OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it on
her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem and
asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there were
some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way to
boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
approach here?
Thanks in advance.
--
Jim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ GW
http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98



--
Jim

Re: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

I think it's the w32.swen virus. If that isn't listed download the most
recent "fixer" and try that.
In all seriousness, I'd format and reinstall Windows XP...
I'm about to do that to my work computer. I rebuild it just about yearly to
keep it running smoothly (I should just move to Linux but am too lazy).



"TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3YSdnYepXo-ttuaiU-KYgA@comcast.com...
> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it
on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem
and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there
were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way
to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Jim
> 98 TJ SE
> 90 SJ GW
> http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
>
>
>
> --
> Jim
>
>

Re: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

I think it's the w32.swen virus. If that isn't listed download the most
recent "fixer" and try that.
In all seriousness, I'd format and reinstall Windows XP...
I'm about to do that to my work computer. I rebuild it just about yearly to
keep it running smoothly (I should just move to Linux but am too lazy).



"TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3YSdnYepXo-ttuaiU-KYgA@comcast.com...
> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it
on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem
and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there
were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way
to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Jim
> 98 TJ SE
> 90 SJ GW
> http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
>
>
>
> --
> Jim
>
>

Re: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

It's not my computer. I may have to reinstall 98 for her, but I want to try
one of the removal tools first.
--
Jim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ GW
http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98

"Joe" <me@privacy.net (jo_ratner@yahoo.com)> wrote in message
news:blfard$bf9tc$1@ID-207166.news.uni-berlin.de...
> I think it's the w32.swen virus. If that isn't listed download the most
> recent "fixer" and try that.
> In all seriousness, I'd format and reinstall Windows XP...
> I'm about to do that to my work computer. I rebuild it just about yearly
to
> keep it running smoothly (I should just move to Linux but am too lazy).
>
>
>
> "TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:3YSdnYepXo-ttuaiU-KYgA@comcast.com...
> > OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> > update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed
it
> on
> > her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem
> and
> > asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't
run,
> > the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> > run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there
> were
> > some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this
is.
> > Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way
> to
> > boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> > approach here?
> > Thanks in advance.
> > --
> > Jim
> > 98 TJ SE
> > 90 SJ GW
> > http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jim
> >
> >
>
>

Re: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

It's not my computer. I may have to reinstall 98 for her, but I want to try
one of the removal tools first.
--
Jim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ GW
http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98

"Joe" <me@privacy.net (jo_ratner@yahoo.com)> wrote in message
news:blfard$bf9tc$1@ID-207166.news.uni-berlin.de...
> I think it's the w32.swen virus. If that isn't listed download the most
> recent "fixer" and try that.
> In all seriousness, I'd format and reinstall Windows XP...
> I'm about to do that to my work computer. I rebuild it just about yearly
to
> keep it running smoothly (I should just move to Linux but am too lazy).
>
>
>
> "TJim" <jim@ranlet.nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:3YSdnYepXo-ttuaiU-KYgA@comcast.com...
> > OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> > update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed
it
> on
> > her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem
> and
> > asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't
run,
> > the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> > run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there
> were
> > some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this
is.
> > Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way
> to
> > boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> > approach here?
> > Thanks in advance.
> > --
> > Jim
> > 98 TJ SE
> > 90 SJ GW
> > http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jim
> >
> >
>
>

Re: OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

Approximately 10/1/03 12:29, TJim uttered for posterity:

> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.

Sounds like W32.swen variant all right. It disables regedit and
antiviral software.

One of the quickest detects is to use Regedit to check this key:


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\

In that key all of the normal subkeys [which should look like
directories] have human readable names. If this was W32.swen,
it has probably put a random string subkey in the "explorer" key
with several contents. [use find key]

"Begbie" shouldn't be anywhere in your registry.

Of course you can't run regedit until you fix the registry key
that disables regedit. You can replace your current registry
with da0 [at which point all your software is de-installed
effectively, but you can then load the current registry and
edit the key that stops regedit....and then load *that*
registry... but this worm has pretty much trashed several
registry keys...

Symantec has a claimed removal tool, worth a shot.

Since there are two new ones as of yesterday, w32.swen is
no longer front page at www.symantec.com. You can search
for it with w32.swen and find the removal tool and the
details of why the tool may not be 100% effective....

Or try these:

<http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.html>
tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/nu11

<http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.removal.tool.html>
tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/o0u3

Re: OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

Approximately 10/1/03 12:29, TJim uttered for posterity:

> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.

Sounds like W32.swen variant all right. It disables regedit and
antiviral software.

One of the quickest detects is to use Regedit to check this key:


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\

In that key all of the normal subkeys [which should look like
directories] have human readable names. If this was W32.swen,
it has probably put a random string subkey in the "explorer" key
with several contents. [use find key]

"Begbie" shouldn't be anywhere in your registry.

Of course you can't run regedit until you fix the registry key
that disables regedit. You can replace your current registry
with da0 [at which point all your software is de-installed
effectively, but you can then load the current registry and
edit the key that stops regedit....and then load *that*
registry... but this worm has pretty much trashed several
registry keys...

Symantec has a claimed removal tool, worth a shot.

Since there are two new ones as of yesterday, w32.swen is
no longer front page at www.symantec.com. You can search
for it with w32.swen and find the removal tool and the
details of why the tool may not be 100% effective....

Or try these:

<http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.html>
tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/nu11

<http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.removal.tool.html>
tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/o0u3

Re: OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

If you can get it online, you can have Symantec (Norton AV) do a scan
for you using explorer and active x to ID the trouble.

They are at http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html

Otherwise a boot disk is you friend or a bootable CD to just fire it up
and cancel whatever the CD is to get into windoze or DOS mode maybe.

With a boot disk or CD, the virus won't load into memory.

Norton can be run from a command line if you know the path. You will
need to know the virus definitions path too and add it with a switch or
make an autoexec.bat file for it's location with a path like
C:\progra~1\nav\shared~1\update.xxx or whatever it is and run the bat
first, then the navw32.exe under it's own path.

My Norton AV also came with a boot disk for this, but the bat file with
the definitions path has to be in there or it uses the old set on the
disk.

Hope this helps,

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

TJim wrote:
>
> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Jim
> 98 TJ SE
> 90 SJ GW
> http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
>
> --
> Jim

Re: OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

If you can get it online, you can have Symantec (Norton AV) do a scan
for you using explorer and active x to ID the trouble.

They are at http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html

Otherwise a boot disk is you friend or a bootable CD to just fire it up
and cancel whatever the CD is to get into windoze or DOS mode maybe.

With a boot disk or CD, the virus won't load into memory.

Norton can be run from a command line if you know the path. You will
need to know the virus definitions path too and add it with a switch or
make an autoexec.bat file for it's location with a path like
C:\progra~1\nav\shared~1\update.xxx or whatever it is and run the bat
first, then the navw32.exe under it's own path.

My Norton AV also came with a boot disk for this, but the bat file with
the definitions path has to be in there or it uses the old set on the
disk.

Hope this helps,

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

TJim wrote:
>
> OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed it on
> her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem and
> asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't run,
> the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there were
> some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this is.
> Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way to
> boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> approach here?
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Jim
> 98 TJ SE
> 90 SJ GW
> http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98
>
> --
> Jim

Re: OT: fake microsoft upgrade worm
 

Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on you. I got Sven removal instructions
and the tool from Symantec and I plan to try that route. I printed your
instructions, too, Lon. Thanks again.

--
Jim
98 TJ SE
90 SJ GW
http://www.delawareja.com/gallery/JDJeep98


"Lon Stowell" <LonDot.Stowell@ComcastPeriod.Net> wrote in message
news:nwGeb.649673$Ho3.135101@sccrnsc03...
> Approximately 10/1/03 12:29, TJim uttered for posterity:
>
> > OK, I know some of you know far more about this fake Microsoft security
> > update worm than I do. My neighbor didn't stop to think and installed
it on
> > her computer. She keeps getting a pop-up declaring a MAPI32.DLL problem
and
> > asking for a bunch of email information. Her Norton Antivirus won't
run,
> > the computer locks up if I try to boot into Safe Mode, and regedit won't
> > run. She is running win98se. I checked on several AV sites and there
were
> > some removal tools available, but I'm not sure exactly which worm this
is.
> > Is there some way of determining the name of the worm? Is there any way
to
> > boot into a safe condition so I can fix the registry? What's my best
> > approach here?
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> Sounds like W32.swen variant all right. It disables regedit and
> antiviral software.
>
> One of the quickest detects is to use Regedit to check this key:
>
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\
>
> In that key all of the normal subkeys [which should look like
> directories] have human readable names. If this was W32.swen,
> it has probably put a random string subkey in the "explorer" key
> with several contents. [use find key]
>
> "Begbie" shouldn't be anywhere in your registry.
>
> Of course you can't run regedit until you fix the registry key
> that disables regedit. You can replace your current registry
> with da0 [at which point all your software is de-installed
> effectively, but you can then load the current registry and
> edit the key that stops regedit....and then load *that*
> registry... but this worm has pretty much trashed several
> registry keys...
>
> Symantec has a claimed removal tool, worth a shot.
>
> Since there are two new ones as of yesterday, w32.swen is
> no longer front page at www.symantec.com. You can search
> for it with w32.swen and find the removal tool and the
> details of why the tool may not be 100% effective....
>
> Or try these:
>
>
<http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.html>
> tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/nu11
>
>
<http://securityresponse.symantec.com...wen.a@mm.remov
al.tool.html>
> tiny version: http://tinyurl.com/o0u3
>