So today I got a message from someone on my contact list saying something about my skype profile pic. Turns out I fell for it since I recently did update my profile picture only a few hours ago.
I clicked the link and it asked me to download a zip file thankfully since I had winrar I could view the contents of the zip before extracting it. Turns out it's a random exe which I decided to send to my AV providers website so they could examine it. I don't know if the link itself was compromised or not. I'm hoping it isn't but I didn't expect that to happen the same day I actually changed my profile picture.
Anyways if you guys get a message on skype, talking about your profile picture with a link do not click it. This may be a new form of the trojan as my scanner couldn't detect it and a bunch of other scanners could not detect it either. I didn't run the exe myself so I'm hoping my PC is safe but just watch out if you use skype. The link doesn't appear to be compromised itself so they may be just hoping people are crazy enough to try and run a random exe themselves.
I know a lot of people on the forums use skype so watch out for any strange messages even if they are from friends, as this virus auto sends messages once it infects your PC.
It is now suggested that you change your skype password after making sure you do not have the virus, if you've clicked any links that were odd.The format of the message was this.
"this is my favorite pic of you lol"
"insert link here."
These type of viruses also contain many other different messages all trying to get you to click a link don't do it.
Edit :
Removal information courtesy of Science Woona. (Not sure which one. :I )
This is a 2012 video so I'm not sure how much it will help.
Was it an actual friend? Who sent it?
Yeah, anyone on your friends list can send it without knowing. The trojan infects their PC pretends to be them. Then sends you a message. It can also send it to anyone on yours or their contact list. Without them even realizing they have it or knowing what's going on.
Trojan viruses are named after Trojan Horse because they are programmed to trick you into activating them via social engineering or other methods. By pretending to be someone you know or some other form of trick.
I think this is a Worm virus to be honest since... Well, I was the one to accidentally send to everyone, thank you Itty Bit >.>
But anyways, it doesn't affect much else aside from Skype.exe from what I see. from what I learned is that Worm viruses are really benign, but the big kind of benign :U
Quote from: The Stars on 2013 Apr 07, 01:01:40
http://community.skype.com/t5/Windows-desktop-client/Skype-spam-virus/m-p/1092504#M82322
Tried following the instructions here, but didn't really solve the problem. Turned my Skype into a gigantic CPU eating monster, so I turned it off from my startup programs via Msconfig. The program just stays there and eats away at CPU without allowing me any access to it :U
Btw, this was before I reinstalled that I did this method.
And this is my situation now XD
I don't use Skype much ovO
A trojan is something that tricks you a worm is something that gets through to your PC from a security exploit if I recall.
This is most likely a trojan since it uses fake messages to get you to click a link.
Quote from: Trege on 2013 Apr 07, 00:16:37
-snip-
The format of the message was this.
"this is my favorite pic of you lol"
"insert link here."
These type of viruses also contain many other different messages all trying to get you to click a link don't do it.
Let me just add some emphasis here....
I can't really open up skype where he tells me in about 3:00 in >.> It just freezes up and acts as a gigantic Monster eating up 85% CPU :U
this is probably because I am missing a large chuck of what is going on but as I have heard this has been going on for a while. Why hasn't Skype's people done anything about it yet.
Again I just learned about this so if I am missing a large part please tell me so I can better understand what is going on
According to Woona( Or was that Madness?), It's been around for about 2 years and I think this one's just a new viral strand that updated :U
Which do you recommend?
Malwarebytes or Avast?
Malwarebytes...
Gosh darn thing picks up the smallest of things from Viruses to potentially unwanted programs :U
Often hackers can design different kinds of the same virus. This was last seen in 2012 but seems to be a 2013 version I assume now. There's not much skype can do about this it isn't an exploit it's social engineering. Meaning the user gets tricked into infecting themselves and has to rely on virus companies to locate it. Unless they have the knowledge to remove it themselves.
Everyone around me is spamming me the link in skype :U *has not clicked any of them*
Quote from: Lord of Madness on 2013 Apr 07, 02:07:07
Everyone around me is spamming me the link in skype :U *has not clicked any of them*
Proud of you. ^-^
(http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120704223347/thefanfictionwikiofgtfandphazon/images/7/7b/Mother-of-celestia-6281_preview.png)
If this gets into the computers of my non technology knowledgeable family....
WHOAH... That scared me.
"Community Relations" o_o
Ay. keep them away from that stuff... >.<
ker bump because people need to read this
Oh my gosh! I was smart for once! Im used to people sending links in this method that are screamer links but not virus!
I thought it would be inappropriate link xD!
Blocked the person :P
Quote from: StarSong on 2013 Apr 07, 12:36:56
Oh my gosh! I was smart for once! Im used to people sending links in this method that are screamer links but not virus!
I thought it would be inappropriate link xD!
Blocked the person :P
The person didnt send you the link on purpose, it will send the link without them knowing it was sent
If you do not trust a link sent from your friends, there are free ways of scanning a website for security issues
https://safeweb.norton.com/
You DO NOT have to download the lite version, just input the url you want to test and it should help keep you and your computer safe.
One helpful tip, never trust links that have been shortened, they can be the most suspicious
Quote from: McSleuthburger on 2013 Apr 07, 12:51:13
Quote from: StarSong on 2013 Apr 07, 12:36:56
Oh my gosh! I was smart for once! Im used to people sending links in this method that are screamer links but not virus!
I thought it would be inappropriate link xD!
Blocked the person :P
I person didnt send you the link on purpose, it will send the link without them knowing it was sent
On Skype she said something about not wanting that person as a friend anyway.. X3
Meh, I don't even know how to check messages on Skype...
J, FlameandIce, told me to virus scan my computer since I had accidently clicked the link, luckily I didn't download the file or anything so I didn't have the trojan.
Quote from: The Silent Wolf on 2013 Apr 07, 14:27:44
J, FlameandIce, told me to virus scan my computer since I had accidently clicked the link, luckily I didn't download the file or anything so I didn't have the trojan.
its counted usually as a skype program instead of a virus. so usually virus detection will not pick it up.
Quote from: Lord of Madness on 2013 Apr 07, 22:32:18
Quote from: The Silent Wolf on 2013 Apr 07, 14:27:44
J, FlameandIce, told me to virus scan my computer since I had accidently clicked the link, luckily I didn't download the file or anything so I didn't have the trojan.
its counted usually as a skype program instead of a virus. so usually virus detection will not pick it up.
Well I didn't send the hack message anytime according to the others, so either way I don't think I had it.
Ok, news from Madness has me believing that my Virus is clean, out of my system, but it left a life-long issue and just turned Skype into a massive CPU User :U Like, Being in a skype call doesn't even use this much on normal occasions, like, around 10-30% on both cores with a skype call and now using 50% just to run skype, which is running on only a single core :U
Technology... You make me ANGRY.
Quote from: The Stars on 2013 Apr 10, 23:35:55
Ok, news from Madness has me believing that my Virus is clean, out of my system, but it left a life-long issue and just turned Skype into a massive CPU User :U Like, Being in a skype call doesn't even use this much on normal occasions, like, around 10-30% on both cores with a skype call and now using 50% just to run skype, which is running on only a single core :U
Technology... You make me ANGRY.
You should, try re-installing skype If the CPU is still being hogged then it isn't likely fixed or clean yet. As that's not normal for Skype to do under any circumstance. Someone mentioned this thing was used to harvest bit coins or something and if it's still using your CPU it's probably still being stupid and harvesting them. After you uninstall skype try running CCleaner to clean the registry.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner (Cleaning the registry is sometimes dangerous though so be careful and back it up, when it asks you to.)
(If skype is gone anything connected to it in the registry should be removed by that hopefully.)
Already been done... Twice :U Neeeeext XD