Remove Malware Free 2013 Edition

Remove Malware Free 2013 Edition

Matt Rizos has made a new YouTube video titled "Remove Malware Free 2013 Edition".

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV4Kb4zMjtg

Matt suggests using the following tools for cleaning an Infected PC:

1. Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10
2. Malwarebytes AntiMalware
3. Hitman Pro
4. CrapCleaner

At the end of the video he installed Avast Free.

Based on your Malware Cleaning experiences, how would you have performed the same Malware Cleaning operation?

Thanks in Advance.

 

I would have used CCleaner first as that would leave fewer files to scan, leading to faster scans, and temporary malware would be deleted. I wouldn't use a bootable AV unless necessary.

 

Clean install. Simple. I'd never trust any malware removal tool to remove all possible malware running in a system.

 

First, I run some Malware Diagnosis Tools
like OTL, DDS etc.

 

Agree with the clean install idea. Only way to be sure along with re-imaging.

 

I agree. I routinely Image my PC's.

I was thinking that if someone who does not Image their PC asks me to help, I could offer to 'try' to clean their PC with the understanding that it may not be 100% free of Malware.

 

mbam forums advice you not to clean out temporary files so that mbam has a better picture of the infection and to provide better cleaning of the infections.

clean image or fresh install is the only way to ensure you are not infected.

 

Just only on a side-note:
Be cautious when running CCleaner and MBAM:
CCleaner might remove your MBAM logs if you have selected the option in CCleaner:
Cleaner >
Applications >
Utilities >
checkmark in Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

So, don't put a checkmark in that box unless you are really sure that you don't need the MBAM logs.
I have warned about this in the past.
The DSLR Cleanup forum has that warning in their Mandatory Steps Before Requesting Assistance.

 

Just do yourself a favor and stay away from CCleaner when cleaning a ransomware infection. I can't count the amount of users I have met, where encryption keys were removed by tools like that, who then lost all their otherwise recoverable files, because the technician, they often times even paid for his "professional" services, didn't have a clue what he was doing or was in a hurry and tried to cut a few minutes in scan times.

Never ever remove even a single file or registry entry without proper backups when dealing with ransomware, no matter whether it looks like garbage or is located in the Temp folder.

 

I would not have. If it is a mission-critical computer I would re-install or restore from image.

Each malware infection is specific and different from the one you might have fixed last month. I have neither the time nor the motivation to keep up with new variants and new tools on a daily basis.

With a restore from image, you're back to where you were with the entire system intact. The two prequisites for this to be successful are that you have a backup plan in effect and that you know where your local datasets are stored.

A restore from image hits all malware with the force of a nuclear bomb.

In the event nuking the thing from orbit is not an option, then the video previously mentioned is one decent way to go about it. There are many others.

I also DO NOT run CCleaner blindly on a customer's system unless I have discussed what the settings clear out and where the customer's data is kept. I've known people to hide critical things in a folder tree in the recycle bin or temp folders..!