JaypeeOnline » virus

HowTo: Manually Update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Jaypee Habaradas — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:54:17 +0000

One software that I always install on my personal computer or recommend to family and friends is Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware – a free malware removal tool. It’s also one of the programs I use to fix/clean up client’s computers. Like I’ve mentioned before, I am the family desktop support person, so when family and friends need help, they go to me. The most common request I get from family, friends and clients is to clean up their computers which have been infected by viruses, spyware and malware.

When I get my hands on the “problem” computer, one of the first things I do is install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Before I perform a full system scan, I make sure that I update the program to it’s latest definition update. This is an easy task if there is an Internet connection. In some cases, the computers can’t connect to the Internet because of the virus, spyware and malware infection so this task becomes impossible. But I’ve found a workaround that allows me to manually update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

Today, I’ll share with you two ways on how to manually update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware so you can update the program even if your computer doesn’t have an Internet connection.

STEP 1

This step requires a separate computer that has access to the Internet and has Malwarebytes Anti-Malware installed on it.

1. Update the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on that computer to make sure that you get the latest definition update.
2. Open the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program folder and look for the file “rules.ref“.

Windows XP and Windows 2000
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware\rules.ref

Windows Vista and Windows 7
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware\rules.ref

3. Copy the “rules.ref” file.
4. Paste the “rules.ref” file into the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program folder on the computer that doesn’t have Internet connection.

STEP 2

1. Download the defintion update from the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware website.
http://data.mbamupdates.com/tools/mbam-rules.exe
2. Run and Install.

NOTE: The definition update provided in this link may not always be the latest compared to the definition updates received via built-in program update feature.

Those are the two simple steps on how to manually update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Just follow any of the steps and that’s it! Your copy of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is now up-to-date. You can use this next time you need to update a copy of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on a computer without Internet connection.

Weekend Roundup #97

Jaypee Habaradas — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:26:23 +0000

Hello folks! Hope you all had a good weekend. Made sure that I posted this week’s edition of the Weekend Roundup on time. Actually, I could’ve posted it earlier if it were not for the terrible, splitting headache I got from the heat. Tried to get some rest and sleep it off as soon as I got home and thankfully, it went away after a couple hours.

Anyways, I’ve added a new category in the Weekend Roundup – SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It is a popular topic that I’m sure most of guys are interested in so I thought about adding it here. Hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Weekend Roundup.

Blogging

SEO

WordPress

Technology

Gadgets

Pinoy Blogs

JaypeeOnline Weekly Recap

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or want your article or find an interesting story that you want to be featured in the next Weekend Roundup, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message via the contact page.

First iPod Virus Discovered

Jaypee Habaradas — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:21:11 +0000

Kapersky Labs reportedly has discovered the first ever virus designed to infect the most popular portable media player today, the iPod. However, the virus dubbed Podloso is only a proof of concept program and does not pose a real threat.

Podloso can be launched and run on an iPod, only if the device has Linux installed on it. Also, the virus has to be installed by the user and cannot be launched automatically without the user’s involvement. Once the virus is launched, it scans the iPod’s hard disk and infects all executable files with the .elf extension. If any of these infected files should be launched, the virus will display a message on the screen which says, “You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus”.

As I mentioned earlier, the Podloso virus is only a proof of concept virus. Meaning it was created solely for the purpose of demonstrating the possibility of creating a virus that can infect a specific platform which in this case is an iPod running Linux. Podloso doesn’t have a malicious payload and is incapable of spreading on its own.

Although this is the first time to have a virus created to infect the iPod, this is not the first time for the iPod to carry a virus as it has happened before. Last year, Apple shipped some of this gadgets containing a Windows virus named RavMonE. This virus didn’t infect the iPod but was designed to infect Windows PCs when connected to the device.

After reading this story and giving it some thought, I believe that even if there was a real virus designed for the iPod, it won’t spread that much. The only way I can see it spreading among other iPods is if several iPods connect to the same infected computer. For me, the most vulnerable portable media player would be the Microsoft Zune as it’s operating system is based on Windows CE and has WiFi capabilities that can be used by the virus to spread itself to other Zunes.

Spread Love not Viruses

Jaypee Habaradas — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:45:07 +0000

The title may be misleading. This post is about computer viruses.

In some parts of the world, people are already celebrating Valentine’s Day. During this special day, married couples and sweethearts are not the only ones who are busy. Spammers and malicious programmers are also busy spreading spam emails, viruses and trojans.

Remember the famous “I Love You” virus? I’m sure you do, especially Filipinos. This is because the one who created this virus was a young Filipino student in one of the popular computer schools in the Philippines. Then there was also “W32.Yaha.K@mm” which was known as the Valentine’s Day virus. These and other types of virus spread during this time of the year.

Spammers try to lure you and me to open emails with subject lines offering free stuff like jewelry, chocolate, and lingerie. Security experts are advising people to be careful in opening Valentine-themed emails or e-cards (electronic greeting cards) or not to open any suspicious looking emails from someone you don’t know especially if it has a file attached to it.

Even with the use of security software like antivirus, antispam softwares and firewalls, spam, spyware, viruses and trojans still spread because of the lack of knowledge of users. Some people think that the presence of these security software is enough. Most of the time they forget or neglect to update it and that makes it useless. Also, what software salespeople won’t tell you is that these security software only filter 60% of viruses.

So for your safety and others too, let’s all be careful and spread love instead of spreading viruses on Valentine’s Day!

Btw, I just realized that the title could be misleading and could have a double meaning. Get it? Anyways, both mean well.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Don’t forget that Feb 14th is the first day for submitting nominations to the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards.