PC Support People - Are you cleaning Windows 10 infections?

[NoelC]

Since all the hype and hoopla lately is that Windows 10 is SO much more secure than its predecessors, is there really any difference?

 

For those of you who work on others' computers:  Are you cleaning infections off Windows 10 systems?

 

I and others suspect it's no more than the usual hype, but it would be interesting to hear some actual experience, now that Win 10 has been around a while.

 

-Noel

[dencorso]

And, when you do report in this thread, please do state if it's on Windows Defender, or on which anti-virus is the machine you're reporting on.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Does removing gwx and related windows ten files off of earlier OS count?

[NoelC]

>Does removing gwx and related windows ten files off of earlier OS count?           

 

It would if this thread were in the Windows 7 or 8 forum.  But for now, let's talk about whether Win 10 systems are getting malware infections at any less rate than Windows 8.1 or 7 systems.

 

I've heard in passing that some people are still managing to get infections, but I have no idea whether there's been a drop in infection rates, a rise, or no difference amongst the unwashed masses who don't really know how to do safe computing.

 

Such actual information would be good to test claims by Microsoft that Windows 10 is the "most secure OS yet".

 

-Noel

[maxXPsoft]

Cleaned a Home yesterday over the phone. Had them run Malwarebytes

He had paid version Avast and they offered to clean it for him for $120.00 but declined and called me 

I would guess he clicked something he shouldn't

Defender was running on it also

 

Registry Keys: 11
PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\TYPELIB\{E38FA7CB-C053-4B07-84AD-BCA6D2BE4FE7}, , [83df70c8940539fd79bdc4afe022f50b],

 

Folders: 85
PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\theuser\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mallpejgeafdahhflmliiahjdpgbegpk\12.15.8.46460_0, , [64fe75c3fb9ed75ff07e963e32d2ef11],

 

Files: 238
PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\theuser\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\http_fromdoctopdf.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage, , [d78b092f8d0c2f077b0c863bd92a19e7],

[NoelC]

As far as I know Avast and Windows Defender won't run at the same time.  But thanks for the report.  PUP.Optional.MindSpark implies a browser hijacker program that's [maliciously] bundled into freeware or shareware applcations.  So I'll call this a "user downloaded and ran a free program he shouldn't have" situation.

 

Should the AV software have blocked it on the way in?  Maybe.  Should the user have known better than to run it?  Probably.  Could the user have paid attention to the install prompts and avoided installing it?  Possibly.

 

But in general, and asserting my assumptions are correct, it seems to fall in the category of the user can mess things up regardless of how 'secure' his system is.

 

Microsoft of course would say, "if he'd gotten his program from the App Store he would not have been infected", and for that reason they would call some future version of Windows 10 that does not allow a user to download and install his own software "more secure".

 

Naivety and the concept that "more security is better" without caveat is driving us to a future no one really wants.

 

-Noel

Edited January 13, 2016 by NoelC

[maxXPsoft]

As far as I know Avast and Windows Defender won't run at the same time.  But thanks for the report.  PUP.Optional.MindSpark implies a browser hijacker program that's [maliciously] bundled into freeware or shareware applcations.  So I'll call this a "user downloaded and ran a free program he shouldn't have" situation.

But in general, and asserting my assumptions are correct, it seems to fall in the category of the user can mess things up regardless of how 'secure' his system is.

 

They both on there. He installed the Avast later cause I initially didn't.

 

I'll forgive him he probably don't browse much except links sent by friends.

But I tell everyone don't click anything pop's up in front of you. Hit the power button if you can't make it close Alt F4 or whatever

 

Malwarebytes on my own LTSB system

Files: 1

Rootkit.ADS, c:\windows:win32app, , [e082f840752486b022712000fa0917e9],

Best I can tell its a false positive, but something like that makes you break out everything you got and scan anyway.