04 November 2011

Colds and viruses

I've got a cold and my computer's got a virus. If you receive any suspicious-looking e-mail from me, don't open it! I made the mistake yesterday of opening an e-mail from a former blogger who called himself Amerloque ("the American") and lives, as far as I know, in Paris or in Normandy. I'm sure he didn't send it on purpose — his computer probably has the virus too.

Our house in November — we still have petunias in the
window box and geraniums on the terrace.


It's called Security Defender, and it's very intrusive, displaying warnings about all kinds of threats and viruses, making it impossible for you to do much of anything on your computer. If anybody reading this knows a quick and easy way to remove it from a computer it has hijacked, I'd appreciate knowing about it.

Nobody uses the communal well in our hamlet,
La Renaudière, any more.


Meanwhile, here are a couple of pictures from my walk with Callie yesterday morning. In the rain... but at least it wasn't cold at all. And when it really started raining, the dog and I just came straight back to the house. Today the sun is shining and my cold is slowly getting better. Now back to the virus problem...

14 comments:

  1. Not sure how much help this is but it tells how to remove manually rather than download something that you do not know what it is!!!
    http://www.wiki-security.com/wiki/Parasite/SecurityDefender/
    Diane

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  2. Hope you and your computer are soon cured.

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  3. May all be well, soon, with your computer and your health.

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  4. Keep my fingers crossed for you and your computer.

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  5. Oh, heavens. Good luck with the virus.

    Your fall photos are great :))

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  6. Hi Ken,
    I run Spybot- Search & Destroy on my computer - my sons put me on to it.
    http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html

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  7. Wishing you quick healing for both viruses. Looks like you are getting good help from savy readers.

    Today's banner is beautiful- love the red stems on the vines and fall colors on the side bar.

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  8. Hi Ken. One of my neighbors got the Security Defender virus. I used the instructions on Bleeping Computer to remove it for her:

    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-security-defender

    Scroll down to the section titled "Automated Removal Instructions for Security Defender using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware"

    It IS incredibly annoying.

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  9. If only I'd read this a few minutes earlier! I just opened an email that purports to be from someone we know, not well, but he is going to do some work on our house in France and so we'd exchanged emails a few times.
    Anyway the message today, supposedly from him, said that he and his family had been mugged in Spain, and was asking for financial help. It was titled something like 'Awful Trip' and was rather impersonal in the content, making no reference to Normandy which is where he has a house and so do we.
    Now I'm wondering whether it is linked with this virus in which case my laptop could be joining yours Ken in the sick bay!
    I think I'd rather have a seasonal cold than a computer virus any day, easier to cure!

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  10. Grrrrrrr.

    Both of you, get well soon.

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  11. The virus has been vanquished, I think, thanks to Simon of Days on the Claise and the anti-virus program called AVG. The cold is better too. All in all, a good day.

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  12. Well, that's a relief, Ken. Glad you were able to solve the virus problem.
    I use Spybot, too. A recommendation from a writer in our newspaper - Bill Hustad, I believe it is a column sent to many newspapers.
    Maybe your wholesome food yesterday and all days has helped your cold :)
    So glad to hear you are on the mend.

    Mary in Oregon

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  13. I had a trojan like that once. It hijacks your email and sends phoney email to everyone on your email list. It's not easy to get rid of it either. But I see you've already taken care of it.

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  14. Glad the virus is gone, but what I really wanted to say is that I love your new header.......Essence of vineyard.

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