Symptoms of a Vundo Infection

You may have heard of the Trojan known as Vundo. Hopefully, this isn't because you've had to deal with it yourself! But if you don't get the proper protection, then you may someday. Or you may suspect it's on your computer.

One initial symptom of Vundo is often the “blue screen of death.” This term usually refers to the blue screen you see when Windows shuts down your computer due to danger, or a massive system error. Vundo or one of the malicious programs it delivers, can replace your screensaver with a “blue screen of death” clone!

What's worse, it will negate the “screensaver” tab on your desktop's Properties dialog box.

Why is this? Because it helps scare people into buying the “anti-spyware” offered by the popups that inevitably follow a Vundo infection.

These supposed anti-spyware programs, however, are anything but useful. They are fake programs designed to give false alarm to unsuspecting computer users. They use tricks like the “blue screen of death,” and dropping infected files into a host computer. Then they scan and “discover” those files, in an apparent solution to the computer owner's problems.

Then you, the user, are prompted to buy the “registered” version of the fake antispyware program. You'll be told you need the full version in order to get rid of your infections. But all that will happen is that your problems will go away for a few days, only to return with annoying pop-up ads for other fake antispyware programs.

Often Vundo and/or these fake spyware programs will go to more disastrous lengths to scare users into buying these “registered” versions. Some of these programs, for example, disable access to Control Panel and My Documents!

A Vundo infection often leads to browser problems. The browser may refuse to fully load some sites. Google is commonly one of these sites--after all, Vundo's malicious programmers know you're going to try and figure out how to take care of your problem!

Vundo may also cause your icons and task bar to briefly disappear. They do eventually return, but in the meantime, all associated programs have quit working! You may also see warnings that claim your system is “deteriorating”. All in the interest of convincing you to buy some fake anti-spyware.

Many give you problems with web pages as well. It will often cause your browser to “hang”, as if in mid-air--or mid-operation. It will often try and do this if you go to Google. After all, it doesn't want you looking up what's wrong with your computer--it just wants you to buy the “anti-spyware” it tells you about!

Vundo will hide in your system32 directory, which is an essential Windows directory. Even if some of Vundo's component files are deleted, it can still come back. It will often create numerous .dll files with eight-letter random names. Unless they are taken care of, it will re-spawn all over again!

The only solution, really, is to find some quality antivirus software that will take care of your problem for good!