Jump to content

"Smart Engine" Virus


Recommended Posts

I've supposedly obtained this virus as I discovered yesterday.

I'm running the free version of AVG and after a 2.5 hour scan, it didn't find any affected files.

I've downloaded 3 virus/spyware apps after googling "Smart Engine" and all three apps find over 200 affected files but won't remove them until I pay for their service.

Any thoughts? Which anti-virus program should I run with?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I signed up with Cyber Defender at the end of August and love their service. I can call them 24/7 for anything I need help with. They have a tech log on remotely and then I can either sit there and watch him or her work or I can leave and come back later to find everything all cleaned up and running beautifully.

The first time a tech logged on, my old computer was so dinked up that he worked on it for nearly five hours without a break before he got it all cleaned up. I stoked up on caffeine and sat here all night watching the whole thing. It was mesmerizing the speed with which these guys can move through a box, go to settings for stuff and then adjust and tweak stuff in seconds that would have taken me days to figure out.

After I signed up with them and had been using their anti-spyware and anti-virus programs for a few weeks, my wife and a buddy bought me this new box. I called those guys up on the toll-free line, told them I wanted it protected and optimized and then I logged one of their techs onto it and let him work his magic.

Every morning I come down to a display showing me that the scan done that night was free of viruses and a list of the stuff that the anti-spyware software has identified. I can then pick and choose from the list and quarantine what I don't want. I don't bother picking and choosing, I just quarantine all of it. The box runs fine without any of that crap.

I did have a problem with my MagicJack phone caused by the software though. If for some reason I shut down the box, the MagicJack won't start until I shut off the Cyber Defender program. Once the MagicJack is booted up, I have to remember to turn Cyber Defender back on or my computer's fly will be left open and I'll be vulnerable.

The other thing is that sometimes the Cyber Defender techs can't work on it right away. If the tech they assign is in the middle of a project on someone else's computer, you have to wait for him or her to get around to you and there's been a couple of times when it was several hours before they got started.

It's nice though. I get an unlimited amount of help with anything computer related during the term of the service and I've been abusing the crap out of them by having them do stuff that I could do myself. I figure if I'm paying for it I might as well take advantage of every second of it.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ran Free AVG for a couple of years, then their services became weak somehow, like they left cracks in the shield by mistake, maybe. [:)]

Switched to Free Avast, and they were good, but not good enough.

To clear the last infection, I bought a Norton CD for $60 and installed that. This saved me sending CC info while my machine was infected.

I found a sale on Norton 2011 at the local Staples, so bought the disc to install at renewal time. $30 a year for up to 3 computers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate anti virus software, it hogs resources and is every bit as frustrating as any of the glitches I've ever picked up. Don't put your nose places it shouldn't be and you won't catch anything nasty.

Even that wouldn't work.

I've had F-Secure for almost 5 years. Installed it on three computers with just one license purchase. Not expensive at all. The one my wife uses had an issue recently with the software hogging the memory until I reset it to auto-scan only in the middle of the night. I haven't been inconvenience by any virus or malware in that 5 years.

Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate anti virus software, it hogs resources and is every bit as frustrating as any of the glitches I've ever picked up. Don't put your nose places it shouldn't be and you won't catch anything nasty.

Even that wouldn't work.

I've had F-Secure for almost 5 years. Installed it on three computers with just one license purchase. Not expensive at all. The one my wife uses had an issue recently with the software hogging the memory until I reset it to auto-scan only in the middle of the night. I haven't been inconvenience by any virus or malware in that 5 years.

Marc

Yeah, that's kind of my experience too; so far, at least. I used to pay McAfee for their program (think I'm still paying, come to think of it.) and it did nothing but bog my box down and cause it to hiccup during boot up. I never had good luck with Norton at all - it seemed to get into a resource dual with the anti-virus and anti-spam stuff that Microsoft has in the programs by default. The CD guy came in and either removed or deactivated all of those others and now she's running on one program only and purring like a kitten.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't use anything. Never have.

The only time I ever picked up a virus was at some porn site several years ago. It wasn't even good porn. There's a lesson in there somewhere........

My personal opinion is the anti-virus software is vastly overrated, sort of like lots of defensive positions, the rationale being, nothing bad has happened , so the defensive position must be working.

I understand there's a large world of individuals that will disagree with me on every point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You attend hacker conventions Cary? Somebody keep an eye on this one[:-dev3]

No, I'm not a hacker. I read about it. I think it was an article on CNET, but I can't say for sure.

I use Microsoft Security Essentials, but I've used AVG, Nortons, McAfee and Zone Alarm. MSE is free (for Win7), lightwieght and updates daily.

Nortons & McAfee were HUGE resource hogs and I had a lousy customer service experience with ZA, although I liked their software. AVG let a virus get through on my last computer that ultimately forced me to buy a new machine, though my last one was 8+ years old so it was really time.

MSE has been good so far. It's hard to tell what kind of resource hog it is since my new box is an absolute screamer and I'm sure it could handle Nortons or McAfee. I just decided to try MS's software since they have made a commitment to virus protection optimized for their OS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't use anything. Never have.

The only time I ever picked up a virus was at some porn site several years ago. It wasn't even good porn. There's a lesson in there somewhere........

My personal opinion is the anti-virus software is vastly overrated, sort of like lots of defensive positions, the rationale being, nothing bad has happened , so the defensive position must be working.

I understand there's a large world of individuals that will disagree with me on every point.

Yours is a Mac?

Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well. . .

I'm now running Microsoft Security Essentials, ran a 2 hour scan with only 1 infected file as a result. Hmmmm...

And by the way, my 'puter use is clean. This is the first time I've ever had to deal with a supposed virus or trojan. I tried to click on our vet's web site and boom. . . .screen goes crazy and up pops Smart Engine, which I soon learned is a bad thing.

Chad emailed a probable fix. Thank you, Chad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...