Torrents and Malware

All,

I'm a lurker in this newsgroup and I'm having a problem I'm hoping
someone can help me with.

I've been happily availing myself of our good friend basilbrush's
torrents for a few years now and I've recently encountered a problem.

The last two times I've searched for his torrents I've managed to pick
up a particularly nasty piece of malware. The first time I was able
to get rid of it by downloading the free version of malwarebytes and
running it. The second time, the program hijacked my malware removal
program along with my system security. I can still get rid of it but
it takes a lot of time and it's damned annoying.

I'm looking for torrents using thepiratebay.com (which seems to be the
source of the malware). I'm using ESET Nod 32 as an antivirus program
and the free version of malwarebytes for removal. ESET has blocked a
bunch of attacks on my computer but this one seems to get through
somehow. My questions are these...

Has anyone else encountered this problem?
Is there some way you've found to avoid this problem? Change the
settings on my antivirus program perhaps?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Andy
Milwaukee, WI USA

Specifically which torrents? My download of Canmore was clean but I
didn't download his Olympics ones. This scenario suggests to me it's
coming from a peer, if that's even possible, or, you're picking it up
from somewhere else. I (and A-V comparatives) have found the free Avira
and MSE to be the among the most thorough. In addition to running both
real time (not generally recommended but it works here), I run full
scans weekely with each (my experience with MBAM is mre miss than hit).
Btw, have you scanned from Safe Mode? Are you using a resident
anti-spyware app? SuperAntiSpyware is well liked and a lifetime sub to
the pro version is often available cheap.

Gene


On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:39:14 -0800 (PST)
wave1wannabe wrote:

All,

I'm a lurker in this newsgroup and I'm having a problem I'm hoping
someone can help me with.

I've been happily availing myself of our good friend basilbrush's
torrents for a few years now and I've recently encountered a problem.

The last two times I've searched for his torrents I've managed to pick
up a particularly nasty piece of malware. The first time I was able
to get rid of it by downloading the free version of malwarebytes and
running it. The second time, the program hijacked my malware removal
program along with my system security. I can still get rid of it but
it takes a lot of time and it's damned annoying.

I'm looking for torrents using thepiratebay.com (which seems to be the
source of the malware). I'm using ESET Nod 32 as an antivirus program
and the free version of malwarebytes for removal. ESET has blocked a
bunch of attacks on my computer but this one seems to get through
somehow. My questions are these...

Has anyone else encountered this problem?
Is there some way you've found to avoid this problem? Change the
settings on my antivirus program perhaps?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Andy
Milwaukee, WI USA

On Feb 18, 11:00*am, wrote:
Specifically which torrents? *My download of Canmore was clean but I
didn't download his Olympics ones. *This scenario suggests to me it's
coming from a peer, if that's even possible, or, you're picking it up
from somewhere else. I (and A-V comparatives) have found the free Avira
and MSE to be the among the most thorough. *In addition to running both
real time (not generally recommended but it works here), I run full
scans weekely with each (my experience with MBAM is mre miss than hit).
Btw, have you scanned from Safe Mode? *Are you using a resident
anti-spyware app? *SuperAntiSpyware is well liked and a lifetime sub to
the pro version is often available cheap. *

Gene


Gene,

The reason that I think the problem starts with thepiratebay is that
both times I acquired the virus, I was searching for a torrent using
the same keywords. The first time, the torrent I was interested in
hadn't been posted yet. I used "Vancouver" as one of my keywords and
I had the problem. I download Malwarebytes, run a scan, clean the
infected files and go my merry way. Later in the day I find the
torrrent for the individual start races using "olympic cross country"
as keywords, find my file and download it successfully.

This morning, I'm up early and checking to see if the sprints are
posted. I search using "olympic cross country" and find nothing but
the individual start races. I broaden my search using "vancouver" as
a keyword and bam, the virus is back.

Now I suppose the virus could still be resident on my computer
someplace but I did full scans with ESET and with malwarebytes after
the first occurrence so I doubt it.

The bigger question is, has anyone else experienced this problem? If
it's just me, then that narrows down my list of areas to consider for
a solution.

Thanks,

Andy

Never had the problem. even when searching using vancouver as the
keyword. I use uTorrent as my bit torrent manager.

On Feb 18, 1:47*pm, MT Nordic wrote:
Never had the problem. *even when searching using vancouver as the
keyword. *I use uTorrent as my bit torrent manager.

OK, I'm using uTorrent as well and honestly, I don't think the torrent
manager is an issue. If you're using the same manager and keywords as
me and not having the problem, then I'd guess that the virus is still
resident on my computer someplace and I manage to trigger it somehow.

Thanks. That helps.

I've been dealing with this precise situation since I began
downloading the races in November. I too am running ESET NOD32. I too
am picking up the malware when searching at http://thepiratebay.org
for the FIS World Cup torrents.

BTW, the malware I get is not a virus, but it takes over my computer
and tries to convince me that I have a virus and therefore should
purchase xxxx anti-virus software. (Sorry, but I can't remember the
name.) I've found the .EXE file in my Documents & Settings\Local
Settings\Temp folder. It happens ~30% of the time.

My procedure for solving the problem:
1. I always create a System Restore point prior to going to
http://thepiratebay.org .
2. If the Malware appears, I shut down the computer and restart it in
Safe Mode. Safe Mode always asks if I want to restore to a restore
point, which I do. Problem solved.

Kevin Miller
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada



On Feb 18, 9:39*am, wave1wannabe wrote:

All,

I'm a lurker in this newsgroup and I'm having a problem I'm hoping
someone can help me with.

I've been happily availing myself of our good friend basilbrush's
torrents for a few years now and I've recently encountered a problem.

The last two times I've searched for his torrents I've managed to pick
up a particularly nasty piece of malware. *The first time I was able
to get rid of it by downloading the free version of malwarebytes and
running it. *The second time, the program hijacked my malware removal
program along with my system security. *I can still get rid of it but
it takes a lot of time and it's damned annoying.

I'm looking for torrents using thepiratebay.com (which seems to be the
source of the malware). *I'm using ESET Nod 32 as an antivirus program
and the free version of malwarebytes for removal. *ESET has blocked a
bunch of attacks on my computer but this one seems to get through
somehow. *My questions are these...

Has anyone else encountered this problem?
Is there some way you've found to avoid this problem? *Change the
settings on my antivirus program perhaps?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Andy
Milwaukee, WI USA