A Warning

[HillBillyJim]

Good morning everyone:

 

Last week, my printer stopped working. I figured "no big deal" and I would reinstall the drivers. After trying for a couple hours, they would not install. I would get an error. Got on the horn with HP and Microsoft. They couldn't figure out what was wrong. I was connected to an "advanced specialist" who did some deep digging in the computer.

 

Turns out I hade some pretty significant malware living deep in the bowels of my computer. As in: stuff my anti virus couldn't detect.

 

12 hours and a complete system reinstall later I am malware free, but at a cost: I now have to install every program I had all over again. The corruption was so big it couldn't do a basic reinstall, it had to make it a new computer basically.

 

I asked where this had come from: I was told it could have been anywhere, a pop up ad, spam email, or possibly third party FSX downloads.

 

What is the point of this story? Just to warn you guys, especially the newer simmers, be careful! If it's not payware, don't use an auto-installer, those things put God knows what in who knows where. Download only from good sites, like right here, Simviation, or Avsim. (I call them the Big Three). Always scan the files before you do anything.

 

I am trying to look at this as a fresh start for everything. Be careful out there guys, there are nimrods with nothing to do besides infect your computer.

 

Cheers-HBJ

[SouthportGuy]

Good to know. Thanks.

[alverthein]

Good advice and thanks...al v

[mrzippy]

Very good advice! I know for a fact that here and AVSIM, all files uploaded are scanned for viruses and malware, but not checked for content, meaning that there can be files of pictures, music, videos, etc that don't add value to the aircraft or scenery that you downloaded. I always advise against using the auto-installers that come with downloads. I do give places like ORBX the benefit of the doubt.

[HillBillyJim]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I guess it could have been worse. The scary part is I had no idea any of that junk was living in my computer!

[mrzippy]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I guess it could have been worse. The scary part is I had no idea any of that junk was living in my computer!

 

Do you run any of the free malware fighting programs like Malwarebytes or SuperAntispyware?

[Ragtopjohnny]

Yes, definitely good advice.

[BrettJohnson]

MR Zippy, if not use an auto installer then how does one install ?

 

Could you please elaborate on the way to install without it ?

[Ragtopjohnny]

You can install it in another location and then transfer over the files. Of course, scan them before installing them.

[Ragtopjohnny]

Just one more addition I want to make to this thread too. Of course, there are items that can be in programs that are not viruses, but they are picked up as viruses by your scanner.

 

One way to confirm that though, is do some looking on line to see if it has happened to anyone else, and if so, then you know it's still safe to proceed.

 

For example, the Milviz 310 has a warning issued with it on the virus scanner Kaspersky. I know it's safe though now, they were made aware of it, and I guess it shouldn't come up now in the future.

[mrzippy]

MR Zippy, if not use an auto installer then how does one install ?

 

Could you please elaborate on the way to install without it ?

 

With any download that has an auto-installer, scenery or aircraft, I create an new folder in My Documents and label it appropriately. I then point the auto-installer to regurgitate all of it's contents to that folder. I place that folder on my desk top, open it and see what all is there and place things in their proper folders inside of FSX.

[n4gix]

For example, the Milviz 310 has a warning issued with it on the virus scanner Kaspersky. I know it's safe though now, they were made aware of it, and I guess it shouldn't come up now in the future.

Actually, it is the Flight1 Wrapper that is flagged by AV software as 'possibly infected'. This has been true for the past sixteen years. The various AV companies flatly refuse to make an exception for this false report. There was not, and never has been a real problem.

 

However, Milviz also sells all products directly as well as through select web vendors. Those packages do not have the "false positive" since they aren't wrapped by the Flight1 installer program.

[n4gix]

With any download that has an auto-installer, scenery or aircraft, I create an new folder in My Documents and label it appropriately.

With respect, that won't always work, especially with more complex products.

 

There are some projects that won't place all files within the FSX folder, instead placing some files (such as a nav database that's commonly used by several products) in the "User's" AppData folder structure.

 

Further, there are some installers that have had the "Browse" button removed, making it impossible to redirect them to an alternate path. Of course, even that can be temporarily defeated by simply renaming the FSX folder to something like "FSX_ORG" and then creating a new ..\FSX folder! :cool:

[mrzippy]

With respect, that won't always work, especially with more complex products. :cool:

 

I agree with that! I probably should have included things like the payware aircraft, PMDG, etc and payware or freeware scenery like ORBX. Those products need the auto-installers.

[kingnorris]

That's why I have to laugh at the occasional threads that pop up here from users stating their downloaded product is messed up, only to find out later they pirated it.

 

Well duh!!! You want to get the PMDG (for example) for free; not only is that frowned upon, but OF COURSE you're going to have issues!!

[BrettJohnson]

Thanks for the information.

I Was not sure about it. It makes it very clear thanks again .

[Ragtopjohnny]

Thanks Bill, appreciate that explanation too. I didn't think there would ever

be anything in a Flight1 product, they're just too reputable and well known for something like that.

 

I think it was just shed to light too on that situation. I remember seeing something that Kaspersky was just made aware of it a little while ago, that it is now safe with them.