Getting virus notification

[Sly]

A few days ago I tried to update CCleaner, something I usually do at least a few times a week. This time I got a virus warning as the download progressed from filehippo. I instantly broke the connection by unplugging the cable from the computer.

 

When I checked it out, my virus scan software was no longer functioning or showed up on my list of programs for my security suite software. I had to download it again and reinstall it before it would function. I have not updated CCleaner since that morning. Was this a one time problem with the code in the download or is there a serious problem with the download provider?

[hazelnut]

FileHippo is the accepted place to download from.

 

Can you give a bit more info such as the anti-virus you are using which gave the alert? There have been a few false positives around.

 

A virus software will give you options when it spots things, such as quaratine or denying it, were you not offered these choices? (although it is easy to panic and pull the plug )

 

Usually if you are downloading an exe file to your desktop, it will not infect until it is opened.

[Sly]

FileHippo is the accepted place to download from.

 

Can you give a bit more info such as the anti-virus you are using which gave the alert? There have been a few false positives around.

 

A virus software will give you options when it spots things, such as quaratine or denying it, were you not offered these choices? (although it is easy to panic and pull the plug )

 

Usually if you are downloading an exe file to your desktop, it will not infect until it is opened.

 

I have the Verizon Security Suite. I did get an option to clean the virus, but when I clicked on that, it locked up the computer completely and nothing would make it work until I turned it off and back on. When it booted up again, I had NO virus protection, it was no longer even showing in my security services. When I clicked on restarting it, I got a message that the virus scan software had been corrupted and needed to be reinstalled. That has never occured before, which is why I am concerned about Filehippo and the CC downloads.

[hazelnut]

As I said, Filehippo is the accepted site for CCleaner downloads and all software from there should be spyware free.

 

If it was me, I would be more concerned that something I had installed to protect to protect me, didn't work when I thought I needed it.

 

Did you re-install Verizon or choose something else?

[Sly]

As I said, Filehippo is the accepted site for CCleaner downloads and all software from there should be spyware free.

 

If it was me, I would be more concerned that something I had installed to protect to protect me, didn't work when I thought I needed it.

 

Did you re-install Verizon or choose something else?

 

I am not you and I am more concerned with why a false positive from filehippo as you claim it was would corrupt an anti virus program. Looks like the anti virus program did work, detecting and whacking something, but got taken down while doing it's job. I do hope you are aware that some bugs are designed to kill virus scanning programs. McAfee is particularly vulnerable to them if the virus gets into your system. Another scan done as soon as I installed Verizon again showed a trojan in my temp files. The only place a trojan could have come from IS filehippo since I hadn't opened anything else, been to any webpages other than my homepage when opening IE and a page to download the anti virus program again.

 

I do virus scans nightly and there was nothing there when I opened the computer. I attempted the download from filehippo about an hour after that, without ever having been online to that point. The first thing I did after opening IE was check for updates for CC. So, while you think you are clean on filehippo, I'm not so sure yet. Starting the download and getting the warning message were at just about the same moment. Something was there, obviously. Something knocked out the virus scan at the same time and the computer locked up completely. From now on I will put the upgrade download in a file or onto a CD and scan it before opening it to run and install it. I love CCleaner, but am now uncertain about filehippo and downloads from there.

[jc836]

As a Verizon FIOS user, I do NOT have the $$$ Security Suite they offer. Have you considered that IT may well be the source rather than Filehippo for this event. Did you contact Verizon support and let them know. It is possible that their product is to blame. Never hurts to ask them for help-its free.

[Sly]

As a Verizon FIOS user, I do NOT have the $$$ Security Suite they offer. Have you considered that IT may well be the source rather than Filehippo for this event. Did you contact Verizon support and let them know. It is possible that their product is to blame. Never hurts to ask them for help-its free.

 

Yes, I did consider that. Talking to Verizon about it got me the same answer that I have gotten on this forum from the moderator. That answer is "it can't be our fault" from both of the support teams! LOL, something happened, what I will never know, nor will I know why it happened.

 

I haven't ever had any problem with Verizon's Security Suite since I installed it a year ago, and it is very effective in all it does. However, I still use CCleaner and Superantispyware as well because no one program can do it all completely these days. It is possible that Verizon's anti virus had an issue with the filehippo DL codes, I do realize that. I wouldn't have been too concerned about that either if the anti virus program hadn't gone haywire right after the warning about the filehippo DL. Both of them together is a concern still. But, to update now I can save the file, scan it before running it, and then if another virus warning happens again I will have more to work with on "what is causing this". So far there has been no repeat of the virus warning. I hope that continues!

[DennisD]

Hi Sly, and welcome to the forum.

 

I can understand your concern after your recent episode, but I think you should have received a better response than you did from Verizon Support.

 

There was most definitely a cause for what you experienced, but your Support should really I think have investigated as to whether it could have been some unusually violent "false positive" reaction. The worst thing that should have happened was your A/V setting off alarm bells.

 

To have reacted in the way it did would cause me some concern, and I would then be wondering if and when it's gonna happen again, and would the next time be with something really unpleasant.

 

Talking to Verizon about it got me the same answer that I have gotten on this forum from the moderator. That answer is "it can't be our fault" from both of the support teams! LOL, something happened, what I will never know, nor will I know why it happened.

 

And this isn't a "It can't be our fault...." cop out answer as you suggested you received from hazel.

 

If I'd received the reaction you received, I would have followed hazels suggestion, and their A/V would have been off my PC and replaced within the hour.

 

You can upload the CCleaner exe file yourself to any number of on-line virus scanners. The site linked to below has just flagged CCleaner as being "clean" with 39 different updated A/V scanners.

 

VirSCAN.org:

 

And this link is the report from Virus.org Scanning Service, from a couple of minutes ago. Scanning this time with 24 different A/V applications.

 

http://scanner.virus.org/scan/acur8u6sL/5a...dbfe101bae40daa

 

I think it important you do find out why this happened, and IMHO, your A/V Support is the first port of call after finding out that CCleaner doesn't contain any malware.

 

It isn't just a case of you finding a workaround to download and install CCleaner, it's a case of how many other people are gonna have this happen to them, and as I mention above, is this gonna happen again at some future time to you, with more serious results.

 

I hope you find the above information helpful.

[Alan_B]

Sly

You said

"the anti virus program did work, detecting and whacking something, but got taken down while doing it's job."

 

You are wrong.

Had it really whacked something, and done its job, a trojan would not have re-appeared in the Temp files.

 

Just because an anti-virus accuses FileHippo with its dying breath does not make it so.

It is an ex-anti-virus which never saw the trojan coming,

and as it got hammered it just said the last thing it properly identified,

which happened to be FileHippo.

 

Several times this year Sophos has reported on large numbers of legitimate sites that have been infected,

and whilst they were infected, people using them have been at risk.

My hardware firewall is probably no protection.

Whilst I am downloading the hardware considers ANY connection to/from that download site to be valid,

and will allow simultaneous transactions to be initiated from that site.

My software firewall prohibits every packet that is aimed at me, unless :-

It is a reply aimed at the Port from which I commenced a transaction; and

It has to be the same protocol.

Never at any time is an ICMP packet (e.g. Echo Request) permitted unless I have manually authorised that site.

I think, fingers crossed, that I am not part of the group that are at risk from infected sites.

 

Perhaps you have inferior Firewall protection.

 

It is also possible for an inferior Firewall to allow some sneaky intrusions from any part of the internet,

regardless of any download that may be in progress from a clean site.

 

Anyone who ventures onto the Internet should have PROPER malware protection.

 

CCleaner is intended to purge stuff that it is sure is not used any more;

it does not get daily virus signature updates.

 

PROPER Malware protection should protect the system - and also protect itself.

 

It is possible to get high quality protection that survives an attack and defeats an intruder;

rather like being protected by a battle hardened S.A.S. guard.

 

In this case it looks to me that the Verizon Security Suite is as effective as a goose,

should an enemy arrive it makes a warning noise, and then falls dead.

 

I agree with others, your protection is no protection, you really need to replace it.

 

Regards

Alan

[Sly]

Sly

You said

"the anti virus program did work, detecting and whacking something, but got taken down while doing it's job."

 

You are wrong.

Had it really whacked something, and done its job, a trojan would not have re-appeared in the Temp files.

 

Just because an anti-virus accuses FileHippo with its dying breath does not make it so.

It is an ex-anti-virus which never saw the trojan coming,

and as it got hammered it just said the last thing it properly identified,

which happened to be FileHippo.

 

Several times this year Sophos has reported on large numbers of legitimate sites that have been infected,

and whilst they were infected, people using them have been at risk.

My hardware firewall is probably no protection.

Whilst I am downloading the hardware considers ANY connection to/from that download site to be valid,

and will allow simultaneous transactions to be initiated from that site.

My software firewall prohibits every packet that is aimed at me, unless :-

It is a reply aimed at the Port from which I commenced a transaction; and

It has to be the same protocol.

Never at any time is an ICMP packet (e.g. Echo Request) permitted unless I have manually authorised that site.

I think, fingers crossed, that I am not part of the group that are at risk from infected sites.

 

Perhaps you have inferior Firewall protection.

 

It is also possible for an inferior Firewall to allow some sneaky intrusions from any part of the internet,

regardless of any download that may be in progress from a clean site.

 

Anyone who ventures onto the Internet should have PROPER malware protection.

 

CCleaner is intended to purge stuff that it is sure is not used any more;

it does not get daily virus signature updates.

 

PROPER Malware protection should protect the system - and also protect itself.

 

It is possible to get high quality protection that survives an attack and defeats an intruder;

rather like being protected by a battle hardened S.A.S. guard.

 

In this case it looks to me that the Verizon Security Suite is as effective as a goose,

should an enemy arrive it makes a warning noise, and then falls dead.

 

I agree with others, your protection is no protection, you really need to replace it.

 

Regards

Alan

 

Wow, looks like I got a couple of the heavy hitters involved. Sorry guys, but it looks like both of your responses are both blaming Verizon for being the issue and defending CCleaner. That's okay, I expect that response when there is no real answer to be determined. Something happened, none of us will ever know what exactly or how it happened. None of us want to think that it is our product's fault that someone had a problem, that's human nature. I got the same type of response from Verizon.

 

If either Verizon, or anyone here, had an answer other than, "it must be the other guy's fault", I'd be happy to discuss that. Niether you, or Verizon, can really answer what happened or why. This doesn't really surprise me even if I had hoped for a definitive answer that I could use to prevent a recurrence of the problem. Verizon has detected and blocked several bugs before this incident. I have never had a virus found in this computer UNTIL that filehippo download. I suppose it is possible that Starfleet Command chose that moment to beam a tiny Captain Kirk into my computer with a tiny phaser that he used to zap the anti virus and then had Scotty beam him back up before I could catch him. That may be closer to the truth than anything else I have gotten so far.

 

I'm not going to stop using CCleaner, I like the product a lot and run it daily. I reccomend it to all my friends too, and will continue to do so. I'm not trying to blame Piriform, Filehippo, or Verizon just to have someone to blame. I just wanted to know what happened, why it happened, and perhaps how to prevent it from occuring again. Obviously I am not going to get that puzzle answered by anyone, either here or at Verizon.

[Alan_B]

I am sorry you had a problem, and I cannot explain what happened.

 

After several decades of DOS and then Windows I can assure you that unexplained problems are par for the course.

 

I can make many suggestions of possibilities - but my son is always telling me to "get a life ! "

 

On a completely different but related topic :-

 

Some viruses and things attack Anti-virus products. It is a way of life.

 

Anti-virus products usually embed themselves into the computer as deeply as possibly.

I do not know the technology, but "hooks" can be a key element to being stuck-in and unmovable.

This could be one of the reasons that Norton AntiVirus can be such a swine to remove.

 

REGARDLESS of how a trojan got into your machine,

regardless of whether it is the fault of Piriform, Filehippo, Verizon, or Starfleet command ! !

there are two vital sets of questions that need to be answered.

 

1.a. Why did Verizon die so easily ?

1.b. Why have Verizon no interest in identifying and fixing this problem of instant death ?

1.c. How will Verizon avoid this problem in future or is this a way of life for them ?

 

2. Do you really want to persist with such weak kneed security ?

 

Regards

Alan

[DennisD]

Hi Sly, and we appreciate you posting back.

 

I certainly don't see myself as a big hitter. Just another volunteer member trying, as Alan is, to help resolve a problem. A problem I hope doesn't jump up and bite you again when you're not expecting it.

 

I was hoping you'd appreciate the efforts we've gone to here, to try and point out where you're problem really lies.

 

Probably the most important software you have on your PC is your malware protection, and I think I've provided enough evidence to you to show beyond any doubt that CCleaner is actually, as it's name may imply, "clean".

 

I didn't need to go to those lengths, as simply looking around this forum would have told you that. CCleaner has never to my knowledge "knocked out" an Antivirus application, and as Alan pointed out, your Antivirus software fell over very, very easily.

 

CCleaner has in the past been flagged by A/V applications as being suspect, but the A/V vendors have immediately taken the trouble to find out why, and to initially flag CCleaner as a "false positive", and then to ammend their software accordingly to recognize it as a legitimate, clean, application.

 

Two members on here have gone to some trouble, not to blindly defend CCleaner, but to present to you fairly substantial evidence and information that the problem does not lie with CCleaner.

 

Further to that, we haven't then turned our back on your problem, but are still trying to advise you, for your benefit, that you need to either get your A/V support off their backsides and find out why an innocuous application completely crippled their software. Assuming that it was CCleaner, and that isn't a given, as malware can lie dormant on a PC before being triggered.

 

Time bomb:

A virus that will lie dormant until a specific time or date before it becomes active

 

File Virus:

A virus that lays dormant in a safe file until that file is executed. The virus then becomes active and often destroys that file in the process. The only solution typically is to delete the file and recover it from a backup copy.

 

Link:

 

You have to take some steps yourself to find out the cause, before you are hit by something really serious. Your A/V support is falling a long way short of the mark in what they are offering you in way of "support".

 

If you blindly, and I say that respectfully, stick to the opinion that this entire thread is simply a cop-out, and that you have a reliable Anti Malware application, then I'm afraid you are probably making what could, at some time in the future, be a very costly mistake.

 

Good luck.

[Sly]

Hi Sly, and we appreciate you posting back.

 

I certainly don't see myself as a big hitter. Just another volunteer member trying, as Alan is, to help resolve a problem. A problem I hope doesn't jump up and bite you again when you're not expecting it.

 

I was hoping you'd appreciate the efforts we've gone to here, to try and point out where you're problem really lies.

 

Probably the most important software you have on your PC is your malware protection, and I think I've provided enough evidence to you to show beyond any doubt that CCleaner is actually, as it's name may imply, "clean".

 

I didn't need to go to those lengths, as simply looking around this forum would have told you that. CCleaner has never to my knowledge "knocked out" an Antivirus application, and as Alan pointed out, your Antivirus software fell over very, very easily.

 

CCleaner has in the past been flagged by A/V applications as being suspect, but the A/V vendors have immediately taken the trouble to find out why, and to initially flag CCleaner as a "false positive", and then to ammend their software accordingly to recognize it as a legitimate, clean, application.

 

Two members on here have gone to some trouble, not to blindly defend CCleaner, but to present to you fairly substantial evidence and information that the problem does not lie with CCleaner.

 

Further to that, we haven't then turned our back on your problem, but are still trying to advise you, for your benefit, that you need to either get your A/V support off their backsides and find out why an innocuous application completely crippled their software. Assuming that it was CCleaner, and that isn't a given, as malware can lie dormant on a PC before being triggered.

 

 

 

 

 

Link:

 

You have to take some steps yourself to find out the cause, before you are hit by something really serious. Your A/V support is falling a long way short of the mark in what they are offering you in way of "support".

 

If you blindly, and I say that respectfully, stick to the opinion that this entire thread is simply a cop-out, and that you have a reliable Anti Malware application, then I'm afraid you are probably making what could, at some time in the future, be a very costly mistake.

 

Good luck.

 

Please don't misunderstand me, I do appreciate the time and effort of anyone responding, and I have no doubt that you are all well meaning. I am not trying, nor was I ever trying, to lay the blame on a particular application, company, or program. My concern is the same as it was to begin with, why did it happen and how to prevent it from happening again if there is a way to do so, assuming I can determine the reason why it happened.

 

Most of the answers I get here keep saying it has to be a problem with the anti virus program being weak, inadequate, or not very good in some form or another. Radialpoint, which is what Verizon uses, is among the best ones out there according to research I did before getting it to begin with. I did allow them to use a remote connection to inspect my computer after this occurred, and they could find nothing to determine a reason. I only came here thinking perhaps there is a precedent for it known here. I didn't come to argue, disagree with anyone, or try to blame Piriform, CCleaner, or filehippo. That said, SOMETHING caused a problem! I still think the Captain Kirk comment might be correct.

 

I do keep getting responses saying that my AV support is poor, or the AV program isn't a good one. All I can answer to that is the following... Here is a snippet from a press release, dated Dec 11, 2008, which makes it very current, from Radialpoint. The link to the entire page is under the text.

 

?Radialpoint Security Suite has once again met ICSA Labs? rigorous testing criteria to earn its Anti-Virus Desktop/Server Detection certification,? said Andrew Hayter, anti-malcode program manager, ICSA Labs. ?This is critical, as our anti-malcode certification program provides businesses and consumers alike with up-to-date and valuable information that can help them select the right anti-virus products and vendors for their specific needs."

 

Added Hayter, ?With this certification, Radialpoint?s Internet Security Suite continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering a high-quality product to its customers.?

 

To earn the coveted ICSA Labs certification, a product must detect all malware in the test environment without any false positives. ICSA Labs analysts found RPS to meet all criteria and technical requirements for the Anti-Virus Desktop/Server Detection Certification, achieving ICSA Lab?s high standards set for anti-virus protection by detecting and preventing the replication of viruses.

 

http://www.radialpoint.com/en/news-events/pr.php?id=200

 

Radialpoint is certified to detect all malware without any false positives, yet on this forum I've been told that the anti virus I use isn't very good and that it must have been a false positive. The two statements don't fit together do they? But again, I am not concerned with who is right, or who is "more" correct. I just don't want a recurrence of the whole thing!

 

I am not trying to be argumentative. Posting here was an attempt to get information that would possibly help me understand why a simple download, for a program I have used for just about as long as it has been out, from a source that was never before a problem of any kind, would create a locked up computer and cause another program, an anti virus program, to malfunction. Add in the trojan that was found after the fact, in spite of a virus scan done a few hours earlier that showed a clean machine, and it all adds up to something bizarre took place that no explanation seems to available for.

 

My computer is clean today, systems all running normally, nothing new and sinister in the processes or running programs, all of which I monitor daily. Memory usage and power usage are still within the area they have been for months. One incident, unexplained, which I don't think anyone really can explain because there isn't any way to actually track any one particular program or place to lay the blame on. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a program went haywire for reasons nobody can explain. I did unplug the connection, and shut down the computer by hitting the switch, either of which could have been a factor as well. I simply don't know, and neither does anyone else.

 

I'll stick with my current Security Suite setup, which has functioned splendidly for more than a year without any problem of any kind and has good reviews from independent sources. I'll continue to use CCleaner, which I have used for several years and have used on 11 different computers now, and is also on every computer I own even if I don't use that computer personally. I'll continue to download from filehippo, which I use for other programs too. If it all happens again, I'll have to stop using all three to be sure I knock out the one causing the problem. I'd hate to have to do that. Let's all keep our fingers crossed...

 

Thanks for trying to help, and if I offended anyone, sorry about that. I wasn't trying to do that.

[DennisD]

Hi Sly, I don't think you offended anyone, certainly not me, and if you're confident with your A/V then that's absolutely your choice.

 

It was simply the fact that IMHO their support could possibly have done a bit more "investigating" to find out why this happened, but if you are happy with the service you received from them, then I respect that, and hope that was a one off happening which never happens again.

 

We'll agree to blame a "Spacial Anomaly" I think, although that's more Jean-Luc Picard than Jim Kirk.