As seen in the previous article, two major problems with anonymous web surfing and the internet are porn and viruses. The W32/Child-Porn.PROXY/Server is a particularly dangerous one. So how can you tell if you have this virus? There are a few symptoms that become obvious when this virus is working on your PC.
Symptoms
- Odd Redirection – If you type in a website name that you visit regularly and a porn site pops up, check the spelling in the browser window. If the site is spelled correctly and the site you end up on is obviously not what it normally is, you have the W32 virus.
- Odd Toolbars – When you go onto a trusted site and they recommend a toolbar to make searches easier, it is rare that you actually download that toolbar. Why? Because they take a lot of memory to run. But when there are toolbars that pop up on your screen that you know you didn’t download, chances are, it’s the W32 virus.
- Odd Keys – Some of the keys on your keyboard all of a sudden stop working. Most of the time, it’s a “Control” or “Enter” key, which makes working very difficult.
- Odd Speeds – If your processor slows to a crawl and you haven’t added any new programs to your computer, it might be the W32.
- Odd Icons & Shortcuts – When a new icon appears on your desktop or your system tray that you didn’t put there, there is a good chance that if it isn’t the W32 virus, it’s another virus. Don’t click on them.
- Odd Behavior – If your computer shuts off your firewall and virus protection, look out! It means that the virus is attempting to hack into your network. Check your firewall often, keep it updated so that this does not happen.
- Odd Disappearances – If files, records, and pictures start getting deleted and you aren’t the one deleting them, chances are you aren’t too far off from getting porn pics popping up on your computer screens.
If these symptoms appear to be affecting your computer or your network, you need protection immediately. There are several tools you can use to scan your computer and make sure that the virus is not present. One of these ways is through updated anti-virus software. Whether you are using Norton, Macafee, or AVG make sure that it is an updated version with the ‘anti-bodies’ present to immunize your computer from recently created viruses.
You could choose to use a spyware scanner that will locate this virus, schedule regular scans of your system and guard your computer from infiltration with a Guard or Sentry for your computer and network. While recommending one particular spyware company is beyond the scope of this article, it’s important to choose one that is trustworthy as some virus delivery devices mask themselves as spyware eliminators.
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