I keep getting pop-up windows telling me I’ve got all kinds of system infections and I should click to download Errorsafe. Of course, I do not click to download, and in fact, am leery of closing the pop-up window until I’m sure it’s not scamming me into clicking “yes” somewhere.
The thing is, I can’t figure out where they’re coming from. I’m not sure I have Errorsafe or not, and Symantec insists that it’s preventing Errorsafe from infecting my system.
And yet, twice today, I have had an Errorsafe pop-up window asking me to d/l their annoying program. The first thing that happens when something like that occurs is my reaching for the cable modem and immediately disconnecting from the internet. Then I try to figure out what, exactly, I’m looking at.
Anyone have any ideas where this sucker is coming from? It hit me after I was surfing a Hot Air story, but that may be sheer coincidence. Then again, I went to some site called the Epoch Times, which may have been the source of the window.
If anyone else has had this problem, I’d love to hear about it.
Here’s the Symantec description, along with manual removal instructions: http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-012017-0346-99
If those files don’t exist, you’re probably all right.
You’ve got a spyware infection. I’ve spent the last week trying to clear one from my computer. I think I’ve finally got it licked, but it took the following programs:
Hijack This!
AVG Anti-Virus
AVG Anti-Spyware
Ad-Aware
Spybot Search and Destroy
SpySweeper
Clamwin Anti-Virus
Mlin’s Startup Control Panel
All of the above are free, except for SpySweeper, which I decided to buy.
The main spyware package I seemed to be having problems with was Virtumonde, but the dedicated Virtumonde removal programs weren’t finding it. It was really Hijack This! I think that allowed me to track down and kill the last traces.
On the other hand, if you’re only getting it when you’re actually surfing, it may just be one of the recent popups that’s really good at outwitting popup blockers.
Be very careful with these, and I’d suggest closing them from the taskbar rather than clicking anywhere on the window. I think some of them may have misleadingly labled buttons that make you think you’re closing the window/pseudo-dialog box, but actually begins downloading stuff. I suspect that’s what caused my initial infection.
I haven’t found any of the files, but I only did a cursory look. There’s a chance it sneaked past my virus shield. My computer was in the shop for a few days, and it took a few minutes to update the virus definitions.
But I’m thinking now that it’s one of those pop-ups that knows how to get past the Firefox popup killers. Those are the ones that I generaly close with a right-click menu. I’m pretty web-savvy and know most of the tricks.
I may get Spy Sweeper. I had it back in the day when it was shareware or minimally expensive.
I don’t remember getting that specific message, but I get plenty of pop-ups that evade Firefox’s blockers. Some of them tell me I’ve got a virus or suchlike.
But I ignore them because they all pop up a Windows-style warning, and I’m not running Windows. So I know they’re lying.
As long as you refuse to run Internet Explorer, you should be OK here. I don’t think there is any way for a program to install itself via Firefox without your explicit consent.