A Skype nastie, or is this for real?

[Loose rivets]

I'm more than a little relyant on Skype right now, and this thing has appeared twice in the space of a few hours. I blocked it last time and sent them (Skype) a message with the copy, needless to say, they were all waiting for my call and pounced on the problem. NOT.

Following the first arrival, Skype became inoperative, with some message in a box again saying Okay? at the end. No, it's :mad: not okay.

Anyone else had this pop up?



[6:07:07 PM] Update Info: ****************************************
URGENT SYSTEM SCAN NOTIFICATION ! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY !!

Online Security Scan In Progress (http://www.updaterp.org/)

For the link to become active, please click on 'Add to contacts' skype button or type it in manually into your web browser !

FULL DETAILS OF SCAN RESULT BELOW
****************************************

WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !

Affected Software:

Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /
Unexpected shutdowns

Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair utility immediately

Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !
Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.

Online Security Scan In Progress (http://www.updaterp.org/)

For the link to become active, please click on 'Add to contacts' skype button or type it in manually into your web browser!

[The Nr Fairy]

Almost certainly "scareware" - designed to frighten you into paying for software to remove itself. Which it doesn't and may do even worse things.

Having a look at the source for the web page (downloaded outside of a web browser, and not on Windows) I see mis-spellings of "Microsoft", plus what looks like code designed to show up a Windows explorer like window.

You need to get some malware removal tools - if your computer won't let you get to the sites you need to to download them (which is a possibility) then get a friend to stick the tools on a USB stick for you and run them from there.

After that, read up about how to reduce the chances of getting infected. Windows is a bitch to protect, so you'll do loads of research. The one biggest thing you can do is to use Firefox with NoScript installed - problem is that introduces issues using common web sites if you don't know what's going on, so ask again if you get that far.

[Bushfiva]

It's scareware. When it installs, it will disable most stuff except the browser, which you need to go to the website to pay for the "fix". The fix, of course, simply re-enables everything it disabled. The scammers also use registryservice.org and detectonline.

[BOAC]

2 excellent malware removers (as above you may need to download them to a USB stick or CDROM on another machine) are Malwarebyes anti-malware and Norman 2009. Both best run in 'Safe' mode with system restore disabled. If they have 'eaten' your safe mode option, see my post in the sticky above. I cleared a friend's of this one a few months ago, and I recall Safe mode had not been crippled. I suspect you have a 'Smitfraud' (http://www.pchell.com/support/smitfraud.shtml) infection. (Basically the virus writers get a cut on the purchases of the 'advertised' software people make). Do NOT pay for any software at this time! Try my (free) suggested ones first.

[Loose rivets]

Thanks for that everyone. How is this transmitted? ie, dies it come via Skype itself?


As mentioned, a friend in the UK has had to get another computer from her family cos no one knew how to handle the problem. She'd not long communicated with me for the first time.

First thing in a string of things, I looked at a PDF in a radio forum. On closing, I was asked if I wanted to update my Adobe whatever. I trusted it. Same kind of message. "Update Failed. Okay?" Why do they ask if that's okay?:ugh: System crashed. Reboot okay except for Adobe. Gone! a bit of detritus, but otherwise gone. Cleared said remains - there was nothing in the remove list - and downloaded a new copy. Worked okay.

All getting a bit too coincidental.

It may be causal, or just coincidence, or even divine retribution, but last night, after a drink or three, I broke my own rules and put a 'funny' comment in the medical section. It needed translation so I went to 'Google translate' or some-such. Fine...until I found I couldn't get my unadulterated Google screen back. Even after finding it and setting 'Make this your default screen' it doesn't. Furthermore, the Adblock plus hexagon has disappeared from the top bar. I've put a new one at the bottom and it works. Prior to this the OS had been wonderfully stable for a long time.

Y'know, one only had to oil typewriters, and change the occasional ribbon. I've a feeling that I'm going to lose another half day from my writing endeavors because of all this technology. :(

[green granite]

I regularly have to un-install adobe and google updaters, they are a pain and have no place on my PC.

[Loose rivets]

At no stage did I open the new 'Name'. "URGENT SYSTEM SCAN NOTIFICATION ! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY !!"

I'm hoping that things aren't as bad as they seem. I'm always optimistic on Sundays.:}

[Keef]

It comes from updaterp.org and is known to the "internet community" - see here (http://community.livejournal.com/vaa_spam/1077444.html).

Just don't click on it, and it'll go away eventually.

A Mac user got it, so it looks to be step one of the process.

[green granite]

You could try blocking it using the firewall it's 85.17.143.145 might stop it getting through.