[Dx-qsl] QRZ.com virus?

Mon Dec 26 17:33:05 EST 2011

Hi Tim -
Yes, removal was done in safe mode, using the info and apps on 
bleepingcomputer.com
73,
Don W5FKX
http://www.deltadx.net/
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "N3XX" <n3xx at charter.net>
To: "Don W5FKX" <w5fkx at cox.net>; <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, December 26, 2011 22:16
Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] QRZ.com virus?
> Same thing happened here sometime between Christmas eve and Christmas 
> morning, but mine was claimed to be XP Antivirus 2012. My antivirus 
> software did not detect this thing. I don't think it came from qrz.com in 
> my case though. I believe it happened here as a result of answering yes 
> to a fake Adove Acrobat update. That's also how many others had this 
> happen to them. My computer was pretty much unuseable, but I found plenty 
> of information by using another computer and googling "XP Antivirus 2012".
>> The problem was easily fixed here by just using System Restore to go back 
> to a restore point from Dec. 24. I have been to qrz.com and most of the 
> sites I use often, and no sign of the problem here now.
>> If you start your computer in safe mode (F8 while booting, then select 
> safe mode) then start System Restore and try a restore point from a date 
> before the trouble showed up, you will probably be back to normal.
>> I think from now on I will request updates manually, and not answer yes to 
> any automatic updates question.
>> 73,
> Tim - N3XX
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Don W5FKX" <w5fkx at cox.net>
> To: <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2011 3:16 PM
> Subject: [Dx-qsl] QRZ.com virus?
>>>> Wonder if anyone else has had this experience? While doing some QSL work 
>> last week, I picked up a malicious bug claiming to be "Vista Antivirus 
>> 2012", that completely interrupted my pc function with exclamations that 
>> it was protecting me from multiple attacks as displayed by a "scan" 
>> showing all of these, and blocking access to the internet by other 
>> programs while offering to protect my pc for a sign-up fee! Researching 
>> with my laptop, I found that it is variously called "XP Antispyware 
>> 20YY", "Vista Antispyware ...", "Win7 Antispyware ...", depending upon 
>> your OS, and apparently the "YY" began in '09 and is now '12. After some 
>> tedious cleanup, I got rid of it. Some more poking about brought me to 
>> the conclusion that it probably came from QRZ.com. After several days of 
>> "clean" operation, I returned to QRZ.com today to lookup another 
>> callsign, and ... bingo!! ... back came the virus!
>>>> My browsing exposure to malicious software is probably exacerbated by the 
>> fact that I run as Administrator, allowing a greater degree of exposure. 
>> Unfortunately, my anti-virus program, Zone Alarm, did absolutely nothing 
>> to protect me on either occasion. A complaint to them elicited the 
>> comment ".. we can't always keep up with permutations ...". Guess I will 
>> have to quit using QRZ.com ... sigh!
>>>> 73,
>> Don W5FKX
>> http://www.deltadx.net/
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