PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: daveeb on October 17, 2006, 20:45
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suspending it has no effect on anything else. the prog just wont open. i've also still got system restore turned off after the virus. i've tried a reboot to no avail. i'll have to try safe mode. failing that H-E-L-P. :( Nope refused to uninstall said windows installer service cannot be accessed
for some reason i cant reply any more in thread 1.
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That's because I merged it into the original Cyberhawk thread - sorry for confusion. Let me have a think about this, and I'll come back to you as soon as I can find anything out.
:argh:
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In the meantime, try disconnecting form the internet, then disable all your other security software (AV, Firewall etc) and try to reinstall Cyberhawk on top of itself. Maybe something prevented it from installing properly?
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stranger and stranger. after the third reboot i can now get online and also cyberhawk opens. i'm torn now about whether to try to uninstall it from add/remove (which now opens also) :?
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Something else to try, Dave (don't worry, we can do this!) :blush2:
Boot up in safe mode, then go into My Computer > Manage > Services and Applications > Services then right click and disable the Cyberhawk service. Then you should be able to reboot and uninstall it with Add / Remove Programs.
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Ahh, you beat me to it. Umm, well that's up to you. I did a test with a test trojan I found at http://download.trustware.com/ and it flagged up an alert which neither my AV of Anti-Spyware software detected at that precise moment. Of course, it may have just beaten them to it, but I have proved to myself that it could be useful.
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I tried using Add/Remove to get rid of it and it started to remove the files but then stopped before it completed the task. It then told me to close down Picture Package (it wasn't open!) and AdWatch. At that point I started up system restore.
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i may decide to remove it. The security status page is reporting :
events analysed 102,936,901,246 !!!!! :shock:
programs protected 234,062, 243
suspicious activities 1,066,549
malware blocked 153,601
now i could be wrong but i dont think i have 234 million progs on my pc. what sort of readings do you have with it ??? my finger is hovering on "remove" :laugh:
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I tried using Add/Remove to get rid of it and it started to remove the files but then stopped before it completed the task. It then told me to close down Picture Package (it wasn't open!) and AdWatch. At that point I started up system restore.
it won't let me remove it at all :shock: windows installer service cannot be accessed. tried a different old prog i didnt want and that went ok so add/remove is working.
i found the official novatix manual. says to uninstall use add/remove. Fantastic. I also note it sends info on all intrusions back to novatix. I'm starting to feel like a lab rat :(
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I have just found the security status page, and I think it's the total number of events analysed - ever - anywhere! It works by way of the 'Cyberhawk Secure Community'. I have just discovered this myself, so this may put some people off - I am now undecided as to whether I want to continue using it myself:-
What is the Cyberhawk Secure Community?
The Cyberhawk Secure Community is a worldwide network of active users who volunteer to aid in identifying new threats. Any time a suspect alert is triggered in Cyberhawk, information related to this event is automatically reported to Novatix for analysis through a secure connection. Any information collected is held completely confidential and is used solely for the purposes of researching new or previously unknown threats, gaining an understanding of their behaviors, and developing new protection against them. Information collected may include the Cyberhawk alert that fired, the history of relevant events leading to that alert, the decision taken, and any relevant IP address information. This immediate confidential feedback on potentially dangerous new threats allows Novatix to advance its ActiveDefense technology to block these threats. So as threat strategies evolve and new security penetration tactics emerge, Cyberhawk technology will remain at the forefront of the solutions that defeat those threats.
So, basically, if it finds something on your PC, it sends the information to the 'community', so as to protect others and to remain updated. You can switch off this facility, but then the program won't be updated, and will gradually get more ineffectual. The big question, of course, is what information it's sending, and is this, in itself, a security compromise? I'm sure that other security programs operate in a similar way, but don't bother to tell the user. At least, Cyberhawk are being up front about it. :|
Dave, if you want to uninstall it, you may have to go via the Services route I mentioned above.
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just beat you to it there simon :D i'm going to try your suggestion, but i fear the worst.
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I'm starting to feel like a lab rat :(
I'm starting to wish I hadn't found the bloody thing! :duh:
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I'm starting to feel like a lab rat :(
I'm starting to wish I hadn't found the bloody thing! :duh:
I told you before Simon, you're :clever:
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Phew. That worked. the cheeky s0ds took me to their website straight after the uninstall to fill in an exit questionnaire. I don't think so. To my way of thinking this was nearly as bad as the other dodgeware i've just got rid of.
But again thanks for the last tip simon, i would never have thought of it.
:wink:
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What surprises me is that it seems to be quite popular among the anti-spyware comminuty, but I would have thought that the fact that it sends information about your PC goes against all anti-spyware ethics. :|
I should go and have a lie down now, Dave! :laugh:
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All my other antispyware stuff was obviously doing a good job by preventing it from installing in the first place.... :whistle:
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It's amazing just how the anti-spyware community get soooo excited about practically any program they come across. My take on it is that if they stuck with simple tried, tested and (most importantly) reliable methods of staying safe online they wouldn't have to spend so much time looking for yet additional ways of securing their systems.
I run Zone Alarm Free Edition, AVG Free Edition, Adaware Free, CC Cleaner (free) Spywareblaster (free) and Xoftspy - nothing else. I also have Windows Updates permanently turned off and System Restore permanently disabled. In seven years of a home internet connection I have never had a single virus or other malware on my computer. I update and run my anti virus and spyware programs once a week and nothing has EVER been found.
Have I been lucky? I don't think so. I believe the main reason I have NEVER had a problem is because I have never used Internet Explorer while connected to the internet. I used Opera from 1999 until earlier this year and am now on Firefox.
Says it all, really.
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Well, I wish I hadn't mentioned this now, and have uninstalled it myself. :blush2:
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What surprises me is that it seems to be quite popular among the anti-spyware comminuty, but I would have thought that the fact that it sends information about your PC goes against all anti-spyware ethics. :|
I should go and have a lie down now, Dave! :laugh:
Having calmed down from imminent spontaneous combustion i can now feel a bit more charitable about this product. (but not much). To summarise you are placing your trust in them about the info being relayed to all and sundry which goes against the grain somewhat for me to do it knowingly. However the main annoyance was the difficulty in uninstalling. I suppose they would argue that its a security feature but I tried the method described in their own official manual (ie add/remove) and that failed. Perhaps its still in a very beta stage :roll:
I think i'll stick to playing solitaire for the rest of the week. :D
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I
Have I been lucky? I don't think so. I believe the main reason I have NEVER had a problem is because I have never used Internet Explorer while connected to the internet. I used Opera from 1999 until earlier this year and am now on Firefox.
Says it all, really.
Spot on Dave. How did i get my spy sheriff/brave sentry virus ??....Firefox was closing down each time i tried to access a forum so i used IE view on the site. Big mistake .
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Have I been lucky? I don't think so. I believe the main reason I have NEVER had a problem is because I have never used Internet Explorer while connected to the internet. I used Opera from 1999 until earlier this year and am now on Firefox.
Says it all, really.
Spot on Dave. How did i get my spy sheriff/brave sentry virus ??....Firefox was closing down each time i tried to access a forum so i used IE view on the site. Big mistake .
But equally, something should have prevented it from being let loose on your machine, which is where a real-time spyware scanner can be useful - the big question is, which one, out of the many available, to use?