STUBBORN, HARD-TO-DIE DIALER

[SANDRO43]

Just wanted to warn about a dialer (Win32.Dialer.jw) that I somehow acquired, and spent most of today trying to get rid of.

Symptoms : error 691 when trying to connect to my Internet provider (and no connection, of course).

I ran various anti-spam programs fruitlessly, until SpyBot discovered it in my registry twice (in two different runs) and supposedly killed it.

I had to delete and recreate my DUN connection to finally remove the pest.
   

[viking]

Have you ever tried Ad-aware by Lava Soft? Freeware program. I run both and between them they seem to pick almost everything.

[SANDRO43]

Have you ever tried Ad-aware by Lava Soft? Freeware program. I run both and between them they seem to pick almost everything.

Yes Viking, I did try Ad-aware and Super Anti-Spyware first, but they did not detect anything. It's a toss-up which tool will catch what, in this specific case only SpyBot saw it (in 2 separate passes) and did not even get rid of it completely .

[Bruno]

Win32.Dialer.jw   

the name say it... Win32... Never think to change of system ?

Now, it is more of one year that i use Linux... no virus, no spyware, no adware, no trojan... ok, it is not true, i have receive some of these ugly beast but they cannot attack my system... i have a antivirus who only scan for windows virus since i don't wish send them to my few friend who are always using windows...

Similar music for people who use Mac system, Unix system or Solaris system... It seem that only windows is the open door for these ugly beast... At my work, everybody use windows but the main server who is connected to the internet use Unix... the only way to filter these ugly beast...

[SANDRO43]

Yes Bruno, I considered that, as well as installing it on separately-bootable partition on my PC (I still have the last version of OS/2 on one ), but discarded the idea for 2 reasons : my having to get used to yet another, different interface, and the range of available free SW. 

[Bruno]

Yes Bruno, I considered that, as well as installing it on separately-bootable partition on my PC (I still have the last version of OS/2 on one ), but discarded the idea for 2 reasons : my having to get used to yet another, different interface, and the range of available free SW. 

- get used to yet another, different interface...

Not really a problem since your can configure the interface like you wish...

- the range of ovailable free SW

Not sure what you mean... if think that your "SW" mean software... any major distro have a little more of 15000 software packed... of course, nothing stop you to use source packet and compile them... you can use Cedega for run windows game but all the recent game use openGL in place of direct X and can be run without problem... you can always use Wine for run windows software or crossover plug in for the Office software... until now, i have always find what i need with Linux... a few month ago, i have try to return to windows... a lot of sofware don't exist under windows and after several blue screen, i have return to Linux...

If you need special program, PM me and i will seek them for you... i have already convert my girlfriend... so it will be more easy with you  ... the only thing who is always a problem is the WMV who need a activeX plugin... but everybody know that activeX plugin are the perfect way for bad thing who can control your computer....

You who seek a foreign wife... imagine a system in your language, and in the language of your wife... not one who only change the keyboard but all the interface... my actual system is French, English, Dutch, German, Flamish, Walloon, Ukrainian and Russian... with each user have the choice to choose how language, with all software having the full interface translated... and this for free...

Ok, last post about computer system since not related to the forum... yet, if i good remember, Dan use a Linux box ( with Mandriva i think ) for filter the internet... and windows machine are hidden after these Linux box 

[ConnerVT]

Lets not dissolve into a Windows vs. Linux debate.  Sandro is familiar with other operating systems, and his preference is to use Windows.  (I have respect (read:pity) for anyone who deals with O/S2, as I must use ancient machines running WARP every day...  ).

Part of Sandro's issue is what he does in his spare time -- cruising the dark places of the internet, matching girls who profess their desire to meet a good WM, while also supplementing their incomes via the world's oldest profession.  Visiting unscrupulous sites opens one up to having all sorts of zero day exploits dropped onto their system.

A couple of great sites for learning about these things, and how to get rid of them once you've caught a "bug":

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup

Good people there -- folks from Microsoft, and quite a number of anti-virus, firewall, and large corporation security IT professionals.

[SANDRO43]

You who seek a foreign wife... imagine a system in your language, and in the language of your wife...

Thank you for all your tips, Bruno, and I'll keep this particular one in mind, whenever/if ever I get to that point, but then, of course, I'll have to quit ...

Visiting unscrupulous sites opening one up to having all sorts of zero day exploits dropped onto their system.

and this may solve my infection problems .

I have respect (read:pity) for anyone who deals with O/S2, as I must use ancient machines running WARP every day...

Conner, since I used OS/2 BEFORE ever touching Winsh!t, not a problem for me. However, I've used it very seldom these past 7 years, and only when Bill Gates's Wonder tied itself into knots that apparently only the OS/2 CHKDSK seemed able to unravel. Incidentally, I am running Win98 on my old IBM Aptiva, having migrated from Win95 two years ago only because free SW (yes Bruno, I meant SoftWare) was becoming increasingly incompatible with it. I am not a sworn believer in the Wonders of Windows, and had to adopt it reluctantly only because OS/2 was dying a slow but certain death (very little 3rd-party SW for it), although I considered it a much superior operating system (a scaled-down version of MVS) when compared with Windows (an upgraded DOS with a prettier-looking inter-face).

This was probably the Achille's heel of IBM PC SW : very good but invisible engines under the hood, and a dismal body work .