XP COUNTDOWN

[Bruce Stokes]

I am using XP. This happened a while back, but I can't remember the steps
to eliminate the problem.
Suddenly, a small window appears and starts a Count-down and shuts the
computer down - very annoying. And what would activate it in the first
place?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bruce Stokes
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

Probbly because the Sasser Virus. Find info about it in Security Bulletains
and update your anti-birus and do a scan.

 

[Ron Bogart]

In

I am using XP. This happened a while back, but I can't remember the
steps to eliminate the problem.
Suddenly, a small window appears and starts a Count-down and shuts the
computer down - very annoying. And what would activate it in the
first place?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bruce Stokes
(e-mail address removed)

Go here and see how to get rid of MSBLAST
http://www.pchell.com/virus/msblast.shtml

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Click start/run, type SHUTDOWN -A and click ok to stop the shutdown
sequence. Then set about cleaning the infection caused by the blaster or
sasser worms.

Blaster:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_qr.htm#rpc
http://www.pchell.com/virus/msblast.shtml
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100499.htm
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.html
http://www.bigblackglasses.com/Article.aspx?Article=342

You need the patch described here to protect against it:

MS03-039: A Buffer Overrun in RPCSS Could Allow an Attacker to Run Malicious
Programs
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=824146

Sasser:

http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_125007.htm
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_SASSER.A

Details on the patch needed to prevent it:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-011.mspx

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am using XP. This happened a while back, but I can't remember
the steps to eliminate the problem.
Suddenly, a small window appears and starts a Count-down and shuts
the computer down - very annoying. And what would activate it in
the first place?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bruce Stokes
(e-mail address removed)

As you haven't provided any specific details or error messages,
the following is the result of having to guess what your problem might
be. There are at least two possibilities:

1) If you connected the PC to the Internet without having first
enabled a firewall, without having first installed an antivirus
application with current virus definition files, and before installing
the KB828471 Hotfix, you're very likely to get infected from any of
the thousands of PCs on the Internet that are constantly broadcasting
the Blaster and/or Welchia worms. It only takes a few seconds of
exposure.

To stay on-line long enough to get the necessary updates, patches,
and removal tools, click Start > Run, and enter "shutdown -a" when the
next RPC countdown begins. This will abort the shut down. Also, make
sure you've enabled a firewall before starting, to preclude any more
intrusions while getting the updates/patches/tools.

MS04-012 Cumulative Update for Microsoft RPC-DCOM
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;828741

What You Should Know About the Blaster Worm
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/blast.asp

W32.Blaster.Worm a.k.a. W32/Lovesan.Worm
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.html

W32.Blaster.Worm Removal Tool
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.removal.tool.html

W32.Welchia.Worm a.k.a. W32/Nachi.Worm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.welchia.worm.html

W32.Welchia.Worm Removal Tool
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.welchia.worm.removal.tool.html

McAfee AVERT Stinger
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger


2) You've apparently contracted the latest worm, W32.Sasser.Worm,
specifically designed to attack people who do not update their
computers promptly and who do not practice "safe hex." In other
words, like Blaster, this worm was developed and distributed _after_ a
patch for the vulnerability was announced and made publicly available.
Further, and also like Blaster, this worm could not affect any
computer whose user had taken the basic precaution of using a properly
configured firewall.

To stay on-line long enough to get the necessary updates, patches,
and removal tools, click Start > Run, and enter "shutdown -a" when the
next Shutdown countdown begins. This will abort the shut down. Also,
make sure you've enabled a firewall before starting, to preclude any
more intrusions while getting the updates/patches/tools.

What You should Know about the Sasser Worm and its Variants
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-011
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-011.mspx

W32.Sasser.Worm
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sasser.worm.html

A tool is available to remove the Sasser worm variants
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;841720

W32.Sasser.Worm Removal Tool
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sasser.removal.tool.html

McAfee AVert Stinger Virus Removal Tool
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

--

Bruce Chambers

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