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my advice to you...

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07-15-2009 , 10:29 PM

SilentNoise

banned

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,992

if you ever get a trojan found. just format. you dont know what other stuff ur computer that is undetectable.

think abou tit ...it would be a good idea to have a trojan that is found to keep you happy thinkin u found trojans and are all good to go now, when infact theres other things lurkin around the system.

and undetectable trojans do exist..that can get past comodo/sas/mbam/avira ..not sure if the undetectable ones ive encountered would have got past kapersky/fsecure's online checkers tho..

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07-16-2009 , 01:47 AM

LirvA

banned

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 43,568

The majority of malware infection threads here, we are able to clean everything up. Sure, you can never be 100% positive there's not something hiding completely undetected, but that's the case even if you get a brand new computer and spend a couple days browsing the internet normally.

In most cases, reformatting and reinstalling Windows is just not necessary.

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07-16-2009 , 02:30 AM

funkyworms

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,250

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Originally Posted by SilentNoise

the undetectable ones ive encountered

This is funny.

I do agree with you in general although I think the most important* thing you can do after getting a trojan is to re-evaluate your computer habits. Trojans don't "just happen". They are the result of some egregious security lapse by the user. Most of these are the result of downloading pirated, cracked, or otherwise shady software.

* After cleaning it up and changing all of your account info.

Last edited by funkyworms; 07-16-2009 at 02:37 AM.

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07-16-2009 , 02:44 AM

captZEEbo

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,991

I'm with OP. Although it really depends how much you like the performance of your computer over time spent reformatting. Even if you remove everything, just a clean format puts your mind more at ease + it will make everything run fast again (like when you first bought it).

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07-16-2009 , 04:41 PM

SilentNoise

banned

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,992

also, what about the format method? is the formatting tool which comes with windows installations enough to get rid of boot sector viruses/trojans? i read somewhere to be sure you have to completely 0 out your harddrive to get rid of MBR viruses which could reinfect your computer after "formatting".

how easy are these to detect though?

isnt having a clean image of your hdd on an external harddrive a much better option than trying to cleanup an infected computer? clonezilla and norton ghost can probably revert your computer back to a clean state faster than some of the av/malware programs?

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07-16-2009 , 05:00 PM

LirvA

banned

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 43,568

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I believe you also have to flash the BIOS.

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isnt having a clean image of your hdd on an external harddrive a much better option than trying to cleanup an infected computer?

Yes probably so. Especially if it's a really bad infection. ... a bit like system restore, only more efficient/affective.

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07-16-2009 , 05:56 PM

funkyworms

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,250

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Windows overwrites the MBR when it is installed. I'm not sure if there are ways for MBR viruses to get around that.

Also, if you want to really strap on your tinfoil hat then you could say that even completely wiping your hard drive with pseudo-random data isn't 100% safe due to various BIOS viruses.

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