I don't know what will help, so here's all I know:

1.Last night I went to some website, Java popped up.

2. I used windows task manager (went to the 'processes' tab) and shut down Java.

3. It seemed to stop, but immediately after the process went away what looked like an IP address appeared on the top of the processes list.

I have absolutely no idea what happened. Do I have a virus, did I get hacked...? If so, what do I do about it?

I was attempting a scan with my anti-virus earlier (Avira Antivir Personal, it's freeware) it got to about 60% before the system crashed, though that was due to it overheating.

Does anyone have any idea what might help me out here?

Thanks!

EDIT: Figured this might be important: I'm running windows XP.

 

Fuck. Anyone have the number for Keanu Reeves's cell?

Alright, thanks!

I ran the system configuration tool thing, (msconfig) found a program in startup that my brother seems to think was it (the space for the name was blank) and deactivated it. I'll run those things anyway, but how likely is that to have taken care of it?

 

Alright, best to be on the safe side, then. I'm running the online scanner now.

 

Just want to put it out there that there is a keylogger which is installed in someone's PC exactly the way you described what happened to you. My friend told me about it a few months ago and so my knowledge is a little hazy but basically all your passwords get uploaded to a server online. I actually had access to all the passwords he had hacked, xD. Anyways, one possible way that he told me is to start Java, in its control panel you can find running processes. Kill 'em all.

I want to emphasize here that this could be NOTHING. But better safe than sorry.

 

Spybot: Search and Destroy.

Install Avast! Anti-Virus; it's stopped many a trojan from being installed on my PC, or at least blocking it from sending things out (though the popups are still there).

I also recommend Ad-Aware.

Run one after the other, and you'll nab quite a few viruses.

Usually on start up, Spy Bot will nail down anything malicious that tries to boot up post-scan remove.

 

Thanks for the heads up, though I'm actually going to need to call my brother in order to even find java. It's not in the program menu and none of the file paths on this thing make any sense.

Alright, I'll grab spybot. I finally got the computer to avoid crashing (heating issues) long enough for the eset online scanner to finish, but I don't exactly trust it's results since it found something in the first ten minutes of the first scan, then the computer crashed and it never found ti again. In any case, I guess it's always best to use more then one program.

EDIT: Just finished running Spybot, only thing it found was a tracking cookie. Still not something I want on here, but I'm extremely doubtful that a cookie was all I got hit with last night, if I got hit by anything at all. Is it possible this was just some non-issue, or should I try every anti-virus/adware/malware I can get my hands on until I find it? Still going to to the java thing tomorrow, but it's 5:08 AM here and I have no idea what the fuck I should be doing about this. Thank for the help today, hopefully it'll get fixed tomorrow.

---------- Post automerged at 11:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 AM ----------

Sorry for the double post.

Downloaded the newest version of Java, and i can't figure out how to start it let alone get to it's control panel. Download didn't give me any shortcuts or quicklaunch buttons, and I just went to the program folder and couldn't find anything that looked promising. Did i download the wrong thing?

I feel like a complete and total idiot, but could someone please explain to me what I need to do here?

 

I got WIn 7. I open Start menu, type Java in Search. I see a Java (32-bit) icon. If you get this too. Open it.

There are 5 tabs. Click on the tab names "Java" and then click on "View". Make sure that the files running re supposed to be running.