"yay" or not...

[side_show]

Please help:

Today I turned my computer on and four windows opened with the work "yay" and okay buttons.  I hadn't used the computer for a few days.  My SO says he got "one" of these windows popping up yesterday AND THAT HE CLICKED THE "Okay!"  Who does that?!  Anyway, since he was using it alone... I'm guess he was using it for the typical man and computer alone type use... anyway, WTF?

I shut down and restarted and again, and sure enough, as soon as the desk top is up, four windows with "yay" and the okay buttons appear one after the other. 

Anyone know what this is about and what I need to do about it?

Update:  It also pops up when I try to go to iTunes, and when I check the "yay" pop ups in the Task Manager, it takes me to iTunes under processes.

[Sub_Topical]

Run anti-virus sw of choice
Run ad-aware and spybot s&d
Run motor vehicle over your choice of SO's limb/member

Sorry!

Run #2 SW available for free downloadings.

Anti-Yay!

[CortJstr]

I just check Kaspersky's virus list and it shows 1 trojan downloader called "Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Small.ei  aka downloader.generic.yay" and 4 non-virus AdWare programs with "yaya" in the name.

Do you have a virus scanner installed? If not TrendMicro has a free online scan that's better than nothing.

Failing that definitely run SpbotS&D and AdAware

[Choop]

3 letters: AVG

Free, self-updating, scheduled-scanning antivirus. I update daily at 3am, and scan daily at 4am.

Plus if I'm still online at 3 the updater popup is a good reminder that yes, I DO have to sleep SOMETIMES

Also, Agreed completely on ad-aware and spybot.

Also also, make a guest account on your computer and LOCK IT DOWN. Don't tell even your family your password.

Also also ad nauseum, Get Firefox if you don't have it. Use smart extensions.

[side_show]

Yeah, I ran AdAware right away when this happened and do regularly.  There were the usual tracking cookies and such, but when I restarted I still got the whole "yay" thing. I've never been able to get spybot to work, don't know why, but I've been meaning to reinstall it, so I'll do that again.  I will do the antivirus stuff when I get home - I have Norton AntiVirus, but it's never detected anything, then I did get a pop up with "Antivirus Software" in the window shortly after the first post yesterday with a warning that the trojan virus had been detected, but the pop up didn't have the actual Norton icon on it, so I was sort of suspicious that it was infact some sort of symptom of the virus, not in fact any sort of protection, and when I actually brought up the Norton stuff it didn't indicate any virus had been detected.  I'll give one of the free progs. you guys suggest a try and give it a little TLC tonight and report back.   Thanks guys!

[jough]

I just love that there's a virus that puts up a message that says "Yay" when it infects you.  That's the cutest virus ever.

[side_show]

Yeah, it was sort of cute.  In fact, when I initially wrote the post, I thought the pop-ups said "Yay!" (like with the exclamation mark) It got me.  I imagined a sound sort of like the sound Picman make when tossed.

Anyway, I did everything, but Cort's suggestion of the on-line scan worked best.  AVG did nothing.  It was indeed a trojan.  My computer is so old that I don't have room on it for spybot, or the dozens of Window updates I should put on it.  There's so little space left that I don't have room to defragment.  It's a sad state of affairs.  The floppy drive is dead.  The CD drive only works when it feels like it.  The audio cuts in and out. The monitor's set to it's brightest setting and everything's getting dark.  It's getting dark... it's like actual death.  Sigh.

I suppose it's time to spend the terrifying amount of money on a new system.  I know we had another thread in the summer about what to look for in a new system, but then with the whole trip to Indonesia the money all evaporated.  But I depend on a computer for my writing.  I'm just not a pen and paper gal.  Looks like it's time to use the home computer for it's final journey - prepairing the grant applications that will hopefully result in me getting enough money to buy it's replacement.  That's sort of sad isn't it?  Please don't tell my computer about this.  I'll just say we're going for a ride to the park... it's better that way.

[CortJstr]

Anyway, I did everything, but Cort's suggestion of the on-line scan worked best.  AVG did nothing.  It was indeed a trojan.

A lot of viruses will attempt to trick an installed virus scranner into ignoring them. This is a lot harder to do when the scanning program is off on some server somewhere so online scans can be surprisingly effective.

[Sub_Topical]

Let's not do that thread about PC buying again since it kinda sucked. You do your best and the good lord will provide (insert x).

[Choop]

Yeah, local antivirus programs work best when installed before the system is compromised. Once your system is clean, AV programs help keep it clean. Otherwise it's a crap shoot.