# Computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188 "2005-03-12T13:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/1 "2005-03-12T13:35:16Z")
I woke up this morning to find that my computer wallpaper had been replaced with a box that contains the following text: \*WARNING! YOU’RE IN DANGER! ALL YOU DO WITH COMPUTER IS STORED FOREVER IN YOUR HARD DISK. WHEN YOU VISIT SITES, SEND EMAILS… ALL YOUR ACTIONS ARE LOGGED. AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THEM WITH STANDARD TOOLS. YOUR DATA IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR FORENSICS. AND IN SOME CASES FOR YOUR BOSS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR WIFE, YOUR CHILDREN. Every site you or somebody or even something, like spyware, opened in your browser, with all images, and all downloaded and maybe later removed movies or mp3 songs - ARE STILL THERE and could broke your life! SECURE YOURSELF RIGHT NOW! REMOVE ALL SPYWARE FROM YOUR PC! .\* The grammatical errors and over-dramatized writing style make me laugh but I still would like to know what it is and how I get rid of it. There is a link at the bottom that says Removal Instructions. I am unsure if clicking it is a good idea. What is the best method of removal? How do I prevent future occurrences? What the hell is it and where did it come from? Thanks in advance for any help provided. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/2 "2005-03-12T13:47:30Z")
> [@melondeca](#): > > The grammatical errors and over-dramatized writing style make me laugh but I still would like to know what it is and how I get rid of it. There is a link at the bottom that says Removal Instructions. I am unsure if clicking it is a good idea. You are very wise to pause before following such instructions. NEVER follow such instructions. They are designed to trick you into installing malware or worse. The “warning” is only a graphic designed by someone you don’t want to meet in a computer dark alley. Have you read [this thread?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260053) ---
**Author:** ![cluelessnoob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@cluelessnoob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cluelessnoob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/3 "2005-03-12T13:51:05Z")
A quick [Google search](http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=lang_en&safe=off&q=%22ALL+YOU+DO+WITH+COMPUTER+IS+STORED+FOREVER%22) reveals that it’s probably [this](http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojfavaddc.html). So it’s just your average run-of-the-mill virus. If you have something like Norton Antivirus, update it and have it scan your computer. If not, you should buy it or look for something similar online. One company offers a [free online scanner](http://housecall.trendmicro.com/). You should also run something like [Microsoft Antispyware](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx) or its peers, [Adaware](http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and [Spybot Search & Destroy](http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html). As for how it got there, it’s just the inevitable result of connecting an insufficiently protected Windows computer to the Internet ☹ So make sure you have a firewall, a virus scanner, and a spyware scanner installed and running at all times. ---
**Author:** ![cluelessnoob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@cluelessnoob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cluelessnoob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/4 "2005-03-12T13:53:57Z")
Oops, forgot about that. Musicat’s thread is a good one 🙂 Also, as a temporary solution to your particular problem, you can try the following: > [@http://computercops.biz/postp473422.html](#): > > Click “Start”, “Settings”, and then click “Control Panel”. Open the “Display” applet. > Click on “Desktop”, “Customise Display…” and “Web”. > In the box under “Web pages” look for a checkbox named “Security”. If found select it and click “Delete”. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/5 "2005-03-12T14:40:51Z")
Thank you all so very, very much. I used **cluelessnoob** ’s temporary fix and when I get some floppy disks I will be able to fix it permanently. I feel very liberated being able to fix this on my own. My SO saw it this morning before he went to work but didn’t have time to do anything about it so he will be completely shocked when he comes home and finds that I have repaired his computer. I am usually the “Honey somethings wrong with the computer” kind of girl. Thanks for the advice that makes me look all computer-savvy. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/6 "2005-03-12T14:43:42Z")
I guess I should also thank everyone for not making me feel like a dumbass. Maybe I should have noticed the VERY FIRST STICKY in GQ. That will teach me to drink coffee BEFORE posting, not after. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![cluelessnoob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@cluelessnoob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cluelessnoob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/7 "2005-03-12T14:51:52Z")
Heh, well, it’s not entirely your fault. Computers are the only consumer device I can think of that come with so many annoyances. Microsoft should ship Windows relatively secured to begin with, not wide open to attacks. Windows XP SP2 is a good first step, but it’s not enough. People shouldn’t have to waste time constantly dealing with this stuff… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/294188/8 "2005-03-12T16:17:09Z")
Closed by request of the OP. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator