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ComboFix=GREAT rootkit cleaner. (Kaspersky failed me big time).

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superboyac:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

Well, Kaspersky actually failed me for the first time since I've been using it (many years).  A couple of days ago, I noticed my Firefox was having some weird problems.  It turns out I had a Google redirect virus that was causing significant trouble on my computer.  My Ad Muncher even broke, which is VERY rare.  I did a full computer scan with Kaspersky IS 2010, and it caught a bunch of stuff but didn't clean this particular problem.  First of all, Kaspersky should have never allowed it in in the first place...what's the point of having it running and slowing everything down???  Anyway, after all of that, I was still having the problem.  Then I used malwarebytes anti-malware program to clean, and that found some stuff also, but didn't clean this problem.

So I did a lot of reading, and came across the program ComboFix (link up top).  Actually, I discovered it in the comments section of some blog post, so it was rather difficult to find.  I know it's been mentioned here a little, but no big discussions or anything.  Anyway, I'm glad to say that it did a FANTASTIC job of cleaning out that rootkit.

More importantly, I'm VERY VERY disappointed in Kaspersky.  It's a world-class security suite and should be very capable of catching these things.  I'm also a little annoyed in knowing that even though it's constantly monitoring my pc, why do I get a bunch of malware when I do a full computer scan?  What's the point of it running and monitoring?  I don't get that.

This was bad.  I don't mind this happening to my laptop or mom's computer.  But not to my workhorse computer.  That's my baby.  I do everything on there, it's practically a mini-corporation.

These antivirus programs need to go through a makeover.  Less bloat, and focus on minimizing the performance impact and accuracy/effectiveness.  All other features are secondary.  Almost all users care primarily about those two things: performance impact and security.  The companies should spend 80% of their efforts on those two things.  For AV programs, they should cut out as much bloat as possible.  What is it about software...as soon as it gets anywhere near the big-times, they become slow and bulky.  They install files all over the place, etc.  I love those tiny little utilities that run super-fast, have nice simple interfaces, and install so simply, like all files in one folder, or even having a portable option.  All software should be portable unless there is a true need to get their fingers all up in the OS (which AV programs might very well need).

mrainey:
I did a full computer scan with Kaspersky IS 2010, and it caught a bunch of stuff
--- End quote ---

Then I used malwarebytes anti-malware program to clean, and that found some stuff also
--- End quote ---

Maybe you should focus on not exposing your "workhorse" to so much "stuff".

rjbull:
These antivirus programs need to go through a makeover.  Less bloat, and focus on minimizing the performance impact and accuracy/effectiveness.-superboyac (August 31, 2010, 12:33 PM)
--- End quote ---

Well said.  And an absolute absence of false positives  >:(

superboyac:
I did a full computer scan with Kaspersky IS 2010, and it caught a bunch of stuff
--- End quote ---

Then I used malwarebytes anti-malware program to clean, and that found some stuff also
--- End quote ---

Maybe you should focus on not exposing your "workhorse" to so much "stuff".
-mrainey (August 31, 2010, 02:00 PM)
--- End quote ---
Actually, the point of an AV program is to protect my computer in case I encounter such things.  As careful as I am, I do a lot of computing and things in general on the net, so I would have to disagree with that.  What if i wasn't a big time computer supergeek?  Does that mean I have to be afraid of everything I do?  No.  That's why we pay for the AV programs.  If it's just a matter of being cautious, why do we run AV programs which slow our computers down?

superboyac:
These antivirus programs need to go through a makeover.  Less bloat, and focus on minimizing the performance impact and accuracy/effectiveness.-superboyac (August 31, 2010, 12:33 PM)
--- End quote ---

Well said.  And an absolute absence of false positives  >:(
-rjbull (August 31, 2010, 02:40 PM)
--- End quote ---
Yeah, really.  I bet a lot of the things it found were false positives, but I can't be sure.  At the very least, it should catch the things that are malware.  I've never had this happen with kaspersky before.  I've always had peace of mind with it, but now I've lost a little of the trust, and I don't like that.

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