Are message boards safe from hackers who attach trojan horses?

Back up on an external HD.

quote:

Originally posted by HOF1962:
The "BLACK TROJAN" is new advanced trojan horse bug and is unstoppable.

Longtime Player and now Longtime Observer

AKA: USC Trojans vs any other BCS team.

Hey wink,

Aren't you and infidel_08 good friends? Didn't I read in his profile that he provides firewall protection for GOVT assets abroad? Maybe he can help out with the "BLACK TROJAN" problem and hackers on our baseball messageboards. I believe it's a felony now to attach malicious macro-computer viruses to other people's CPU hard drives that trashes thousands of dollars. In fact, I believe the charge for a felony is anything above $100. Stiff fine and 1-10yrs imprisonment. You wrecken you might entice the "Powers that Be" to help us out here? You are "Simply The Best" M-O-O-S-E Winkle!!! Forget about football a minute, we need ya brother!!! peace shep

Shep,

Although I have a relatively deep background in computer hardware, the security systems I work on now are a little different and not as network intensive.

I am always a little suspicious when I read about these type of threats and did a quick search for "Black Trojan". I didn't see anything that initially supported HOF1962's post. That doesn't mean that it is not a valid threat. Snopes.com didn't have a hit for "Black Trojan". HOF1962 does offer good suggestions to be wary of email and use protection.

I'll keep looking for anything further. HOF, can you cite any sources for your info?

Infidel_08,

Appreciate your quick response and the reason you probably haven't heard of the aweful virus is because it has just surfaced and considered cutting-edge "hacker" maliciousness

Someone did respond yesterday and gave a solution from expert sources, who I have a contact with. Here's the link for anyone who needs the steps to get rid of the dreaded "Black Trojan". I have already sent my friends and associates the link as well for this bedeviled technology and would like to share it here also with the HSBBW messageboard for our members' protection

Click this link which is expert advice and steps to remove Black Trojans

Thanks infidel_08. My expert contact does have other helpful sources that he will be emailing me sometime in the next couple of days that I will post here upon arrival.

Longtime Player Now Longtime Observer

Just received the other sites from my expert contact.

She said and I quote, "Don't download any trojan removers until you read this article". Here's the link for the article my friend is referring:
Article to Read before Downloading Anything!

She also sent this link for Black Trojan removal:
www.spywaredb.com/remove-trojan-black/

Longtime Player Now Longtime Observer

It's not just baseball sites, it's GOVT sites too.

Hackers Infiltrate GOVT database

HOF,
You are quite right that malware can be a big problem. However, the "new virus", the "dreaded Black Trojan" isn't new at all (you can see in your third link that the clean up procedure is dated Feb 2004). And that's why it doesn't show up in searches today-- it was stamped out long ago.

I don't want to get into a computer p***ing match, so take the following comments as one man's opinion......

There are hundreds of websites which purport to compare spyware removal tools. Generally they are just sales tools to push software, designed to give apparent legitimacy to inferior programs. I believe the link you posted is one of the disguised sales-generating sites.

You don't need to pay for fairly good protection against malware and viruses. I use the free AVG virus protection Grisoft. You have to poke around on their website but they also have a free spyware finder/removal program. They claim to be the number one download at CNET.

For spyware removal, the free version of Ad-Aware is widely respected. I also use Spybot. All of these folks hope to sell you software with more features after you try the free stuff.

Finally, for the intrepid here is a link to instructions to remove really nasty malware; it uses a tool downloadable from Microsoft. De-gunking

After years of reading Internet message boards and the preceeding telephone modem-based bulletin boards, I know that opinions about software and computers generate more passion than baseball. If you disagree with what I've written here, I won't mind, and I'm too old to argue.

3finger,

I'm probably much older than you and appreciate the input. Not here to argue or be confrontational either. Just trying to be of use in my golden years. On the other hand, my suggestion is to air your opinion on a bit more caution and further research because there is a newer, more devilish black trojan out here. From what I understand, this new "Black Trojan" is not old at all but rather a newer "benchmark" version and attaches itself to Spybot, Ad-Aware, and some other older firewall software protection. This version proceeds to disable your control panel and hides very well. If and when it does manage to disable your control panel, it's all over and you may as well start shopping for another tower because the virus hides so well that just when you think you have removed it, POP, there it is again.

My contact told me yesterday there is another malware out here that does the same thing called "Vermundo". It is also causing major problems. She does not sell or work for a technology company. She works in a MLB front office which uses Baracuda firewall protection for incoming email.

Threefinger, do you live in Silicon Valley?
Just kidding old-timer and thanks again for your opinion and free links.

For the record, I have no interests in selling or promoting anything for profit. Just trying to be helpful to some of our members who are my friends and have experienced this MALWARE at baseball sites.

Also, on a side bar, I hope everybody is alright out there where you're at. This weather is mind-boggling, to say the least.

Lontime Player Now Longtime Observer

3finger I use AVG free software and have used it for a few years. I also use free adware removal software. I do not use a firewall and have not used it for years. I never open emails I don't expect and they have been cleared.
I am probably older than both of you and have been in computers since 1973. My 1st one was an Ohiop Scientific with a Hezeltine 1420 monitor and 2 8" floppy disks. No hard drives back then.
I have 3 external HDs that I keep total c drive images on and a start up CD incase I have to start from scratch. I used to play around and blow my C drive just for kicks. Reformat and start all over again. Lots of fun when I could see better.

I use True Image with creates a total image of my HD including all settings, photo etc. An exact duplicate.

In my opinion the biggest "RIP OFF" in history was perpetrated by the computer industry during the Y2K hoax.

One can conclude the perpetrators and the heroes who create the fix-its are one and the same.

They call that free enterprise.....LOL

Yes and gullible public.

BHD,

You have me by 5 years and most of my experience was in mainframes.

I also use external hard drives and burn DVDs of the old stuff. I use Norton Ghost and frequently make images of my computer's hard drive. I just bought a new Vista based computer and found that my Ghost 9.0 is not compatible, so I had to get the latest version, 12.0. For me, it's worth it since I often wreck my computer trying different things. It makes for a worry free recovery if when it starts acting strange.

08 you got that disease EH!

I have actually had the same computer for 3-4 years or so. Toshiba P20 with a 17" wide screen and I love it. Every thing works well and it is quick. Still using XP pro muti media. I can watch TV record programs and work away.
I actually don't keep much on the C drive just what I need. I have a 1 Terabite and a 1/2 Terabite external and a 111 GB Passport. The Passport is powered by the USB port and I take it with me when I travel.
I am a junky and I have a junk yard of computers. I paid $10,000 for an apple Lisa back when and it was discontinued after a couple months. Man do I feel foolish. With the help of my support group (my wife) I feel I have the urges under control but I did see a nice Tablet the other day. LOL.