Quick Tips: Hunt down hidden malware Video
Quick Tips: Hunt down hidden malware Video Transcript
[ Music ] ^M00:00:01
>> Hi. I'm Tom Merritt from CNET.com with a Quick Tip for uncovering malware in hard to reach places. Now malware, if you don't know, is any kind of various programs, spyware, viruses, Trojans, and we're going to use a program called Hijack This to ferret out the little buggers. Now when you first scan your computer with Hijack This, the app generates a list of files from your Windows registry and system settings. If a file looks suspicious, you can nullify or delete it. But some malicious data could still be lurking in what's called the ADS, the alternate data streams. ADS are actually a carryover solution for making MAC OS data compatible with Windows NT. Now recently they've been used to cloak the activities of browser hijackers. Bad stuff. Let's hunt them down, shall we? If you're on the scan results page, you can click the config button on the main screen. From the main menu press open the miscellaneous tools section. If you're not already there, just press the miscellaneous tools button then press open ADS spy. Unless you're a security expert, you won't need to change the default settings. Now press scan. It looks like this computer is clear. If it weren't, you would press fix checked basically converting the malicious code to a benign format. That's it for this Quick Tip. I'm Tom Merritt for CNET.com. ^M00:01:21 [ Music ]
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Download.com guide to HijackThis
If persistent spyware is bogging down your computer, you might need HijackThis. The tiny program examines vulnerable or suspect parts of your system, such as browser helper objects and certain types of Registry keys. Pressing the Scan button generates a log of dozens of items, most of which are just customizations. Don't check off an item and hit the Fix checked button unless you're sure it's malware. Clicking Info on selected item tells you why the entry was flagged as suspicious, but not whether it's actually malware. To find that out, search the Web for that item's name or go straight to a forum, such as SpywareInfo or Computer Cops. Saving the log creates a text document you can post to these forums.
The latest version adds powerful tools to the Config window. The process manager and hosts file editor help you excise virulent infections. The unique ADS Spy tool scans for alternate data streams, which some browser hijackers use to hide from spyware removers. The program still installs into whatever directory in which you unzip the file, which can make it hard to locate. HijackThis is a serious tool for any user who needs to root out a serious infestation, but wield it with caution.
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