My friend and computer techie sent out this email so I thought I would pass it along. Be careful, this is one nasty bug! Stan writes:
I’ve been fighting the same family of viruses recently on many computers and thought I should pass along a warning. The virus comes with different names but all similar in how they affect you. It seems to be getting past most of the current antiviruses, including Norton. It is called AV360, Antivirus 2009, Spyware 2009, Win Antispyware, etc., The names are usually very generic. The program looks very official and in some cases uses a multicolored shield that looks like Microsoft’s. There is no specific website that you get it from but from my experience it definitely lurks on chat sites like Myspace and music download sites. It will pop up a bubble at the bottom of your screen warning you that you have infections, offers you there software to remove it and asks you what you want to do. No matter what you do, if you click anywhere on the window including the X to close, it installs on your system. I have had limited success with cleaning the systems infected and in some cases I’ve had to reload the systems completely. If you google the names you will find tons of suggestions and I’ve tried most, again not all successful. If the “bubble” pops up on your system I suggest you just turn your system off which I normally don’t suggest but it may be the only way you can keep it from installing on your system. Caution those in your company or family to beware of going to sites you don’t normally go to or to not accept invitations from people you don’t recognize, like in Myspace, if you don’t know them then decline them. I wished I had a full proof way to keep you from getting it or removing it if it gets on but I’m actually still working on it. They claim that this free utility will remove it, so I’ve provided the link to it.
http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe
Just wanted to give you a heads up.
Thanks,
Stan Robison, Owner
Techsource Inc