Computer People - Is this a virus?

[Toms306]

So, recently (last few months!) I keep getting a message pop up 'your browser is out of date, update now' or similar.  Usually I ignore these sort of things and they don't come back. 

But as this one is persistent I clicked ok and AVG has blocked it, first time I clicked 'protect me' and assumed AVG to do whatever it does lol, but it comes back again....  So I'm not sure whether or not this is something real or a virus!?  Any help before I have to click one of the boxes...

[attachment=20995]

Cheers
Tom

[Paul_13]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en-GB&...8QeMgYHgCw

[Toms306]

Googling just says its potentially unwanted....well everything is 'potentially' unwanted! I have had the same thing for genuine files btw.

[1616six]

Stop going on those dodgy sites Tom!

[Midnightclub]

It sounds like you've downloaded a 'toolbar' or something accidentally. I'd suggest downloading something like ad-block pro or whatever, then it'll stop these fake downloads, ads etc.. appearing.

[toseland]

Or you could just use a decent, safe browser and not Internet exploiter

[lolsteve]

Such a shame chrome is now becoming bloated to fk

[Ruan]

Browser isn't the issue here.

More the operating system!

[Toms306]

It sounds like you've downloaded a 'toolbar' or something accidentally. I'd suggest downloading something like ad-block pro or whatever, then it'll stop these fake downloads, ads etc.. appearing.

So it is definitely a fake thing then.

Also, I have adblocker...it obviously doesn't work.

[Eeyore]

tom get rid of AVG and get Microsoft security essentials.

[Midnightclub]

tom get rid of AVG and get Microsoft security essentials.

Security essentials is wank  

Unless they've substantially improved it recently... In my experience it wouldn't even detect well known malware before, until malwarebytes had flagged it in a scan then it popped up saying it has a virus... good one MS! 

Also had a good issue where MS security essentials would pin the CPU to 100% because it would attempt to scan itself   at least until you manually made an exclusion rule.

[lolsteve]

Security essentials has always been good for me, doesn't hog up all the system resources like other anti virus and the only time it failed me was when I let ladysteve on it and she downloaded something that messed it all up. But it was so bad even combined AVG,SE, Malware, spybot couldn't shift it. Needed a wipe to fix

[Midnightclub]

Security essentials has always been good for me, doesn't hog up all the system resources like other anti virus and the only time it failed me was when I let ladysteve on it and she downloaded something that messed it all up. But it was so bad even combined AVG,SE, Malware, spybot couldn't shift it. Needed a wipe to fix

Having combined/multiple virus protection software working at the same time is never advised tbh, they normally end up fighting eachother instead of the virus! 

[toseland]

Eset nod32 . Works a treat, has a 5mg footprint most of the time, and can even scan in the background without hampering system performance..


Job done

[Eeyore]

yeh dont have two antiviruses at once. mse has been great for me. avg did nothing.

[Toms306]

Hmm, difference of opinion isn't good...means I have to make my own decision now.

[Ruan]

Has anyone considered that antivirus is a farce that does absolutely nothing...

Other than make money, maybe I'm slightly cynical about the whole situation, but think about it for a minute

AV development companies... Who sell AV software... But if the AV was any good, the malware/badware/virus creators would be left without a job and with no money.. Which little script kiddie with no money is going to try and get past massive companies like Symantec, AVG to put some adverts on some old womans computer... No one... That's who!

Then you realise that Symantec and AVG would quite like to keep selling AV software... Which apparently their AV software can fix everything <24 hours after the threat has happened..

Oh wait, this sounds a little too familiar?! It's a massive loop of money of AV companies selling software...

I've never seen AV software actually do anything about genuinely harmful code, just blab on about useless shit!

Stop giving money to Microsoft and helping their monopoly by refusing to learn anything new and go and get some free, open software in your lives, bit of a learning curve, but would stop all of this essentially money laundering business quite quickly!

[Toms306]

I don't think \I've ever paid for AV software...free programs ftw.

That is a good point tbf though!

[E_KEL95]

North Koreas doing?? 

[Ruan]

I don't think \I've ever paid for AV software...free programs ftw.

That is a good point tbf though!

Yeah, but I guarantee you they regularly tell you about how you should upgrade to the pro version...

You should know about giving people the free shit, get them hooked, then sell away

Classic AV sales tactic... Oh look your computer is broken, if you pay for the expensive version, it'll be bettererer.....

[Toms306]

Oh, I'm probably not the target market for that sort of thing... I just ignore anything that wants me to pay for something I already have free.

[Ruan]

Oh, I'm probably not the target market for that sort of thing...  I just ignore anything that wants me to pay for something I already have free.

Why do you pay for your operating system then

There's plenty of good free and open operating systems out there :p

Before you say 'came with my computer' - that just means it cost you more in the first place

[WiNgNuTz]

Oh, I'm probably not the target market for that sort of thing...  I just ignore anything that wants me to pay for something I already have free.

Why do you pay for your operating system then

There's plenty of good free and open operating systems out there :p

Before you say 'came with my computer' - that just means it cost you more in the first place

Who says we do?

---

Also, as far as AV software goes, I personally recommend Comodo Internet Security Suite....does everything any other AV does, for free, without you having to give an email address (the option is there, but its just that......optional!), and doesn't bug for money.

Common sense goes a long way when combatting viruses tbh...stay away from the dodgy sites, and if something doesnt seem right, it probably isnt.

[Ruan]

Even if you don't pay, they don't care, you're hooked enough to ensure that wherever else you go, you only know how to use Microsoft, and will go to great lengths to use it

If people were educated in other ways about other operating systems... We wouldn't be in this situation...

That's what frustrates me about schools so much.

[Toms306]

Common sense goes a long way when combatting viruses tbh...stay away from the dodgy sites, and if something doesnt seem right, it probably isnt.

Tbf, I don't think I go on any dodgy sites.  Guarantee there are people on here looking at much worse sites than me.



As for Microsoft, I don't have a problem with it tbh, does everything I need or want it to do, and comes 'free' with most computers these days.  Plus I got an A in GCSE IT in high school and didn't learn about any other OS's.

[cully]

Eset nod32 .   Works a treat,


Job done

as above with a serial hack ***opens can of worms***

[Ruan]

Personally though, if I'm using Windows...

In the 8 years previous when I've used Windows, I've never ran any AV, I've just not gone on dodgymidgetporn.com...

If you must do something excessively dodgy, virtual machine it.

[THE_Liam]

I'm no expert but I've always used AVG and never had an issue, installed it on my new laptop and doesn't seem to slow it down at all...

As for ad blockers, I just use have them purely for eBay and Youtube. The ads on those make them stupidly slow...

[Niall]

I just don't use AV. Haven't done in the past 7 years. Funnily enough, since i moved away from Windows. Just don't seem to get viruses on OS X and never did on any of my Linux stuff I've had in the past.

Why Windows is the most popular i don't know when really, its just rubbish lol

[7057sam]

I just don't use AV. Haven't done in the past 7 years. Funnily enough, since i moved away from Windows. Just don't seem to get viruses on OS X and never did on any of my Linux stuff I've had in the past.

Why Windows is the most popular i don't know when really, its just rubbish lol

  Microsoft Windows is used by a lot more people than the Apple Mac OS. Because more people use Microsoft Windows, it is a much better target and makes it easier for viruses to spread.

I've even heard of people s mac having viruses and been perfectly normal then going on someone network and the virus spreading to the windows computers