Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Aggressor_Squad on January 09, 2003, 10:24:32 pm

Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 09, 2003, 10:24:32 pm
I started up my computer this morning, and after the windows startup music, this very weird(and a bit scary) message popped up.
          "Fix the leak or the ship will sink"

    I dunno why the hell this would pop up. Is it a virus or something that has infected my computer?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: demon442 on January 09, 2003, 10:56:38 pm
The message is obvious, someone hacked into your computer and was curtious enough to tell you about it.  Check for viruses, trojans, get a good firewall, and be smart about your internet activities.





EDIT: Just remembered:  If you are using windows, go to windows update and download everything it tells you to.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: mikhael on January 10, 2003, 05:47:04 am
Bad Demon442. You didn't get enough info.

Aggressor_Squad, when you say this "popped up" after the opening music, how do you mean? Did it open up a warning box with an "OK" button? If so what was the title of the box? What version of Windows are you running? Are you on cable? If so do you have a firewall? Do you have scripting enabled/installed on your machine?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Sandwich on January 10, 2003, 08:33:27 am
Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
You didn't get enough info.



First of all, take a screenshot of the message and post it here. I have a, uhmm... (pardon the pun) sinking suspiscion that it may just be some spyware web page ad thingy loading up with Kazaa or something.... a screenshot can tell.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 10, 2003, 10:36:13 am
screenshot would be good :)
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 10, 2003, 02:09:05 pm
It seems that the message pops up randomly, so i've gotta wait until it pops up again I guess. And yeah it was in one of those boxes with a "ok" button on the bottom middle. I'm using Windows XP Home, Shaw Cable, and I don't have a Firewall. None of my programs seems to be having any problems yet, so...yeah.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: SKYNET-011 on January 10, 2003, 02:55:29 pm
Get yourself a firewall. I recommend Zonealarm. :nod:
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: mikhael on January 10, 2003, 11:29:23 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Aggressor_Squad
It seems that the message pops up randomly, so i've gotta wait until it pops up again I guess. And yeah it was in one of those boxes with a "ok" button on the bottom middle. I'm using Windows XP Home, Shaw Cable, and I don't have a Firewall. None of my programs seems to be having any problems yet, so...yeah.


I'm willing to bet you five dollars that you're getting Windows Messaging Service spam. Next time you get a message, look at the title of the window. If its Messaging Service spam, it will say something like:

"Messenger Service"

and the body of the message should start out with the line:

"Message from SOMECOMPUTERNAMEHERE to YOURIPADDRESSHERE on THEDATEGOESHERE THETIMEGOESHERE"

Followed by the spammish message.

If that's what it looks like, just go to your management console and stop and disable your Messenger service. Nine times out of ten a home user has no need to have it running and you'll never miss it (and it has nothing to do with Microsoft Messenger).
Title: Re: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Levyathan on January 10, 2003, 11:36:35 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Aggressor_Squad
I dunno why the hell this would pop up.

Have you read any ship repair tutorials on the internet lately?
Title: Re: Re: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Anaz on January 10, 2003, 11:38:32 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Levyathan

Have you read any ship repair tutorials on the internet lately?


*thwack*
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: NeoHunter on January 11, 2003, 01:29:08 am
Have you tried calling Engineering? Maybe it has something to do with the plasma injectors or some other EPS conduit.:D
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: SKYNET-011 on January 11, 2003, 06:43:33 am
Maybe it found my Ion Cannon... :D
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 11, 2003, 12:23:21 pm
i've actually had problems with ZoneAlarm and XP home
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 24, 2003, 09:44:15 pm
The message justed popped up again. I took a screeny and saved it, but I don't know how to post the pic up here, Can anyone help me on this?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Matrixmillion on January 24, 2003, 09:48:32 pm
Get a crappy yahoo account, upload the image to it, then make a post here, and use the IMG buttons at the top to paste in your picture link.

Easy peasy :)
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: wEvil on January 24, 2003, 09:51:15 pm
you got a virus.

www.centralcommand.com and use their online scanner, than you'll need to find a clean bootdisk and get rid of it.

failing that some jokers' stick a trojan on your machine.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 24, 2003, 09:59:49 pm
I'm having problems finding a place to post pic. Can I send someone the file and post it up for me here plz?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 24, 2003, 10:47:24 pm
sure man, email to me:
[email protected]
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 24, 2003, 10:50:29 pm
*researches*

i'm not finding any virus that posts that error message, i may be wrong though.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Arc on January 25, 2003, 11:20:31 pm
Hi! err...sorry, first post nerves. :)

Aggressor_Squad: I did a search on google a while ago and got a hit in a forum on www.dslreports.com (although google isn't giving me any results now :( ). The consensus on that thread was it's the W32/Supova worm. The phrasing of the message is slightly different, so I'd guess what you've got is a variant. I did send you a PM but (assuming that's what it is) all you should need is an uptodate virus scanner.

If you don't have one, AVG is free from www.grisoft.com and I agree with SKYNET-011 about getting Zonealarm as well, especially since you're on cable.

Y'know, this must be the first time in month's I've said anything this constructive. Heh. Back to lurking then. :)
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 27, 2003, 10:43:49 am
here's the image that Agressor sent me:

(http://www.fattonys.com/images/upload/hacked.gif)

any ideas?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 27, 2003, 02:05:38 pm
Oh 1 point to add to this.

Arc, thnx for showing me the link to one of those virus removers. I thought the problem was fixed after apllying it, but the messages still appear... Any ideas?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 27, 2003, 02:12:04 pm
Failed to detect. That sure as hell looks like a hacker note to me.

Try bringing up the Task Manager and seeing if it gives you a more useful name. Or, track down recently added/modified files and look for anything funky.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 27, 2003, 03:33:52 pm
yeah, note the "checkin' the walls" as the title of the 'error'
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 27, 2003, 03:51:58 pm
I think I see your main problem, though. You've got a virus on your comp. Big ****er, too. REALLY hard to get rid of completely, and until you do, it's gonna mess up everything.


My solution, back up all your important files, format your hard disk, and get a copy of Windows 98. The XP virus'll never bother you again, and hence you'll be a good deal less vulnerable to... well, everything.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 27, 2003, 05:03:46 pm
i have been trying to figure out if there's a pattern on the pop-up, and i think i might just have found one. The message seems to pop up everytime i do a scandisk of my c:\ drive. I'm only 16:mad: , so i can't really do anything major to my computer without of parent's approval, since both my dad and mom uses it ..*Sigh* Oh welll I will have to bear with it for now...especially when my dad is one of those people who thinks that all anti virus softwares are useless and they get obsolete the second they are released...
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 27, 2003, 06:52:16 pm
www.my-etrust.com

download their virus protector (the demo... it's fully functional, but for 30 days)... then when you've downloaded and installed it, go to:

OPTIONS --> PROGRAM --> FULL SCAN
then click 'OK', then select all your HARD DRIVES (on the top left) (if you've got more than one... if you don't, then just select the default (usually "C") drive) then click "go" (top middle)

i believe the format may have changed, i've got a pretty old version of it (completely updated signitures though) but it should be pretty easy

then you can delete it after 30 days, or after you've found the virus/whatever it is that's causing you the problem.

Try it, and let us know how it goes.

:)

Good luck,

Regards
~Stealth~
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Nico on January 28, 2003, 04:41:02 am
Quote
Originally posted by wEvil
you got a virus.

www.centralcommand.com and use their online scanner, than you'll need to find a clean bootdisk and get rid of it.


where the hell do you see an online scanner on that page :confused:
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 28, 2003, 11:35:11 am
he also told me to post this:

(http://www.fattonys.com/images/upload/Virus.bmp)
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stealth on January 28, 2003, 11:37:24 am
looks like my idea worked

send us the log file, so we can see exactly what you had on the computer

you DID do a "full scan", right?

it said all the files were CLEANED?

you shouldu be good now :)
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Aggressor_Squad on January 29, 2003, 02:03:37 pm
w00t all the infected files are clensed.  I no longer get the weird message at start-up anymore...Thnx for all the help people :) Especially Stealth.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Goober5000 on January 30, 2003, 11:26:08 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Arc
Hi! err...sorry, first post nerves. :)


A new poster slipped through the cracks!  Fire the welcome beam!

(http://members.cox.net/wmcoolmon/images/welcome.gif)

Ow...
*massages shoulder*
*reminds himself to put the beam cannon on a tripod next time*

Uh, flamethrowers are under your seat, plasma rifles are in the lockers to the front, exits are to the left and right, and if you see a five-legged creature with glowing eyes, give it your lunch and back away slowly. :)

Anyway, what was the effect of the virus?  Did it delete any files or did it just keep popping up that message?
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 31, 2003, 09:07:35 am
Now, I'd follow the hacker's advice, jefe. Next one won't just tack on a friendly note.
Title: Getting weird messages on start-up...
Post by: Arc on January 31, 2003, 07:24:53 pm
Waahey!!, thanks Goober :)

Hopefully nothing serious has happened to Aggressor_Squad's machine. Turns out the worm contains a payload that attempts initiate a DOS attack against 3 web sites (although Symantec can't get it to reproduce that in their lab) and to delete the contents of %windir%\*.*, %windir%\System\*.* and %windir%\System32\*.*, but it's only supposed to show the 'Patch the leaks...' msg after it's deleted the files.

I suppose it's possible the fact he's running XP helped protect against that...

Anyway, I guess the moral is 'keep your anti-virus updated'  :)