AIM Virus

Hi guys,
I'd like to thank you all in advance for whatever help you can give me. I recieved an instant message from a friend that said it was a joke, so I clicked the link and lo and behold it was a virus. So far, all it seems to be doing is perpetuating itself by sending the link to everyone on my buddy list, but as you can imagine, that can get pretty annoying. I've found a file that I'd never seen before, something called 180 Search Assistant, but I can not seem to get rid of it by either hitting the delete key or by Add/Remove programs in the control panel. I tried to run Ad Aware, hoping it would remove said program, but the tricky bastard seems to have a way around Ad Aware, and Ad Aware crashes and my computer resets every time I run it. I ran my Norton Anti-Virus, but it's no help either. Though it detected two other files, it hasn't rid me of this menace. I even used it to scan the single folder itself and it comes up with nothing, though this could be because my subscription ran out in November of 2004, nearly a year ago. Would just renewing my subscription, updating virus definitions, and then running Norton once more be enough to have a healthy computer again? In the meantime, I've signed off of and exited AIM, in hopes that I can at least not send it to all my friends.

Thanks again,
Raza

 

If you have an AIM virus, try this:-

http://www.majorgeeks.com/AIM_Fix_d4348.html

For the 180 thingy, check out these articles:-

http://www.xona.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=33

http://www.spywareguide.com/product_show.php?id=507

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/nCase.html

Unlikely, the object is to prevent these things from installing in the first place, it is too late afterwards, you are closing the stable door after the horse has bolted!

But do try an online scan here:-

http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/run/

You do need up to date AV protection though, if you don't want to pay this is an excellent free one:-

http://www.majorgeeks.com/AntiVir_Personal_Edition_d955.html

 

Symantec have released a tool for 180 removal.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/Fix180Sh.exe

Also apparently Ad-Aware SE edition will remove it. (free trial)

http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html