Spyware, Viruses, junkware, oh my! How to recognize, and remove spyware, viruses and bloatware.

1. Michael Wells, President
Gurus NOT Geeks LLC

2.  Viruses
 Viruses replicate, spread, damage
 Spyware
 Toolbars
 Popups
 Ads
 Potentially Unwanted Programs (pups)
 Scams

3.  Boot Sector Viruses
 Code executes before computer boots
 Program Viruses
 A program that runs in the background
 Root Kits
tries to hide and use methods to avoid detection
 Trojans
 Steals info or allows remote access to your
computer

4.  Ransomware
 Encrypts important files asks for payment

5. “A rootkit is a stealthy type of
software, typically malicious,
designed to hide the existence of
certain processes or programs from
normal methods of detection and
enable continued privileged
access to a computer” – Wikipedia
 “Manual removal of a rootkit is often too
difficult for a typical computer user” –
Wikipedia

7.  “Hello I am from Microsoft, and we have
detected that your PC is causing errors on
our network. Can we call in remotely to your
computer and show you what is wrong?”

8. Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently
Cybercriminals often use the names of well-known companies, like ours, in
their scams. They think it will convince you to give them money or your
personal information. While they usually use email to trick you, they
sometimes use the telephone, instead.
Common scams that use the Microsoft name
•Someone from "Microsoft Tech Support" calls to fix your computer
•"You have won the Microsoft Lottery"
•Microsoft "requires credit card information to validate your copy of Windows"
•"Microsoft" sends unsolicited email messages with attached security updates
Avoid these dangerous hoaxes
We do not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to
request personal or financial information or fix your computer.
If you receive an unsolicited email message or phone call that purports to be
from Microsoft and requests that you send personal information or click
links, delete the message or hang up the phone.
Microsoft does not make unsolicited phone calls
to help you fix your computer!

9. You have not won the "Microsoft Lottery"
 Microsoft customers are often targets of a scam that uses email messages to falsely promise money.
Victims receive messages claiming "You have won the Microsoft Lottery!" There is no Microsoft Lottery.
Delete the message.
 If you have lost money to this scam, report it. You can also send the police report to Microsoft and we
will use it to help law enforcement catch the criminals who send out these e-mail messages.
 To help protect yourself from these e-mail hoaxes, you can use the same general guidance that you use
to protect yourself from phishing scams.
Microsoft does not request credit card information to validate
your copy of Windows
 We require that your copy of Windows is legitimate before you can obtain programs from the Microsoft
Download Center or receive software updates from Microsoft Update. Our online process that performs
this validation is called the Genuine Advantage Program. At no time during the validation process do
we request your credit card information.
 In fact, we do not collect information that can be used to identify you such as your name, email
address, or other personal details.
 To learn more, read the Genuine Microsoft software program privacy statement.
 To learn more about the program in general, see Genuine Windows: frequently asked questions.
Microsoft does not send unsolicited communication about
security updates
 When we release information about a security software update or a security incident, we send email
messages only to subscribers of our security communications program.
 Unfortunately, cybercriminals have exploited this program by sending fake security communications that
appear to be from Microsoft. Some messages lure recipients to websites to download spyware or other
malicious software. Others include a file attachment that contains a virus. Delete the message. Do not
open the attachment.

10. Do NOT open any email you are not
expecting !

11.  Forwarded jokes, pictures, videos
 May contain viruses and spyware
 Links to viruses
 Do not follow any links from emails from people
you know unless they explain exactly what it is.
 Attachments with Viruses
 Do not open any unknown attachment
 “Phishing” emails
 Fake emails from Banks, UPS, FedEx

13. Toolbars
Popups
Ads
Browser Hijackers
Search Engines

14.  Know your home page.
 Google
 MSN
 Yahoo
 Aol
 Learn how to check for add-ons and plug-ins
 Know your browser
 Know your search engine
 Scan often with UPDATED antispyware

15.  Internet Explorer
 Google Chrome
 Mozilla Firefox

21. Set or Check Home Page
Set or Check Search Engines
Set or Check Extensions

24. ADD-ONS and Search Providers

25. Click on gear
in upper right
of browser,
then choose
“Internet
Options”

26. Also, press ALT key to display menu

28. Make menu visible by pressing ALT

29. Google? Yahoo? Bing? Aol? Ask?

30.  Google
 Bing
 Yahoo
 Aol
UNSAFE
 Ask
 Search conduit
 Anything else

31.  I call it the “did I ask?” toolbar
 Adds nothing to the search experience
 Does not provide the “engine”
 May allow adware in.
 Comes bundled with Java update (uncheck!)
 Uses many of the same sneaky techniques to
get installed.
 REMEMBER: GOOGLE BING YAHOO AOL are the
only search engines that should be listed.
 Uninstall from programs and features if listed

32.  Free downloads contain harmful bundled
software
 Ads are made to confuse you
 You first need to make sure you are on the right
download link.
 If you just check yes on every checkbox, you
can destroy your computer.

33. ?
?
?
?
?
The word “download” appears 13 times on
this page with ads made to look like the real
link
?
?
?

36.  Advanced System
Protector
 Babylon Toolbar
 delta toolbar
 funmoods toolbar
 ILIVID
 Imminent
 Inbox
 Inbox Ace –
Mindspark
 MixiDJ
 MoboGenie
 My PC Backup
 Optimize your PC
 Optimizer Pro
 PC Utilties Pro
 Quiklinx
 RegClean Pro
 search protect *
 Severe Weather Alerts
 Speedy PC
 Sweetpacks
 Tidynetwork
 Viewpassword
 Wajam

37.  1.1 Astromenda Search
 1.2 Onewebsearch
 1.3 TV Wizard
 1.4 Conduit Search
 1.5 CoolWebSearch
 1.6 Coupon Server
 1.7 Delta Search and Claro
Search
 1.8 Search-daily.com
 1.9 MyStartSearch
 1.10 MyStart.IncrediBar Search
 1.11 Nation Zoom
 1.12 Babylon Toolbar
1.13 Qone8.com
1.14 qvo6.com
1.15 istartsurf.com
1.16 Mixi.DJ
1.17 Snap.do
1.18 RocketTab
1.19 Searchnu.com
1.20 Searchgol.com
1.21 Tuvaro
1.22 Trovi
1.23 Vosteran
1.24 Groovorio
1.25 GoSave

39.  Install 2 antispyware programs
 Superantispyware
 Malwarebytes Antimalware
 Run each one on alternating weeks
 Always update first
 SuperAntispyware
 Download from Superantispyware.com
 Decline the free trial
 Malwarebytes
 Download from download.com
 Uncheck free trial

40.  Know your home page.
 Google
 MSN
 Yahoo
 Aol
 Learn how to check for add-ons and plug-ins
 Know your browser
 Know your search engine
 Scan often with UPDATED antispyware

41.  “Mountain View, California: The majority of
Android smartphone and tablet users do not
need to install anti-virus and other security
apps to protect them, despite dire warnings
from security companies selling such
products, Google’s head of Android security
says.” - Google 2015

42.  Yes, but not as many

43.  “Malware has grown to be such a tremendous
problem that over 32 percent of the world’s
computers are infected with some type of
malware. With East Asian countries like China,
South Korea, and Taiwan having the most
infected computers.
 Northwestern European countries such as
Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden all have the
lowest amount of computers infected with
malware.
 The United States has the eleventh highest rate
of infection with just over 30 percent of
households being infected with malware.

44. On site visits and repairs. New
computers ordered and installed.
Remote computer help.