Malware Download - Software Review
What follows is a quick review of a malware download that I have just used to remove malware from my laptop.As a busy DBA, my laptop is THE essential tool of my job. For those of you based at a single location I'm sure you have the same dependency on your PC.
This computer has multiple functions; for email, accessing servers, running Microsoft tools and third party monitoring software, and browsing the world wide web. That last one is a task performed by most DBAs at least once per day. How often do you search for the answer to a weird problem in the hope someone else has solved it for you?
The problem with the web is that from time to time you accidentally visit a "dodgy" site, and may be unknowingly infecting your computer with all kinds of malware.
Aside from the security considerations, the impact in performance can be considerable.
Performance on my laptop has degraded noticeably in recent months and I have been looking around for an effective way of getting back the speed I had when it was new.
One obvious solution is to reinstall Windows. This is undoubtedly effective, but very time consuming. What I wanted was a cost effective and quick approach, so I started looking around for products that would scan for, and fix, any problems.
I started with a registry fixer (review to follow) and this did make a big difference to performance, but I also had this nagging feeling that there might be something unpleasant lurking in the depths of my laptop, something that had to be identified and eliminated!
My search found a tool called Adware Alert. I downloaded the free trial, and immediately started a scan. Within minutes it had found numerous low impact threats. Then, suddenly, there they were. Trojans. Two of them to be exact, and both with a high impact on system and data security.
These were:
- KillAV - rated moderately dangerous
- Qhost - rated highly dangerous!
I have used various malware downloads of this nature in the past, but this is the first time anything serious has been found.
I can now relax in the knowledge that AdwareAlert is silently watching for more baddies, and will prevent any more infestations in the future.
I'm not saying this is the best product of it's type; I don't have experience of most of them. It is, however, the one I have used successfully and I strongly suggest you carry out a similar scan of your computer.
You can find a free malware removal tool by searching for "malware" or "adware", or just visit the Adware Alert website and download their free trial. It worked for me.
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