install a codec pack from Kodec and if something wants me to install extra I stay away and look for another sauce

Instant messengers, should in theory be safe, the dangerous part is if someone sends you a file, lol or someone's computer with an infection sends you a file, but just talking is safe.

the other thing to consider is the way modern AV's protect your system, in that they monitor the OS's system processes and the moment they detect a activity that is associated with a virus's behaviour you should get a pop up asking if you want it to continue, and giving you information about the file, application that has triggered the alert and how high the AV rates the risk of this behaviour being a virus.

 

Ill message Starbuck, he has been working with me for a long time.



Thank you Match I would never download a codec again....I made that mistake on MySpace not too long ago.

I also did a search for a free gps map update, and found a really nice website that had been giving it away for free. It didnt work so well but then again my 2010 map is so bad I have to remember to map quest places and print it out before I get in the car and see if the gps can even get me in the vicinity of my destination.

 

You do need some codecs for audio and video to work, but I find this

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/k_lite_codec_pack.htm

covers all that I need,

My sat nav was that old it was printed :snckr: then I bought a new phone, with the Android OS, and GPS got it for £50 on sale ($80 USD), went for a "pay as you go" phone in a box as the deal I have gives me 30 days 500mb of internet use for £10 ($16 USD) and then costs £5 ($8 USD) to buy a further 30 days internet with 250mB so for my £10 I get 3 months internet use as I rarely make calls anyway this is a great deal for me, as I get 90 days of Windows Live messenger and skype, Google Maps, Google Nav, latitude, which has really annoyed my mates who pay for contracts, just to have an iPhone that my little phone will do 95% of the same things a a fraction of the cost.

 

Match has been very kind to you by suggesting that there are ways for you to keep doing what you are doing.

Antivirus is clearly not enough for you, you need a good antimalware program as well. What happened is that you decided to update your Sat Nav maps and chose torrents as a means of avoiding payment. While I am prepared to accept that this is your only torrent you obviously had to install the torrent program and go to a torrent site in order to find what you were looking for. Each of these steps has their own inherent dangers.

Quite frankly you are a poster child for what not to do and I can see no way of avoiding future infections if you keep it up. Please do not PM staff members for individual help.

 

The problem that you will always have is that once you get a form of Virus / Malware / Spyware by the time you notice it the chances are it has already done damage to the OS and files etc.

If you get one of the above yes there are ways to remove the main threat but there are always others, and the best and easiest way is to do a re format, no one program will catch everything and all you can do is protect yourself as best as you can and have a back up plan.

Ask yourself, how long have you and other people spent trying to fight malware as opposed to doing a reformat.....

Even the major software companies (Symantec, ESET etc) can only fight as hard as they can, and thats why there are updates every other day for the files because everything changes so quickly and new threats are created daily

 

I hate to call any one bad names and will try to not do so now, but I am getting annoyed.
What you should know is that the criminals who write the virus and other malware are doing so daily in order to keep one step in front of the companies creating and sending updates every day for antivirus and antimalware, to combat them.
For the criminal, it is still easy money, their little package steals personal details, worth a fortune on the black market, and quite often bought by legitimate companies too.
They steal more valuable details such as credit and debit card numbers, along with the security code number on the back, all done via the little package they sneak into files that you download via torrent sites.
Even though the file may be uploaded clean by the original donor, the criminal installs his virus or malware via a very open back door into these sites, actually downloading the file, installing his package, then uploading it back to the same address is how I believe it is done.
The criminal loves people like you, who wants something for nothing, you will not pay for the legitimate and correct file from the original creators, you think you can get it for free via a torrent site.
Next thing you know your bank account is empty and your computer works like a bag of spanners. yet you call it for free?
Get wise and spend the money and don't be stupid.

The operating phrase in all that is=

The criminal loves people like you, who wants something for nothing.

Nev.