Win32 Virus Removal

Many antivirus companies are offering free rescue disks to provide their customers with an option to disinfect a system from the “outside”. That’s especially helpful in scenarios where a virus has damaged the operating system critically, so that it won’t boot anymore on its own.

Most antivirus rescue disks are supplied in the disk ISO format and need to be burned to CD or DVD. Kaspersky recently started to offer the Kaspersky USB Rescue Disk Maker which, as the name suggests, can create a bootable rescue disk on an USB flash drive.

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 is designed to scan and disinfect x86 and x64-compatible computers that have been infected. The application should be used when the infection is so severe that it is impossible to disinfect the computer using anti-virus applications or malware removal utilities (such as Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool) running under the operating system.

Two downloads are necessary to create the bootable Kaspersky USB Rescue Disk:

• The most recent ISO image of Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 [link]
• The Kaspersky USB Rescue Disk Maker [link]

The USB device needs to use the FAT16 or FAT32 file system, and not NTFS.

To create the bootable USB rescue disk do the following:

• Install Kaspersky USB Rescue Disk Maker on the PC.
• Browse to the ISO image of the Kaspersky Rescue Disk in the program interface after startup, and select one of the connected USB devices. This device will be used to create the bootable rescue disk.

kaspersky usb rescue disk

A click on Start copies the relevant files from the ISO image to the USB drive.

It is important to test the USB rescue device at least once, to make sure that it will work in emergencies. It is usually necessary to enable booting from removable devices in the BIOS, so that the boot process picks up the USB rescue disk before the actual operating system(s) on the hard drive.

Kaspersky’s Rescue Disk can be used to disinfect systems that have been rendered unbootable by a virus and in scenarios where it is not possible to disinfect the virus while the operating system is running.

It is naturally also possible to burn the ISO image to CD or DVD, if that is preferred.

<a href="http://www.ghacks.net/2010/09/02/make-a-bootable-usb-kaspersky-rescue-disk-10/" >Make A Bootable USB Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10</a>

Tags:antivirus, kaspersky, Kaspersky Rescue Disk, kaspersky usb rescue disk, rescue disk
Categories:Windows, software

Lately I’ve been flooded with questions about AWM Antivirus. It’s from the same family as A-Fast Antivirus, and it’s spread the same way, through Trojans and fake online scanners. You’ll receive a gluttony of alerts if you’re infected, and your PC will run as slow as a tortoise. This spyware can potentially damage our pc hardware and software, as well as personal identity, thus we must remove AWM Antivirus as quickly as possible.

When you are infected with AWM Antivirus you will receive constant warnings such as this one: Critical System Warning!

Your system is probably infected with a version of Trojan-Spy.HTML.Visafraud.a. This may result in website access passwords being stolen from Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Outlook etc. Click Yes to scan and remove threats (recommended).

Additionally, your browser may be ‘hijacked’ meaning your searches are redirected to pages loaded with more spyware. Also, your legitimate programs, including virus removal tools and other software, can become blocked by this virus. You will need to follow the removal instructions to get rid of this threat.

Because of the nature of this virus, we have to delete AWM Antivirus before it causes serious damage to our computer or our identity. You can remove it either manually or automatically. A manual removal is only recommended for IT Professionals, and involves editing the system registry. If you are comfortable doing such work, then you will have to kill the exe process, delete the registry values in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folders, and delete related files and folders. The full listing can be found on my website.

Automatic removal is what I use and what I recommend, because it takes less time, and saves me the frustration and energy of a corrupt registry if a single error is made. Most importantly, the automatic removal tools that I recommend will protect a user’s PC against the next tidal wave of spyware that is around the corner. Our bank accounts and personal identities are too valuable not to protect.

Sick and tired of worrying about damaging spyware? Remove AWM Antivirus now! Start with a free scan, and regain your safety.

Bob Walker is a veteran IT consultant with over twenty years of experience in the industry. He’s helped clean up the computers of everyone from fortune 500 organizations to individual users and families. His website is dedicated to anti-spyware and virus removal research, where he ranks the most efficient anti-spyware and anti-virus programs currently available.

http://www.spyware-review.net

About 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pharyngeal or laryngeal cancer this year, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation, and more than 13,000 people will die from the disease.

Despite advances in medicine, the numbers of people affected by throat cancer continues to hold steady, said Brian Hill, the founder of the Oral Cancer Foundation. In fact, Hill added, there's been a spike in throat cancer over the last decade.

Here's some more information.

What are the types of throat cancer?

The primary forms of throat cancer are laryngeal and oral pharyngeal. Laryngeal cancer, or cancer that affects the voice box, is very common among smokers. Oral pharyngeal cancer is found in the area near the hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the windpipe and esophagus. Pharyngeal cancer is prevalent among smokers and non-smokers. It is linked to the human papilloma virus.

What is the link between alcohol and throat cancer?

Eighty-five percent of all head and neck cancers are related to smoking, but alcohol has also been linked to throat cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, drinkers are six times more likely to get these cancers. Some reports have found that people who smoke and drink are as much as 100 times more likely to get mouth and throat cancer than people with neither habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control, consuming 50 grams of alcohol a day, the equivalent of four drinks, doubles or triples the risk for getting mouth, voice box and throat cancer.

What is the link between HPV and throat cancer?

Plenty of non-smokers and non-drinkers are afflicted with head and neck cancers because of the human papilloma virus, a group of about 100 different viruses. Of those 100 viruses, 16 to 18 are associated with throat cancer.

What are the symptoms of throat cancer?

When the cancer is in the early stages, many patients don't recognize any symptoms. Symptoms include a prolonged sore throat or hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing and sometimes ear pain. Some may even have a swollen, hard lymph node. Even though the lymph node may be swollen, it usually is painless, which might deter a patient from visiting a doctor.

What are the usual treatments for throat cancer?

Treatment usually includes both radiation and chemotherapy. When that doesn't work, a patient may require surgery, including the removal of some or all of their voice box or a neck dissection to remove a cancerous lymph node. The treatment itself can bring life changing side effects. Radiation may cause so much pain in one's throat and mouth that patients can't eat in a traditional manner. Surgery may result in patients needing continued care for the rest of their lives.

Who Gets Throat Cancer?

Oral cancers typically impact twice as many men as women. The risk of oral cancer increases with age. Half of all oral cancers are diagnosed in people 68 years or older, according to the American Cancer Society. Still, the Oral Cancer Foundation warns that younger people are getting oral cancers because of HPV.

For Additional Resources on Throat Cancer:

National Cancer Institute: This national organization provides information used by both cancer patients and health professionals. The site provides more information on diagnoses, treatment and clinical trials. It also provides comprehensive statistics on how many people are impacted by head and neck cancers.

Mayo Clinic: The Mayo Clinic is one of the nation's premier hospitals. Its website gives information about what symptoms might be a sign of throat cancer and also how to prepare for an appointment with your doctor. Along with information about traditional treatments, it provides information about alternative medicine for throat cancer.

Support For People With Oral and Head and Neck Cancer: This non-profit organization, referred to as SPOHNC, estimates that there are 500,000 survivors of oral, head and neck cancers. It has 100 chapters nationwide that serve as support groups for those suffering from head and neck cancers.

CancerCare: CancerCare has oncology social workers on call for those suffering from cancer to call at any time to deal with the challenges of battling cancer.

The Oral Cancer Foundation: This non-profit organization's website compiles the latest news stories about oral cancer. It also provides detailed information on the link between tobacco, alcohol and the HPV virus to oral cancer. It also serves as a resource for those recovering from the disease.

Q: My PC runs on XP, and all of a sudden when I try to open up a PDF or view a DVD using Windows Media Player, the programs do not work. I am redirected to Adobe's site and asked to buy Reader, a program that was free for ages.

Is this a scam? Are there other programs that will work free instead?

Also, I when I try to use WMP, I am directed to a number of sites that want to sell me a connector or something so it will work. I do not want to spend money on something that was working fine before.

M.A., Raleigh Unfortunately, the fact that you're being redirected to sites trying to sell you free programs indicates that your computer has been hijacked by some form of malware, says Paul Rosenberg, owner of "Love Your Computer" in Chapel Hill.

Working around the issue by using other applications will not solve the problem, he said. Instead, you need to get rid of the malware causing the problem.

While I often recommend various antivirus and anti spyware programs (with limited success for some readers), Rosenberg strongly recommends having your computer professionally evaluated and secured.

Many of these types of hijacks can be very difficult to trace and remove, he said. He regularly sees malware that impersonates critical system files, making it very hard to detect with most malware-scanning products.

Even after professional evaluation, the problem might remain.

"If you find yourself strangely redirected to unknown websites, then your system is still compromised and might require repeat service," he said.

Plus, attempting virus removal yourself using online virus removal services can be tricky, he said, as compromised systems need to be isolated, not connected to the Internet.

"Custom malware is far too sophisticated now to rely on this," he said.

Once your system is secured, you should be able to go back to using Reader and WMP as before.

Q: Back in my working days, we used Lotus Notes for intra-company communication. With Notes you had two choices when replying to an e-mail message: "Reply" and "Reply w/ History."

Now I'm home using Microsoft, and I have only one choice: "Reply."

If I want to "Reply w/History" I have to select "Tools," "Options," "Send," "Include Message in Reply," "Apply" and "OK." Is there a mod or upgrade to Microsoft Mail that gives me a one click option to "Reply w/ History," or is there another e-mail program that provides this functionality?

R.B. All Microsoft mail clients have "Include Message in Reply" as a global switch, Rosenberg said.

That means that once it's turned on, your original message will be included in every reply. His research indicates that the "Reply w/History" choice is a feature unique to Lotus.

SEATTLE, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- HaloSource, a leading clean water company, has signed an agreement with Bajaj Electricals Ltd, the Indian home appliance products company, for the use of HaloSource's revolutionary HaloPure® disinfection cartridges in Bajaj water purification products.

Bajaj Electricals Ltd, a part of the US$ 5.5bn Bajaj Group, shall market and distribute a wide range of water filters and gravity purification devices for home use throughout India.

The addition of HaloPure® technology will enable Bajaj's gravity water treatment products to remove 99.9% of disease-causing bacteria and viruses present in source water. This disinfection step greatly adds to the capabilities and benefits of its existing products, which primarily deal with taste and odor, creating products that deliver a high level of water purification without the need for electricity or water pressure.  The HaloPure powered products will be inexpensive, effective and highly portable – ideally suited to the Indian market.

In 2009, HaloPure® became the first new drinking water technology in more than a decade to be granted both Manufacture-For-Use and Device registrations by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), widely recognized as having the world's most stringent performance requirements for water purification. HaloPure® is a unique contact biocide technology that is proven to attack and kill a wide range of harmful microorganisms and is approved for long-term use in a variety of markets, including the United States.

John Kaestle, Chief Executive of HaloSource, commented, "Bajaj Electricals is a major player in the Indian market and a trusted consumer brand. This partnership greatly extends the reach of HaloPure® technology and reinforces Bajaj's commitment to providing its customers with outstanding product solutions. Using HaloPure® disinfection cartridges in Bajaj's products will provide affordable, highly effective drinking water disinfection to millions of new customers in place of typical product solutions which require access to electricity. It's a great opportunity for both our companies."

Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Electricals Ltd, stated, "We are excited that a number of our products will become HaloPure® powered, providing our customers with a simple product that delivers the highest standards of bacteria and virus removal for their drinking water. Good quality potable water is a huge challenge for Indian masses and provides a large market opportunity along with serving an important social mission."

ABOUT HALOSOURCE:

HaloSource® is a global, clean water and antimicrobial technology company that provides reliable, tested and proven solutions in the product categories of clean water and infection control. The company was founded in 2002 with the goal of improving the quality of life and health through unique, proprietary, antimicrobial solutions that reliably and effectively purify water and kill germs. HaloSource's ingredient brands include HaloPure®, HaloShield®, SeaKlear® and StormKlear®. HaloSource provides partners with unique, proprietary solutions that offer broad market potential and acceptance and help partners differentiate their offerings from those of competitors. HaloSource-branded ingredients are based on innovative, patented, game-changing technologies that enable partners to quickly enhance and differentiate their products.

Based in the Seattle, Washington, area, HaloSource is a worldwide employer and operates manufacturing plants and offices in Raymond, Washington, Shanghai, China, and Bangalore, India. For more information please visit us at www.halosource.com.

ABOUT BAJAJ ELECTRICALS LTD:

Bajaj Electricals Limited (BEL), a 71 year old trusted company with a turnover of over Rs. 2252 crores, is a part of the US $ 5.5 billion (Rs 28,000 crores) "Bajaj Group". Bajaj Electricals Limited has six strategic business units – Engineering and Projects, Appliances, Fans, Luminaires, Lighting and Morphy Richards.

Bajaj Electricals has 19 branch offices spread in different parts of the country besides being supported by a chain of about 600 distributors, 3000 authorized dealers, over 300,000 retail outlets and over 230 Customer Care centers.

Bajaj Electricals has distribution arrangements with Trilux Lenze of Germany (for Luminaires), tie up with Delta Controls of Canada (for Building Management Systems) and Securiton of Switzerland (for security systems), Morphy Richards of UK and Nardi of Italy (for Appliances), Disney of USA & Midea of China (for Fans). The company has also invested in Starlite Lighting for manufacture of energy saving lamps (CFL). For more information please visit us at www.bajajeshop.com.

SOURCE HaloSource

RELATED LINKS
http://www.halosource.com
http://www.bajajeshop.com

AWM AntiVirus is a fake antivirus application which gets into your system along with various trojans. After the AWM Antivirus virus infects your system, it will start immediately after Windows logs in and it will display various false warning messages that some files are infected and asks you to scan your system and to remove the viruses, AWM Antivirus tells you to buy the full version. This is a scam and you shouldn’t buy it as you will lose your money. See below some examples of false warning messages that the AWM Antivirus virus displays on computers :

• Your computer is infected! Windows detected spyware infection! It is recommended to use special antispyware tools to prevent dataloss. Windows will now download and install the most up-to-date antispyware for you.
• System warning! Intercepting programs that may compromise your privacy and harm your system have been detected on your PC. It’s highly recommended you scan your PC right now.

AWM Antivirus Main Screen

No matter what this virus tells you, please do not do what it says and in case you bought the AWM Antivirus application, then you should call the credit card company and explain that the product you just bought it is a virus and that you want to cancel the order. So, if you want to remove the AWM Antivirus virus from your PC then you should follow the instructions below :

1. First of all, you need to save the instructions in this guide in a text document which can be transferred on other PC or you can print them out or you can open this webpage on another computer. You need to do one of these action, because at some point you’ll have to close all the running applications and opened windows.
2. The AWM Antivirus might have blocked the download functions of your system, which means that you need to download the applications required to remove the virus on other PC and after that you can transfer the programs on the infected computer. You can use a USB memory stick or a CD/DVD to transfer the applications.
3. Now, you need to download the Rkill.com application. Rkill.com is a malware process killer which will end all AWM Antivirus’ processes in order for you to remove completely the virus from your system. Download Rkill.com from here and save it to your desktop.
4. Start Rkill.com to terminate all the malicious processes. Rkill will display a black window and when it completes its job, it will close automatically. Please note that AWM Antivirus might display a warning message that says the Rkill.com application is a virus. You need to ignore this messages, because all are false and AWM Antivirus virus tries to protect itself against removal. When AWM Antivirus displays warning messages, leave them opened and start Rkill.com until such messages are gone. After you terminate all the malicious processes, DO NOT RESTART your system, because AWM Anitivirus malware will be re-enabled.
5. Now you need to download the Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware application which is a tool capable of removing the AWM Antivirus virus. Click here to download Malwarebytes’.
6. After Malwarebytes’ has been downloaded, you can install it. Before you start the installation process, you need to close all the running programs and opened windows, without exceptions. Now you’re ready to install Malwarebytes’.
7. Start the installer by double-clicking the mbam-setup.exe icon. Do not change any of the default settings displayed by the Malwarebytes’ installer. Please make sure that when the installer displays its last window, the Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware boxes are both checked. Press Finish and when Malwarebytes’ asks you to restart your system, do not allow it do such action. Also, if MBAM asks you to update it, click OK and you’ll be taken to Malwarebytes’ main menu.
8. Now you should see the Scanner menu and here you need to select the ‘Perform Full Scan Option’. Hit the Scan button and the Malwarebytes’ Anti Malware will start searching your computer for AWM Antivirus malware files.
9. Now Malwarebytes’ scans you system, please note that this process might take a while until it searches your entire computer. When Malwarebytes’ completes the scan process  it will display a confirmation message, click OK and you can go on with the AWM Antivirus removal process.
10. Now you see the Scanner main menu. Here you need to press ‘Show Results’ and MBAM will display all the malicious files that your computer contains. Here’s a screenshot of the scanning process, please note that the results provided for your PC might differ from ours
    

    AWM Antivirus Scanning Results

11. To remove all the malicious software you need to press ‘Remove Selected’ and Malwarebytes’ will start removing AWM Antivirus malware. During the removal process, Malwarebytes’ will ask you to reboot your system and now you should allow it to do this action. After Windows logs back in you can go on with the rest of the removal guide.
12. After Malwarebytes’ completed the removal process, it will displays the scanning log in Notepad. After you review it you can close Notepad and Malwarebytes’.

These are all the steps that you need to follow in order to completely remove AWM Antivirus malware from your computer. I hope that you understood easily all the instructions and to stay clear of this kind of threats you need to buy and install a powerful anti-virus application or you can choose to buy the Pro version of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware program and your system will stay free and protected against any type of malicious threat.

The Internet keeps us connected in so many ways, but this openness also makes us a target for potential attacks. Big companies and their services like Apple iTunes can also become a target, and personal computers can be an easier target if the right protection is not applied.

Following on from the recent post about the Security Suite virus and how to remove it, we thought we would give our readers a quick round up of some free virus removal tools that are available to download from the best in security.

If you need a virus removal tool then we recommend you visit one of these options. First is McaFee, and their free virus tools that can remove certain viruses from your system, you can see the details and download links on their “Virus Removal Tools” page.

The Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool looks pretty good, they say that their utility can remove “all types of infections”, which seems a big claim. Full details and download link here.

AVG has created a section on their site that lists tools to remove popular infections and viruses from your computer, you can see more at avg.com/in-en/virus-removal. Symantec has a page similar to AVG, which lists tools developed by Symantec Security Response that can automatically carry out a removal, they also promote their fee-based service (see both here).

Have you used any of the above virus removal tools? Let us know more in the comments.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, get daily updates via email, or connect with Daniel Chubb.

Related News and Information

1. Security Suite Virus: Removal Guide
2. Conficker Worm (aka doomsday virus): How do you protect yourself?
3. AVG Free Anti-Virus 8.0 or Internet Security
4. Microsoft conficker patch and malicious software removal tool problems