So, I switched on the PC on Saturday morning and immediately got a “WARNING!” message all over the screen telling me I had an infected machine and if I clicked on the “Visa” tab I could pay $60 to get the special software I’d need to remove it.

Nothing would work.

The scam is called “System Tools”. The only way to remove it was to get it to the shop and pay £45ph for an engineer to root the bugger out.

I told the guy at the shop I’d like to string up the scamsters by their thumbs for holding up my life.

He said these scams are popular this year and are coming from Russian and Chinese software engineers who can’t find work.

I said I don’t care and I’d use piano wire.

Lesson: Free anti-virus software from Lavasoft is not adequate.

AAAAAAAGH! GRRRRRR!!!!

Thankyou.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-system-tool

That’ll be £30

To be fair you ‘by passed’ the AV when you clicked to accept the virus, ok scammed but your fell for it.

This is quite easily solved. I had it, removed it and am an IT biff.

And for an extra £5.

Install Firefox install noscript add on this will stop any dodgy sites you visit firing up anything that may catch you out. Of course if you go ahead and give them permission through noscript then your may get issues again.

Also helps (I think) if you don’t log in as an admin. Restricts what damage a virus can do. (Warning I’m not in IT so I could be talking rubbish.)

Keep off the pr0n.

The only way to remove it was to get it to the shop and pay £45ph for an engineer to root the bugger out.

I’m almost offended.

He said these scams are popular this year and are coming from Russian and Chinese software engineers who can’t find work.

umm, was his arse moving when he said this?

It often is Russian software engineers but they’re hardly struggling for work. In virtually all cases these guys are very organised, usually mafia backed and very succesful. This sort of stuff and far more serious issues are very big business for the Russian crime families.

They are nasty things to get shot of but most of the “engineer” time is spent waiting for MBAM type tools (available to you and me for free) to perform scans 🙂

Start in safe mode w/networking. (F8 during boot up I think?)
Search windows for “tool”, the system tool will come up (you’ll recognise the logo). Right click; properties.
Find the location and delete the file (it’s usually a numeric name). Empty recycle bin.
Run super anti spyware and anti malware bytes.
Gone.

There seems to be a distinct anti-computer engineer feeling going on here.
You’re not paying the engineer to hit the computer with a hammer, you’re paying him to know where to hit it. If you don’t like the fee, that’s fine. Live with it or take dodgy advice from people on a cycling forum. 😉

Dodgy or not, the above works. I now have a nice clean machine.
If it didn’t then I’d have taken it to the shop and paid the moneys. I know that skills don’t come for free but this was a relatively easy fix.

If it didn’t then I’d have taken it to the shop and paid the monkeys.

FTFY (for Samuri) 😉

There seems to be a distinct anti-computer engineer feeling going on here.

All engineers aren’t created equal, is the thing. Malware removal is a black art; any chump can run a scanner and go “behold, for it is fixed,” but secondary infections are commonplace and this stuff is getting ever more complex and devious. Removing a nasty infection completely is one of the most difficult things you can ask of a desktop techie.

I had this a couple of weeks ago. It wouldnt let me run the Acer management tool which includes a full system reset. Whenever i went online it went straight to this Anti virus page wanting payment.

I booted up in safe mode and found the file with the reset. Everything seems to be ok now after i reloaded all my software. One of the beneifts of having everything backed up is that i can safely clean by laptop every 6mths or so. 5yrs old laptop runs as quickly as it did the day i bought it.

Quite oftern they turn the connect via proxy option in the browser to stop you accessing the internet.

With Samuri on this – you do it yourself if you are skilled enough and have the right tools, or take it to a garage to fix (your car of course).
What is different with a computer?

Two things jump to mind,

1) automotive problems don’t tend to intentionally hide themselves so that they can reappear a fortnight later following a repair (unless you go to Kwik-Fit).

2) most drivers don’t believe that they’re mechanics, or take their car problems to their mate Dave who’s a plumber but “knows a bit about cars.”

Yup, poor analogy 🙂

What is different with a computer?

You don’t need specialist tools or equipment.

There’s plenty of info available out there to fix just about all a home users problems with ease.

There’s no black arts about it, probably none with mechanics either mind.

you really dont need an engineer im a computer numpty and managed it with the help of an online guide
:restart in safemode with networking
loaded up (AND UPDATED) malwarebytes and superantispyware ran them

removed all the nasty stuff job done

with the help of an online guide

Nothing would work

Detail conciousness – 1/10

I’ve got free Avast(talk like a pirate edition 😀 ) and malwarebytes on my pc, should I have superantispyware aswell? anything else?

Eset NOD32 would be my recommendation.

“System Tool” is about as easy a removal as you’re going to get. They’re not all like that.

But hey, what do I know, I only do this for a living. I’ll leave it to people with Google in future.

I’ve got free Avast(talk like a pirate edition ) and malwarebytes on my pc, should I have superantispyware aswell? anything else?

Eset NOD32 would be my recommendation.

ESET / Avast are both reasonable, so long as you use either rather than both. Personally I’d bin the pair of them and get Microsoft Security Essentials, but it seems I’m talking out of the top of my head so feel free to follow the advice of someone who knows more than me because they’ve got the Internet.

MBAM / Super are primarily infection removal tools rather than prevention, that’s where their strength really lies.

Ark at her!
All people are trying to do is be helpful. The OP had a problem which some of us have also had and knew how to solve it. I don’t claim to be IT savvy (hence the “biff” comment).
I detect a bit too much protectionism/defensiveness.

Slightly OT but when you want to download/run malwarebytes from majorgeeks where you choose. There seems to be the “offical mirror” then 3 other “download locations”, any idea which ones i should (or shouldn’t) be clicking?

I’m sorry if it seems like I’m getting defensive about this, if it looks like that’s the case then it’s because I am.

I’ve no issues with people being helpful, and it was good advice. I just get cross when someone gets lucky and draws the conclusion that “this IT business, it’s easy, anyone can do it, money for old rope.”

I’ve lost count of how many jobs I’ve done which should have been ten minutes but end up taking half a day to undo damage and reverse engineer what’s happened because “I asked my son to look at it first and he knows all about these computer things because he does them at school.”

If anyone genuinely thinks Malware removal is easy, speak up here and I’ll box up and send you the next one I get in with a stealthed polymorphic trojan on there, maybe something that contains a rootkit that also hooks into filter drivers, WINLOGON and every damn executable on the system, whilst downloading dozens of other nasties to scatter liberally about the place.

Anyway. My initial comment up there ^^ perhaps wasn’t clear. My point was that the OP said he “had” to take it to a shop. I was implying that he could’ve asked for advice here first. As subsequently proved, it would’ve saved him £45.

Lunge > they should all be the same, it doesn’t really matter. One might be nominally faster than another, the point of ‘mirrors’ is redundancy in case one link goes down.

Thanks Cougar.

Of course it’s not all clear cut but most home user problems are, posting on here can get you the help you need for example what AV software is often asked, this answer now seems to be favouring ME. Both from IT gurus like yourself and Samuri as well those that read it on the internet.

Of course Mr Woppit it would seem has no access to the internet other than his own computer which is remarkable these days. So he couldn’t ask for help, so his local computer shop were very happy to help for a small fee for a few minutes work.

It’s like all things, a little knowledge and you can do some of your own repairs. Fix a tube, change a gear cable or tyre for example. With no knowledge you’ll pay anyone to fix it no matter what the charge if gets you sorted.

I just get cross when someone gets lucky and draws the conclusion that “this IT business, it’s easy, anyone can do it, money for old rope.”

And rightfully so. I’m happy to admit that I’m not great with puters.
I can’t even get my new apple TV to connect to itunes!

If anyone genuinely thinks Malware removal is easy, speak up here and I’ll box up and send you the next one I get in with a stealthed polymorphic trojan on there, maybe something that contains a rootkit that also hooks into filter drivers, WINLOGON and every damn executable on the system, whilst downloading dozens of other nasties to scatter liberally about the place.

I was implying that he could’ve asked for advice here first. As subsequently proved, it would’ve saved him £45.

Erm…

Bought some of this:

http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_internet_security

whilst in the shop. Thoughts from the experts?

Cougar – Member

If anyone genuinely thinks Malware removal is easy, speak up here and I’ll box up and send you the next one I get in with a stealthed polymorphic trojan on there, maybe something that contains a rootkit that also hooks into filter drivers, WINLOGON and every damn executable on the system, whilst downloading dozens of other nasties to scatter liberally about the place.

Anyway. My initial comment up there ^^ perhaps wasn’t clear. My point was that the OP said he “had” to take it to a shop. I was implying that he could’ve asked for advice here first. As subsequently proved, it would’ve saved him £45.

Cougar is right about the nasty stuff out there like rootkit which can be a huge pain in the backside once caught, so unless the person knows how to remove it you might as well buy a new PC.

I have lost cout of trying to keep myself up-to-date nowadays so I just simply refuse to click anything which I don’t know.

You need layered defense … I have lost touch with this now.

I am waiting for reliable shadow/virtual system to come to the market but most of the shadow/virtual system comes from China. Yes, China. I have used one but I am not confident about the developer since he has disappeared. I just wish someone from the UK can come up with a shadow software.

If I can recall the shadow/virtual system should be the next way to deal with the nasties … until the nasties break it. 🙄

Mr Woppit – Member
Bought some of this:

http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_internet_security

whilst in the shop. Thoughts from the experts?

Yes, that is alright if you have spent the money but If I am not mistaken you can still add those below (MSE & MBAM) to you system. Hope they don’t take up too much of the resoures …

If you using Window 7 then get Microsoft Security Essential (free and pretty good), Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (£20 lifetime license) and secure your browser with NoScript etc.

so unless the person knows how to remove it you might as well buy a new PC.

Really so your saying it’ll destroy the computer, the CPU, MOBO and RAM or is just a case of your exaggerating some what and at the very worst you’d just have to buy a new Hard Drive.

Removing a nasty infection completely is one of the most difficult things you can ask of a desktop techie

I should cocoa, I have noticed their aversion to personal hygiene.

Bought some of this:

http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_internet_security

whilst in the shop. Thoughts from the experts?

Kaspersky is, IMHO, the best of the consumer-level paid-for AV offerings. I’m less of a fan of all the firewall gubbins (given you’re almost always behind a hardware firewall anyway) but the AV side is pretty unbeatable.

Yes, that is alright if you have spent the money but If I am not mistaken you can still add those below (MSE & MBAM) to you system. Hope they don’t take up too much of the resoures …

I wouldn’t run MSE -and- Kaspersky, pick one. There’s little point running MBAM unless you’ve got the paid-for version and even then it’s probably overkill.