How long does it take to discover a malware infection?

Discussion in 'polls' started by optigrab, Sep 14, 2004.

?

How long does it typically take you to discover a malware infection?

  1. It becomes apparent almost immediately.

    11 vote(s)
    68.8%
  2. A day or less.

    3 vote(s)
    18.8%
  3. Several days or longer.

    1 vote(s)
    6.3%
  4. I often have no idea when or how the infection started.

    1 vote(s)
    6.3%
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  1. optigrab

    optigrab Registered Member

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    Location:
    Brooklyn/NYC USA
    A pretty straight-forward question:

    How long does it typically take you to discover a malware infection on your machine(s)?

    Malware stopped before infection doesn't count.
     
  2. MikeBCda

    MikeBCda Registered Member

    Joined:
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    Posts:
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    Location:
    southern Ont. Canada
    Admittedly it depends on how you define "almost immediately", but that's how I answered. Certainly a lot less than a full day.

    Given two, maybe three, levels of email protection, I'm most likely to pick up something while surfing. So if I've visited "iffy" sites, and/or observe unusual behavior, I'll do a boot-time virus scan and then a "full" Ad-Aware scan soon as I get offline. Call it no more than an hour or two tops.
     
  3. nadirah

    nadirah Registered Member

    Joined:
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    Posts:
    3,647
    I've no malware on my computer! Very well-protected.
    On my older computer, it just took me a few minutes to find a malware infection when i noticed strange behaviour on the comp.
     
  4. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2003
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    163,027
    Location:
    Texas
    I'm on my computer so much that any little oddity catches my attention. Noise, boot up time, hard drive light flickering, overall speed, etc.

    Maybe I will get a life soon but it doesn't look good!! :D
     
  5. Bubba

    Bubba Updates Team

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2002
    Posts:
    11,271
    Having never un-intentionely been infected by malware....most if not all the malware I've intentionely infected my PC with required a re-boot....since most of those placed themselves in the Run key location of the registry.
     
  6. bigc73542

    bigc73542 Retired Moderator

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    Location:
    SW. Oklahoma
    I haven't been infected. just lucky or very good computing practices. ;)
     
  7. dog

    dog Guest

    LOL ... the only malware on my machine is ME! ... I like BigC haven't ever had any malware, unless I still haven't found it. But I've experienced several of the ~little oddities~ Ron spoke of (boot up time, hard drive light flickering, overall speed, etc. etc.) but it's never been malware ... it's just me endless fiddling with my box LOL .... Beware of dog! ;) :) :D :D :blink: :ninja: *puppy*
     
  8. Rita

    Rita Infrequent Poster

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    Jun 28, 2004
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    Location:
    wilds of wv
    Hi Ron
    I too being on my computer all the time i'm getting to the point i notice every little thing that is different which i guess is a good sign that i'm learning :D also i run the security programs (at least one of them)every day like spybot and adware se.also ive installed a firewall although i still have alot to learn about it--but i am on the right track at least.
    Rita
    ps-i need to get a life too :D
     
  9. Shae

    Shae Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2004
    Posts:
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    I know my PC pretty well, so if it starts getting slow, and I know I've defragged, and I notice an unusual folder or file, I can be almost certain something is not right. :D
     
  10. gast

    gast Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2004
    Posts:
    4
    I don't need any firewall or anti-virus ,
    i am connected to the Internet all the time and i am busy the whole day
    with downloading cracks and software.
    I start with downloading early in the morning.
    And i am very busy installing games which i get from my friends.

    On the end of the Day when my system starts rebooting every few minutes,
    and living a life of it's own,dailing abroad every few seconds with other dialers.
    And my ISP starts calling me on the phone again, because
    my system is distributing malware like mad,and is overloading the network,
    * * *THEN i know that it is time to stop for the day and start reinstalling my system again * * *

    I do this at work in the office also, and when colleagues are getting angry,
    this is what i will/or you can do:

    Page yourself over the intercom. (Don't disguise your voice.)

    Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits.
    Always wear them one day after your boss does.
    (This is especially effective if your boss is
    a different gender than you are.)

    Make up nicknames for all your co-workers and refer to them
    only by these names.
    "That's a good point, Sparky." "No I'm sorry, I'm going to
    have to disagree with you there, Chachi."

    Send email to the rest of the company telling them what you're
    doing. For example "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom."

    "Hi-lite" your shoes.
    Tell people that you haven't lost your shoes since you did this.

    While sitting at your desk, soak your fingers in "Palmolive."

    Put up mosquito netting around your cubicle.

    Insist that your e-mail address be:
    zena_goddess_of_fire@companyname.com

    Every time someone asks you to do something,
    ask them if they want fries with that.

    Send email to yourself engaging yourself in an
    intelligent debate about the direction of one of
    your company's products.
    Forward the mail to a co-worker and ask her
    to settle the disagreement.

    Encourage your colleagues to join you in a little
    synchronized chair dancing.

    Put your garbage can on your desk. Label it "IN."

    Determine how many cups of coffee is "too many."

    Send e-mail messages saying free pizza,
    free donuts etc... in the lunchroom,
    when people complain that there was none...Just lean back,
    pat your stomach, and say,
    "Oh you've got to be faster than that."

    Put decaf in the coffeemaker for 3 weeks.
    Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine
    addictions, switch to espresso.

    Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%,
    extra dark 17 inch paper,99 copies.

    In the memo field of all your checks,
    write "for sexual favours."

    If you have a glass eye,
    tap on it occasionally with your pen while
    talking to others.

    When driving colleagues around insist on keeping
    your car windshield wipers running in all weather
    conditions "to keep 'em tuned up."

    Reply to everything someone says with
    "that's what YOU think."

    Practice making fax and modem noises.

    Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them
    to your boss.

    Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."

    Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your
    ears and grimacing.

    Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge
    across the room.

    Shout random numbers while someone is counting.

    Adjust the tint on your monitor so that the brightness level lights up
    the entire working area, and insist to others that you "like it that
    way."

    Staple papers in the middle of the page.

    Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.

    TYPE ONLY IN UPPERCASE..

    type only in lowercase.

    Dont use any punctuation either

    Repeat the following conversation a dozen times: "Do you hear that?"
    "What?" "Never mind, it's gone now."

    As much as possible, skip rather than walk.

    When nearly done, announce "no, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.

    Ask people what gender they are.

    While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.

    Sit in your car at the carpark at lunch time pointing a hair dryer at
    passing cars to see if they slow down.

    Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their
    answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological
    profiles"




    :D
     
  11. Marja

    Marja Honestly, I'm not a bot!!

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2004
    Posts:
    4,553
    Location:
    In the Vast Fields of My Mind
    I think I have worked with everyone of you guys!!

    I'm the one who likes to WRITE big!

    Cheers!
    Marja:cool:
     
  12. Devinco

    Devinco Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2004
    Posts:
    2,524
    ROFL! Good one gast! :D :D
     
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