COMPUTER MALWARE "S.M.A.R.T REPAIR"

[Richard Crowe]

I have just been infected by a malware program which disguises itself as: S.M.A.R.T Repair.  It pretends that the hard drive is failing through a virus and that you must purchase their S.M.A.R.T. Repair program to salvage the computer!  Then it hides all of the iformation contained on the hard drive so the hard drive owner thinks that the hard drive has failed.

 

I did not buy into their scam and would not let my computer install their program.  Instead, I called my computer technician and after about an hour or so of work, he returned the computer to the shape it was in before the malware invaded it.

 

If you see an advertise ment for S.M.A.R.T. Repair, don't buy into it.  Instead use a malware remover to combat the program.  Or better yet, get a computer technician active in your assistance. Definitely, DO NOT SUPPLY YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBERS...  My tech says this was probably a scam to get my credit card numbers and then compromise that account!

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Richard, I've been hit by this one in the past too ... as have, I'm pretty sure, everyone I know! Anyway, on the hidden files thing, this worked well for me: Forum thread from Malwarebytes

[F, Calla & Luca]

There are a number of cloud services. Our local newspaper columnist suggested saving different files on different services, i.e. photos on one, documents on others. Lesser amounts of storage are often free.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/pc_guy/149006935_Google_dr...

http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/pc_guy/149006935_Google_dr...

[Richard Crowe]

I just found out that the virus had also hit my three external hard drives. The files are not visible.  I think that very possibly they are there but are just hidden like all the files were on my "C" drive.  I can save files to two of those hard drives (IOMEGA) and open the files from those drives.

However, I cannot save my files to another of those external drives (Freeagent) because I get a message saying that I don't have permission to save to that file and I should ask my administrator for permission?????

All of my images are on those hard drives.  I backed up on two different hard drives.

However, I still have my best images which I had on my smugmug site.  They are in tact.

I hope that I can get the additional images back.

What have I learned?  After the dust settles I am going to get a cloud based back up (like smugmug) for all of my documents.  Apparently Amazon has a service like that.

A good thing is that I have all of my password information saved on a thumb drive and I only attach that thumb drive to the computer when I need that information.  That way, my passwords are not that vulnerable.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

This has happened to me as well....

$170 later on the old computer and then it was never the same. Beware!

I never give my CC to anyone that I did not initiate myself, I also you Paypal for most purchases.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Good for you Nicky.  We have resorted to the whistle occasionally also.

[Pat and Traveler]

Yikes!  Appreciate the warning.  I do have a prob with graphics driver for Windows Vista--there's apparently not an updated driver and get system crash after a few minutes.  I'm working in safe mode most of the time, but that limits the things I can do.  Guess I'll have to upgrade.  Sigh.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I had this exact same thing last summer - how annoying but I knew not to buy it.  I had to go without my laptop for 3 days while it was at the repair shop but the 1st thing the guy asked me was did I give my credit card number?  I told him no and he said that would have been my bigger problem if I had.  Cost me $100.00 to get it gone but who ever these crooks are - I hope they rot in hell.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

We had something similar awhile back-thanks for the heads up!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks Richard. We need all the warnings we can get. Sorry you got into even some trouble from this.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I had a similar issue about a week ago with this Norton Anti Virus which kept popping up and telling me my computer was at risk and I needed this anit- virus software. A total scam which took me a couple of hours to remove completely as it disguised itself and I couldn't locate it to completely uninstall it.  I got it after a long time but it was really horrible.  I don't know why people have to resort to such crooked means of earning a living.  Why can't they use their obvious talents in a legitimate venture.  Another scam is that they phone you and tell you they are from Microsoft and they need your details as your computer is at risk.  One day I had a man from India call over 50 times.  I told him he was a crook and he said he would keep calling me. I got a whistle and every time he called I blew it hard down the phone!!!