Malware, Spyware and Adware Scanners

Malware/adware scanners, different from antivirus programs, looks for PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) and gives you the option of deleting them. They are sometimes plagued by the fact that they often introduce unwanted installs themselves or occupy valuable system resouces.
Here are some good ones available for free with links to their downloads, but not giving you unwanted toolbars or apps:

CCleaner- cleans temporary internet files, caches and trash. Personally I keep history of URLs because I like being able to recall them. Has a registry cleaning function that you should use sparingly, but allows you to store a registry backup. Also can choose to disable/uninstall startups and applications. This is really a must have. It installs as a monitor, but you can uncheck this option in the options menu so you don't have it using resources and run it as you see fit.

AwdCleaner-Does a great job of cleaning your system and registry values of advertisements. This is not installed to your computer, but must be downloaded for an updated version each time. Always leads you to restart aqs part of the cleaning process. Download from Bleeping Computers.

Spybot- From Safer Networking, comes with a scan and monitoring capability, but you can uncheck this monitoring in the options menu so you don't have it using resources and run it as you see fit. Also has the ability to "immunize" your pc with their list of potentially dangerous websites.

Adaware-From Lavasoft, this used to be a great free scanner, now they still have a good free version that has monitoring capabilities. Claims to be anti-spyware and antivirus. Download hosted by CNET.

Free Antivirus Solutions and Comparisons, Virus Scanning Software

There are many free antivirus solutions available now, but which one to use? See PC Mags comparison rating table here. AVG used to be the big one out there for free antivirus solutions but now we have some alternatives.

 Here are some of my favorite monitoring antivirus solutions with links to their respective creators websites where they can be downloaded without bloatware:

 AVG Free- has been around for a while and done a fairly good job considering the cost, but they are not as good as some scans and has been having more included advertising attached to their free version. Can be loaded on a bootable USB stick.   http://www.avg.com/ww-en/thank-you?product=avc&build=ppc_avc-ppc534

 

Bitdefender Free- seems to be the best one on the PC Mag list, has the best detection rates. Easy to install and carefree. Updates the definitions and requires little if any maintenance. I have been installing this in my own computers this year.   http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

 Avast Free- another free option that does a good job.   http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus-2015/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?part=dl-85737&subj=dl&tag=button&ls=media

Avira Free- another longtime favorite, also has linux version available, but its not in the PC Mag ratings chart. Can be loaded on a bootable USB stick.      https://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus

   And:

Malwarebytes Free- here's the big one that is not a monitoring program, but is the best all around program for user initiated scans and detects the vast majority of viruses and rootkits. Easy install and quick efficient scans. It only works on Windows and does cannot create a workable bootable USB stick as the program must be loaded while booting off of the infected disk.  Periodic scans provide excellent backup tro free monitoring applicatrions. They also offer a monitoring solution that is relatively inexpensive.   https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

Norton and McAfee trials are often sold with computers, but they both require a regular payments to maintain your protection. Additionally, Norton has been reported to slow down PC responsiveness and be difficult to remove if you choose to do so. Norton does offer 2 free options worth mentioning Norton Rescue Tools. Power Eraser is a rescue media creator for infected computers and a bootable USB with scanning softeware for external scans if you cannot start your computer.

 That's it for today, will look at cleaning and malware removal next.

Updating

Ok, time for an update. I have been working doing computer repairs, updates and new builds for individual people and a couple businesses occasionally, but I'm primarily maintaining a TMS unit now. I've started delving into data recovery using linux and will be paying more attention to linux and especially Ubuntu builds. Still located in Gilford, and do work both in and out of the office.

I will be setting up links to software downloads because looking for them repeatedly is wasting time and the links leading to websites that download malware/bloatware is driving me nuts. Feel free to send me questions if you need assistance, I can offer some advice or at least I can point you in the right direction to find a solution.

Greg's Computer Solutions
(603) 998-9330

Today BLAMMI

OK, you computer started acting strangely and you think there may be a virus?

 This happened to me today, again. I downloaded a video file conversion tool and then noticed some popups and the process BLAMMI.exe is running and restarts whenever I kill it. Apparently this is an adware tool that also acts as a downloader of other programs. I checked with Malwarebytes and sure enough I was infected after having contact with some seedy software. It remover about 12 entries of adware (adware.gabpath) and some registry keys fro BLAMMI, but was unable to get to the registry entries for BLAMMI.exe or they were rewritten, because I found it after the restart (cleaning registry keys usually requires a restart). I did find an entry for BLAMMI.exe with regedit in:

 Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\blammi there is also a part of BLAMMI located in

 APPDATA is an invisible folder controlled by hidden feature in folder preferences.

%APPDATA%\BLAMMI\BLAMMI.EXE

Related Files:
%Appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\nsl3.exe
%Appdata%\Blammi\Blammi.exe
%Appdata%\Blammi\config.cfg
%Temp%\nsl3.tmp
%Program Files%\Mozilla Firefox\components\bmff.dll

Finally installed AVG free on this computer and it's clean as a whistle, depending on who was using it before...It found another dozen dangerous files, but now every scan is clean, has no traces in the process list and has removed most of the registry entries. One left I will remove manually after making a backup. That's at:  Computer\CURRENT_USER\software\blammi

Did that, now the restart.

This is the link to get FREE Malwarebytes Antivirus software, in my opinion one of the best tools for removing problems, the link is here for FREE download from CNET: http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button

Also I use AVG FREE, available at the link, just didn't have it on this computer: http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition-2012/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-avg_free_us&subj=dl&tag=button

I tried The Microsoft Safety Scanner, a FREE downloadable security tool, form Microsoft, but it would not remove BLAMMI in the registry. The downloaded file reportedly works for 10 days, then you have to get it again. Here's the link: http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx

You can also get a real time scanner form Microsoft, The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a FREE downloadable security tool at: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials

While we're on Microsoft this is a useful site with their Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool also FREE: http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/malware-removal.aspx

 Also found this bit of code that you run on a command prompt, they claim will remove BLAMMI.exe:

http://windowsvc.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=windowsvc&wr_id=9296&page=314

I am running Vista Ultimate 64, hey it works for me, usually...