Ping.exe

zombies and root kits... they get paid for making your computer look at ads, and they get paid to be able to make your computer DDoS servers on command... plus they can also look for financial data and send that in too if they're feeling froggy.

I hope it all works out CRed.

Can someone enlighten me about computer viruses like this? Why would someone create such a virus? There is no apparent financial gain for the attacker. And victims are anonymous - it's not like the attacker is getting revenge. I just don't get the point of trying to create such a virus. With all the things that one can do with one's time, why spend time creating such a virus?

Who makes computer viruses and why? - JREF Forum (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=205185)

Have fun.

I'm not sure about the issue with ping.exe. If this is one of those rogue anti-virus programs, then they usually hide in c:\documents and settings \ all users \ application data. It's also quite possible that it hides in system restore, which could be why it regenerates some of its attacks. You could try unplugging the Ethernet cable from your computer, or shutting down the wireless and see if the ping.exe thing goes away. It could possible tell you which program is trying to access the internet, and from there, you'd know where it's at and what to get rid of.

I'm curious to know how you got your computer infected. We have people at work who tell me they have not been to any questionable websites at any time, not even facebook, yet they get these nasty viruses on their computers and I'm having to get rid of the viruses. Luckily for me, I've become somewhat of an expert in getting rid of the rogue anti-virus viruses, but you didn't say for sure if this was that type of virus or not.

Install Linux Mint (http://linuxmint.com/rel_lisa_whatsnew.php)...why waste time an energy on a product whose performance degrades over time and is susceptible to viruses?

I'm not sure about the issue with ping.exe. If this is one of those rogue anti-virus programs, then they usually hide in c:\documents and settings \ all users \ application data. It's also quite possible that it hides in system restore, which could be why it regenerates some of its attacks. You could try unplugging the Ethernet cable from your computer, or shutting down the wireless and see if the ping.exe thing goes away. It could possible tell you which program is trying to access the internet, and from there, you'd know where it's at and what to get rid of.

I'm curious to know how you got your computer infected. We have people at work who tell me they have not been to any questionable websites at any time, not even facebook, yet they get these nasty viruses on their computers and I'm having to get rid of the viruses. Luckily for me, I've become somewhat of an expert in getting rid of the rogue anti-virus viruses, but you didn't say for sure if this was that type of virus or not.

I used the SuperAntispyware and it got rid of the last remnants of the PING thing. In terms of when I got it/where I got it, the most traceable thing that I can say is I switched to Google Chrome, nothing else in my surfing behaviour changed, and perhaps, I missed a setting when I switched to it. But I got the google re-direct virus within a few hours of installing chrome, and the PING thing seemed to be attached to that. I won't begin to say I avoid all "questionable" sites, but nothing that I hadn't been to many many times before.

I doubt it was in Chrome, but I have gone back to Mozilla just cause.

chrome and mozilla/firefox are actually much more vulnerable to viruses than the latest edition of ie right now... go figure.

well everything was fine. The computer worked better over the weekend than it had in a year. Then I got to work this morning and outlook froze, then a blue screen, finished with windows not starting through any repair or restore method.

My new laptop is excellent!

We do wipes as a standard business practice nowadays. Fixing issues like doesn't work all that often and then you always wonder. Inevitably it takes less time to do a wipe and reinstall than trying to hunt this crap down and mitigate it.

well everything was fine. The computer worked better over the weekend than it had in a year. Then I got to work this morning and outlook froze, then a blue screen, finished with windows not starting through any repair or restore method.

My new laptop is excellent!
You can take out the hard drive and sell the laptop "shell".

Or find a way to format the hard drive and then sell the comp. There is money to be salvaged here. ;)

I am sure I can. I just got fed up today and put it to the owner and he said just go get a new one. Ok. Done.