There are many worm removal tools on the market today and most are available online – for free. But with all software downloads there are dangers, so you should always check to make sure the worm remover tool is from a trusted source. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers a “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm virus removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if a worm virus or other malicious software is found. Other worm virus removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well. You can also install a top-notch virus protection program such as BitDefender or Kaspersky.

From Microsoft:

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

About Worms and Computer Viruses

Computer viruses and worms are pretty much one in the same. No matter if you have a worm or a virus, these malicious software programs can cause your computer to run slow, the can make it vulnerable to other worms and viruses, or they can complete disable your system. A worm or virus is malicious software program. A worm or virus can either slow your system down to a crawl or disable it completely. Unlike a Trojan Horse, which is a malicious software program that cannot reproduce or self-replicate, a worm virus has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. A worm or virus can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. A worm or virus can even freeze or disable entire servers.

Some of the most sophisticated worms and viruses can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious worms of them all is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.” Some of the latest worm viruses include the Koobface Worm (infected users of social networking sites like Facebook), Conficker Worm (infects any computer user), and Neeris Virus (infiltrated the office of the U.S. Marshals).

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a worm virus, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will cripple your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms and viruses, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

The link sent those who clicked on it to a website called StalkDaily.com. This website was advertised as a microblogging site in the Twitter posts the link showed up in. Once someone clicked on this link, their Twitter account would become infected and messages would then begin to send automatically to their own followers. In addition, an account could be infected with the worm if someone viewed the infected profile of someone else.

With the millions of users on Twitter as well as the amount of activity around the world every minute, much less every hour, it is not difficult to understand that the “Mikeyy” worm spread rapidly throughout the system. In all, there were about four attacks on the Twitter system in a rather short period of time.

The worm itself was not dangerous to users or to Twitter. The links that were passed around by infected profiles simple encouraged Twitter followers to visit the StalkDaily website which was very similar to Twitter in its purpose and functionality.

Created by Michael Mooney who was 17 at the time, the issue of breaking into the Twitter system and potentially causing harm to millions of end-users computers came full force into the public eye. In fact, internet security professionals claimed that it would have been very easy for someone to modify the worm and use it to infect the computers of individuals instead of simply infecting their Twitter accounts.

Twitter successfully got rid of the “Mikeyy” worm in a short period of time but the question of the website’s vulnerability to attack still remains. Many social networking sites face the same problem and other websites such as MySpace and Facebook have faced similar attacks in recent years. The problem comes with the open networking system and the ability for so many millions of users to share so much information with one another.

Another part of the problem comes from people trusting people they don’t know on theses websites and following recommended links of friends to unknown places on the internet. All of the websites, including Twitter, have great security but they will never be able to fully protect every user from the possibility of encountering dangerous viruses and worms. Users must be careful when following links and must stay aware of problems when they arise to protect themselves.

-Account lockout policies are being tripped.
-Automatic Updates, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows -Defender, and Error Reporting Services are disabled.
-Domain controllers respond slowly to client requests.
-The network is congested.
-Various security-related Web sites cannot be accessed.
-Various security-related tools will not run.

Fortunately, you can remove this worm virus with a number of free software removal tools. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers a “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm virus removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if a worm virus or other malicious software is found. Other Trojan worm removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well. You can also install a top-notch virus protection program such as BitDefender or Kaspersky.

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download the tool directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

About Worms and Computer Viruses

Computer viruses and worms are pretty much one in the same. No matter if you have a worm or a virus, these malicious software programs can cause your computer to run slow, the can make it vulnerable to other worms and viruses, or they can complete disable your system. A worm or virus is malicious software program. A worm or virus can either slow your system down to a crawl or disable it completely. Unlike a Trojan Horse, which is a malicious software program that cannot reproduce or self-replicate, a worm virus has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. A worm or virus can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. A worm or virus can even freeze or disable entire servers.

Some of the most sophisticated worms and viruses can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious worms of them all is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.” Some of the latest worm viruses include the Koobface Worm (infected users of social networking sites like Facebook), Conficker Worm (infects any computer user), and Neeris Virus (infiltrated the office of the U.S. Marshals).

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a worm virus, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will cripple your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen.

Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms and viruses, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

According to bitdfender (www.bitdefender.com), I-Worm or I-Worm Rays, also called I-Worm.Sircam.A and I-Worm.Magistr.A is an Internet and network worm similar to I-Worm.Magistr.A. The virus spreads through e-mail using its own SMTP routine, sending itself to addresses from the Address Book and from cache or through the shared directories.

Bitdefender also says, the virus is transmitted through a message with a randomly chosen subject and body, in the form of a combination between the virus infection routine and a file chosen randomly from My Documents. The original name of the file is kept, but an executable extension is added (.pif, .exe, .lnk). Users who do not have the option to see attachment extensions activated, will only see the original extension and can be easily fooled.

The symptoms of I-Worm include the presence of any of the registry keys or files mentioned in the technical description. Here is an example of an email message carrying the virus:

Subject: Document file name (without extension)
From: [user_of_infected_machine@prodigy.net.mx]
To: [random@email.from.address.book]

Hi! How are you?
I send you this file in order to have your advice

or:

I hope you can help me with this file that I send
I hope you like the file that I send you
This is the file with the information that you ask for

See you later! Thanks

or, in Spanish:

Subject: Document file name (without extension)
From: [user_of_infected_machine@prodigy.net.mx]
To: [random@email.from.address.book]

Hola como estas ?
Te mando este archivo para que me des tu punto de vista

or:

Espero me puedas ayudar con el archivo que te mando
Espero te guste este archivo que te mando
Este es el archivo con la informacion que me pediste

Nos vemos pronto, gracias.

If the attachment is opened, the worm copies itself in the system directory under the name scam32.exe. It also copies itself into the directory “Recycled” under the name sirc32.exe, which is a hidden file. Then the virus creates the following three keys in the Windows Registry:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Services

with the value Driver32 = %System%\scam32.exe to be accessed when Windows starts, and:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\open\command

with the value C:\Recycled\sirc32.exe “%1″ %*” for the routine infection to be executed before any other EXE file.

If the virus finds network shared directories, it will try to copy itself into the local Windows directory under the name rundll32.exe. The original file is renamed as run32.exe. If the worm succeeds, it will modify the autoexec.bat file by introducing a new line which will allow it to execute the file previously saved in the Windows directory.

As a “signature” the author added the following strings in the virus in an encrypted form:
[SirCam_2rP_Ein_NoC_Rma_CuiTzeO_MicH_MeX]
[SirCam Version 1.0 Copyright 2001 2rP Made in / Hecho en - Cuitzeo, Michoacan Mexico]

Destructive Actions by Bitdefender.com

It sends randomly, as attachment with the viral code, one of the infected system files at the e-mail addresses from the Address Book. On a random algorithm (one in 20 infected systems), it deletes all files and directories on the root directory C:\. This happens on Oct. 16 of every year, on the systems using the D/M/Y format for standard date. If the attached file (that generated the infection) contains FA2 without being followed by sc, this destructive action happens regardless of date format.

It slows system performances in one of 50 cases, multiplying a .txt file c:\recycled\sircam.sys. I-Worm.Sircam.A sends confidential information too: it might chose one of your extremely confidential files to attach to its viral code and send to your contacts from the Address Book.

To download the I-Worm removal tool, please visit bitdefender at www.bitdefender.com. Just follow the link to go directly to the removal tool and information about the I-Worm.

Sources: All information for this article was provided by Bitdefender.com.

“Autorun trojans/viruses from the thumb drive can easily be transferred from PC-to-PC. The outcome? Users found that their drives had been inaccessible through double-clicking the drive icon. But was accessible through the right-click explore menu. Should you encounter this situation again, here’s the solution:”

1. Download flash_disinfector.exe by sUBs.
2. Run the program and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Done! Thanks to sUBs.

Alternate method:

1. Right click the infected drive.
2. Click on Explore.
3. On the top window menu, choose Tools > Folder Option.
4. Under the View tab, check “Show hidden files and folder”.
5. Uncheck “Hide extension for known file types” and “Hide protected operating system files”.
6. Browse through the infected drives for unknown files(files starting with autorun,infrom,vbs) and delete it.
7. Remove your thumbdrive and insert again. Undo what you had perform on Folder Option.

About Computer Viruses, Worms, and Trojans

Computer viruses and worms are pretty much one in the same. No matter if you have a worm or a virus, these malicious software programs can cause your computer to run slow, the can make it vulnerable to other worms and viruses, or they can complete disable your system. A worm or virus is malicious software program. A worm or virus can either slow your system down to a crawl or disable it completely. Unlike a Trojan Horse, which is a malicious software program that cannot reproduce or self-replicate, a worm virus has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. A worm or virus can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. A worm or virus can even freeze or disable entire servers.

Some of the most sophisticated worms and viruses can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious worms of them all is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.” Some of the latest worm viruses include the Koobface Worm (infected users of social networking sites like Facebook), Conficker Worm (infects any computer user), and Neeris Virus (infiltrated the office of the U.S. Marshals).

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a worm virus, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will cripple your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms and viruses, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

How to Remove Computer Viruses, Worms, and Trojans

There are a number of free worm removal downloads available on the Internet today, but much like any other download, you must make sure the download is from a trusted source. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers a “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm virus removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if a worm virus or other malicious software is found. Other worm virus removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well. You can also install a top-notch virus protection program such as BitDefender or Kaspersky.

From Microsoft:

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

Computer Worm Activity

A computer worm is a sub-class of viruses. Computer worms can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. Computer worms can even freeze or disable entire servers. Some of the most sophisticated computer worms can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious of these is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This computer worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.”

FYI: Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a computer worm, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It will present itself as helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will wreak havoc on your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

How to Get Rid of Computer Worms

To get rid of malicious software there are a number of free computer worms removal software downloads available on the web. The problem is that you have to make sure that the download is from a trusted source. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers its “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if malicious software is found.

Other malicious software and computer worm removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well.

From Microsoft:

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers a “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm virus removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if a worm virus or other malicious software is found. Other Trojan worm removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well. You can also install a top-notch virus protection program such as BitDefender or Kaspersky.

From Microsoft:

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

About Worms and Computer Viruses

Computer viruses and worms are pretty much one in the same. No matter if you have a worm or a virus, these malicious software programs can cause your computer to run slow, the can make it vulnerable to other worms and viruses, or they can complete disable your system. A worm or virus is malicious software program. A worm or virus can either slow your system down to a crawl or disable it completely. Unlike a Trojan Horse, which is a malicious software program that cannot reproduce or self-replicate, a worm virus has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. A worm or virus can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. A worm or virus can even freeze or disable entire servers.

Some of the most sophisticated worms and viruses can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious worms of them all is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.” Some of the latest worm viruses include the Koobface Worm (infected users of social networking sites like Facebook), Conficker Worm (infects any computer user), and Neeris Virus (infiltrated the office of the U.S. Marshals).

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a worm virus, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will cripple your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen.

Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms and viruses, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

From Microsoft:
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.
You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

About Conficker Worm

Conficker Worm is a computer virus that has at least 5 variants. These include: Win32/Conficker.A, Win32/Conficker.B, Win32/Conficker.C, Win32/Conficker.D, and Win32/Conficker.E. Conficker Worm A was reported to Microsoft on November 21, 2008, B was reported on December 29, 2008, C was reported on February 20, 2009, D was reported on March 4, 2009, and Conficker Worm E was reported on April 8, 2009.

All Conficker Worms are considered severe and each has the ability to disable important services on your computer. The worm might spread through file sharing and via removable drives. USB drives are especially susceptible. Shared computers with weak passwords are susceptible as well as computers without the latest security updates and computers with open shares. The worm works by attempting to make numerous connections to computers across networks and it seeks systems that do not have current security updates, have open shares, removable media, or weak passwords. With removable drives, according to the Microsoft Security website, Conficker Worm adds a file to the removable drive. When the drive is used the AutoPlay dialog box will show one additional option.

The Conficker Worm can cause other problems besides disabling important services on your computer. It can also prevent your computer from downloading security products such as the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal tool and you may be unable to access certain websites such as the Microsoft Update.
Microsoft released a security update in October 2008 to protect against the Conficker Worm. Microsoft Word offers the following steps if computer users are still worried about Conficker Worm:

1. Go to http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate to verify your settings and check for updates.
2. If you can’t access http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate, go to http://safety.live.com and scan your system.
3. If you can’t, go to http://safety.live.com, contact support at 1-866-PCSafety or 1-866-727-2338. This phone number is for virus and other security-related support. It is available 24 hours a day for the U.S. and Canada. For support in other countries, visit the Worldwide computer security information page at http://www.microsoft.com/protect/worldwide/default.aspx.

The board is a mess of letters that is visually similar to the more traditional Scrabble game. When players successfully link letters together to form a word, the Bookworm eats the letters and they disappear from the board. The eaten letters are then replaced by new letters. This keeps the board (screen) full at all times so there are always options to create new words.

The longer the words a player is able to form the more points they earn. There are two different modes to choose from: classic or timed action mode. The full version features unlimited game play, special bonus words, and a hall of fame that features high scorers.

It is simple to begin playing the game. All a player needs to do is go to the MSN website, sign-up, and download the game. Many websites, including MSN, offer the Bookworm game. Some of these websites charge for the game and some offer additional ways to play including the ability to participate in competitions against other Bookworm players. Players race against the clock to see how many words they can create in five minutes and continue to play to see how often they can beat their previous scores.

MSN also offers a forum where players can chat, learn tricks, and just simply have fun. And, an advanced version of the game is available called Bookworm Adventures. This version still focuses on the creation of words from tiles, but there are additional twists to make it more challenging. Players will need to navigate through a world of monsters and villains while trying to create words from the available letter tiles. Building words is the key to getting rid of the bad guys and advancing through the game. The longer the words, the faster players are able to move to the next level.

These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well. You can also install a top-notch virus protection program such as BitDefender or Kaspersky. You may purchase these programs online directly through the manufacturer or visit any computer or electronics store.

Free Computer Worm Removal Tools

A large number of computer worm removal tools are available on the Internet and they are free. However, with all software downloads there are dangers, so you should always check to make sure the computer worm removal tool is from a trusted source. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers a “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm virus removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if a worm virus or other malicious software is found.

From Microsoft:

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 computers for and helps remove infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster Worm, Sasser, and Mydoom. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. The tool creates a log file named mrt.log in the %WINDIR%\debug folder. Version 1.30 adds Win32/Allaple to the list of malicious software this tool detects.

You can download directly from the Microsoft website or Cnet.com.

About Computer Worms and Viruses

Computer worms and viruses are pretty much one in the same. No matter if you have a worm or a virus, these malicious software programs can cause your computer to run slow, the can make it vulnerable to other worms and viruses, or they can complete disable your system. A worm or virus is a malicious software program. A worm or virus can either slow your system down to a crawl or disable it completely. Unlike a Trojan Horse, which is a malicious software program that cannot reproduce or self-replicate, a worm virus has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. A worm or virus can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks, copy address books and send itself out to everyone in it. A worm or virus can even freeze or disable entire servers.

Some of the most sophisticated worms and viruses can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious worms of them all is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. This worm virus was also called “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.” Some of the latest worm viruses include the Koobface Worm (infected users of social networking sites like Facebook), Conficker Worm (infects any computer user), and Neeris Virus (infiltrated the office of the U.S. Marshals).

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe than a worm virus, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will cripple your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms and viruses, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate, and infect other files.