How many people actually get infected?

[Starrob]

I had just been wondering the other day, "How many Wilders members actually get infected?" I am not interested in members that intentionally infect themselves while testing but I am interested in how many actually get infected while just going about the course of their normal surfing or normal business that does not involve security.

I am really curious about this.



Starrob

[bigc73542]

Now the actual members I hope have learned to stay protected and surf safe and not get infected. But as to the actual number that do get infected, I actually don't know.

[Fernando Villegas]

Years ago when I just started using computers , I was innocent about the dangers. I believed that my Norton Antivirus was all that I needed.

Boy, was I so wrong. I got infected with this spyware that was impossible to remove. I had to format.

Then I found these security forums, and I learned about the marvellous security software like NOD, Outpost Pro, ProcessGuard, TDS-3, Portexplorer , Online Armor.

Since then I have learned my lesson. I ditched my NAV and with the help of the experts here, I now have a layered security setup, so nothing gets through.

Today, I read these forums to make sure that I keep up with the trends, so that I can have the best protection. Never again, I swear.

[Mrkvonic]

Hi,
Wilders is like Cold War. Lots of weapons but no fighting.
No one at Wilders gets infected.
Mrk

[iceni60]

AFAIK never. i'm mainly using Ubuntu atm but when i use XP i go wherever and download whatever i feel like. of course i rely on my setup and security knowledge which must be better then i give myself credit for. i think Opera and Proxomitron, especially Proxomitron, play a big part in this. (BTW, if you are a newbie reading this and you're thinking about getting Proxomitron don't be put off by the "steep learning curve" you can just set it up and forget about it. and i'm sure someone will help you set it up.) i can honestly say i haven't even had a tracking cookie for about 2 years.

this is the last time i remember getting into trouble and if i hadn't known Wild Tangent was spyware i might have been infected. :(
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=47500

the link to the dancing woman doesn't work anymore in the link above but, here's a picture of her. :o it's probably not a good idea to download ;)
http://www2.fileplanet.com/images/50000/55935ss_sm2.jpg

[sukarof]

I have yet to be infected :/
I have been in this security jungle for a couple of years but still have not had any
(unintentional) infections. Propably due to the fact that I do not get any infected emails and I use a different browser.
But beeing interrested by security as I am, these security programs that I have has helped me alot to understand what is happening in my computer so they are not a total waste of money. ;)
I have learned tho that I dont need overlapping protection by many security apps. Besides AV and FW i have one HIPS that I keep for peace of mind :)

[New Subscriber]

I ,and like many of my computer illiterate friends, thought Norton was the best.I was infected a few times while I had Norton.Support was horrendous from them.I'm sorry, but I have better things to do with an hour or more of my life then waiting on hold for help from them.I was a bit skeptical about Nod, having no phone tech support,but when I e-mailed them for help they were really quick at replying to my questions and concerns.I feel allot safer with nod,'KNOCKING ON WOOD".So far so good.

[Antarctica]

{QUOTE-> I ,and like many of my computer illiterate friends, thought Norton was the best.I was infected a few times while I had Norton.Support was horrendous from them.I'm sorry, but I have better things to do with an hour or more of my life then waiting on hold for help from them.I was a bit skeptical about Nod, having no phone tech support,but when I e-mailed them for help they were really quick at replying to my questions and concerns.I feel allot safer with nod,'KNOCKING ON WOOD".So far so good. <-QUOTE}

Same for me, I got infected a few time when I was using only Norton. I would say now for the last three years my computer has been clean. No virus, no trojan.8)

[WSFuser]

using nod32 i got infected *maybe* once but with KAV i received quite more alerts. i do remember my dad got infected a long while back when i had norton.

[Capp]

I have never gotten infected either, other than tracking cookies (no biggie)


I'll officially "Knock on wood" for everyone who has said " I never get infected" ;D ;) :blink:

[TNT]

{QUOTE-> I had just been wondering the other day, "How many Wilders members actually get infected?" I am not interested in members that intentionally infect themselves while testing but I am interested in how many actually get infected while just going about the course of their normal surfing or normal business that does not involve security. <-QUOTE}I got my Windows computer infected twice; the first time was around 1994, with Windows 3.1, by a virus known as 'bye': http://www.f-secure.com/virus-info/bulletins/bull-215.shtml#linkki4; back then I didn't have any Internet connection (I first got an Internet connection around the end of 1995), and while this virus was not very destructive, it was painful to remove it because antiviruses seemed unable to identify it. Then somehow they must have got the definition and they were able to identify it, so I got rid of it (I think it was McAfee).

The second time I got a Windows machine infected was far more recently, around the beginning of 2003 (actually, it was my father who got infected while using it), with Coolwebsearch. Back then Coolwebsearch was just a minor annoyance, though, certainly not the monster it is today, and I removed it easily with Spybot Search & Destroy.

I also have been using Linux (for some time), no infection at all, and OpenBSD for eight years, and of course, this one was never infected either.

[snowbound]

{QUOTE-> Years ago when I just started using computers , I was innocent about the dangers. I believed that my Norton Antivirus was all that I needed.

Boy, was I so wrong. I got infected with this spyware that was impossible to remove. I had to format. <-QUOTE}
Exact same experience here(not knowing at the time that HJT probably could have saved me the trouble). ;) ;D


snowbound

[RaiseYourHand]

Getting infected is alot like dying. It only has to happen once.

[ErikAlbert]

Frankly, I don't know if I'm infected or not.
In the past I re-installed my harddisk from scratch manually at least two times a year.
In the future I will re-install my harddisk using Image Backup/Restore and that will make it alot easier.
My firewall, a bunch of blacklist scanners and above all my discipline on the internet keeps my old computer running properly and probably clean enough.
On my new computer, I will try to live without blacklist scanners.

At this very moment, I'm stucked with my old computer and my new computer is packed, because I have to move to another apartment.

[Old Monk]

Hi there

{QUOTE-> Wilders is like Cold War. Lots of weapons but no fighting. <-QUOTE}

That's very good Mrkvonic ;D

For me, so far so good, other than tracking cookies :)

Mainly, I have no doubt, because of you good folks here and common sense surfing. Also, and I don't know if this is unusual, but I've never received unsolicted e-mails.

Cheers

Jon

[Dreamcatcher]

I seem to have more false postives than anything else, but it keeps me alert for the when something might get through and do some damage!

[Tassie_Devils]

I am one of the few lucky ones also, never been infected with anything nasty [caveat ~ to my knowledge] apart from some tracking cookies earlier on.

I first found out about 'security' when I discovered Trend's Housecall and TDS [both virtually at the same time would you believe] when I thought I had an oldie .jsnoclose, which led me to Wilders. Boy oh boy was I in for a learning curve once I started to read/understand what's "out there".

Actually, I'd hazzard a guess and say quite a few members in here have been infected to varying degrees at one time or other, hence their very membership in here, as I was led here by a 'close encounter'. :ouch:

TAS

[Tassie_Devils]

{QUOTE-> .................. Also, and I don't know if this is unusual, but I've never received unsolicted e-mails. <-QUOTE}

Lucky bugger! :thumb: :thumb:

Rest of us: :ouch: :shifty: :gack: :wacko: :blink: :thumbd: :shifty: :-X :-\ :'(

[Ailric]

1998 - Happy99 virus
2002 - not-so Coolwwwebsearch (reg entrys only)
Yesterday - SafeGuard Popup Blocker (just testing)

[SwordOfSecurity]

{QUOTE-> Years ago when I just started using computers , I was innocent about the dangers. I believed that my Norton Antivirus was all that I needed.

Boy, was I so wrong. I got infected with this spyware that was impossible to remove. I had to format.

Then I found these security forums, and I learned about the marvellous security software like NOD, Outpost Pro, ProcessGuard, TDS-3, Portexplorer , Online Armor.

Since then I have learned my lesson. I ditched my NAV and with the help of the experts here, I now have a layered security setup, so nothing gets through.

Today, I read these forums to make sure that I keep up with the trends, so that I can have the best protection. Never again, I swear. <-QUOTE}


whoa....that was strangely very similar to my story :o well..except that afterwards, i found computer security rather interesting. ever since those events, i've devoted much of my time to learning more about it and how to remove & prevent viruses/malware. but man....i'll never forget those horrible formats i had to go through!! :ouch:

[Rasheed187]

I also don´t think that a whole lot of people here on Wilders or any other security forum get compromised, let´s face it, if you know how to protect your computer, the chance of being hacked is minimal, it´s probably the noobs who do get in trouble. ::)

[Old Monk]

Hi there TAS

{QUOTE-> Lucky bugger! <-QUOTE}

Indeed, or am I just inconsequential in the e-world ? :lurking:

Well, if so, hurray and hurrah for that ;D

Cheers

Jon

[hgwells]

I don't think I've ever been infected, maybe way back on 98 I did have some problems, but then I had Pest Patrol and it very well could have been FPs even then. ;)

But how do you guys know for sure your not infected right now? We all could have a super stealthy rootkit from holy father or some other as of yet unknown form of malware and not even know it. Not all Windows flaws and other malware is widely publicised. Some is completely unknown to all but a very few and I've heard that information often sells to the highest bidder.

So that's why I try to keep up on the latest software and developments and to always be as prepared as I can against true zero day attacks, Windows flaws and other new developments in the latest malware that could be able to subvert all our so-called unbeatable defenses. ;)

[Mrkvonic]

{QUOTE-> I don't think I've ever been infected, maybe way back on 98 I did have some problems, but then I had Pest Patrol and it very well could have been FPs even then. ;)

But how do you guys know for sure your not infected right now? We all could have a super stealthy rootkit from holy father or some other as of yet unknown form of malware and not even know it. Not all Windows flaws and other malware is widely publicised. Some is completely unknown to all but a very few and I've heard that information often sells to the highest bidder.

So that's why I try to keep up on the latest software and developments and to always be as prepared as I can against true zero day attacks, Windows flaws and other new developments in the latest malware that could be able to subvert all our so-called unbeatable defenses. ;) <-QUOTE}

Hi,
Call it the Sixth Sense.
BTW, how does super-ultra-uber-extra-stealthed rootkit gets infiltrated? No even better, how does James Bond infitrate into enemy territory? Using an old, battered Cessna, a total un-technology piece of art.
To get an elite rootkit, it needs to be delivered by a noob exe.
Mrk

P.S. I don't get unsolicited mails either, or any mails at all - I don't have any friends buahahahahaha.

[Wayne - DiamondCS]

How many people actually get infected?
... how many people actually KNOW they're infected?
... how many people think they're not infected because their anti-virus scanner didn't find anything?
... how many people don't care if they're infected or not?
:)

[hgwells]

{QUOTE-> Hi,
Call it the Sixth Sense.
BTW, how does super-ultra-uber-extra-stealthed rootkit gets infiltrated? No even better, how does James Bond infitrate into enemy territory? Using an old, battered Cessna, a total un-technology piece of art.
To get an elite rootkit, it needs to be delivered by a noob exe.
Mrk

P.S. I don't get unsolicited mails either, or any mails at all - I don't have any friends buahahahahaha. <-QUOTE}


Actually it's Muahahahahahah. ;) ;D ;D

[Mrkvonic]

{QUOTE-> How many people actually get infected?
... how many people actually KNOW they're infected?
... how many people think they're not infected because their anti-virus scanner didn't find anything?
... how many people don't care if they're infected or not?
:) <-QUOTE}

Hi,
The answer is 42.
Mrk

[Cerxes]

Maybe we ALL are infected by some uber-stealthed-holy-father rootkit...:shifty: ;D

Regards, C.

[HIPSmadness]

{QUOTE-> How many people actually get infected?
... how many people actually KNOW they're infected?
... how many people think they're not infected because their anti-virus scanner didn't find anything?
:) <-QUOTE}

... how many people think they are not infected because they use 3 HIPS together?

[Rasheed187]

Yes I agree, a lot of people might even not know that they are in fact compromised, and to tell you the truth my PC has been acting a bit funny the last couple of weeks, but so far all of my security tools are telling me I´m clean. :shifty:

[Deviladvocate]

{QUOTE-> Yes I agree, a lot of people might even not know that they are in fact compromised, and to tell you the truth my PC has been acting a bit funny the last couple of weeks, but so far all of my security tools are telling me I´m clean. :shifty: <-QUOTE}

Define "funny".

[Rasheed187]

Well, I saw a few strange apps in ZA´s Program Control window and all of a sudden msswchx.exe seemed to be active, this process can be malware related, but it´s also a legitimate system file. :lurking:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.findwhatever.html

[EASTER.2010]

I too when first starting out online with home pc's relied on that false hope that all one needed to be safe from problems was a spysweeper and a widely-popular AV. That was before i went limping one day into what is now the defunct Lavasoft's Ad-Aware Forums. After i got fixed up from that i hung around and eventually involved myself as a helping member then on to hijackthis work on those same forums.

Speaking of IE, even to this very day i have never been forced or as a matter of caution ever turned exclusively to another browser even though i have installed both Opera & FF as alternatives if needed.

Thru a combo of third party add-ons and tightening security settings i've rarely been subject to any serious attacks. I will say however that this past December something made it thru that even AVG7 missed completely and luckily Kerio firewall intercepted an "outgoing connection attempt" and i was able to trace down the loader that been dropped plus a few harmless others that dispersed.

I believe with the introduction of these HIPS programs that users should finally begin to breathe a little sigh of relief and not have to instead expect it's a way of life to get hammered every now and then by something malicious trying to intrude on them.

[betauser2]

{QUOTE->
... how many people actually KNOW they're infected? <-QUOTE}
A lot of people here amongst the Wilders community


{QUOTE-> ... how many people think they're not infected because their anti-virus scanner didn't find anything? <-QUOTE}
Again lot of people here use multiple anti-malware scanners for reassurance including online scans. Besides if a AV doesn't get it this time it will most likely get it after the next few updates.

{QUOTE-> ... how many people don't care if they're infected or not? <-QUOTE}

Once again the vast majority of Wilders community do, probably the most likely reason they're here.

Ofcourse Wayne knows this but we know what he's thinking about "SALES, SALES, SALES";D

betauser2