Computer activity monitoring

[Leroy Riggs]

Wiz, is there any software, free or otherwise, that will let us know what is the HD working on so intently? At times, my CPU is so busy doing something that it seems to actually lock up the computer until it finishes whatever it is doing.

[Anders Eriksson]

Hello,

I'm not Wiz, but ...

There used to be a company called Sysinternals that had a program called FileMon. Simple and easy.

Now Microsoft have gobbled up the company and the program and put out it's own called Process Monitor. It will do what you want and a bit more.

You find it here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96645.aspx

// Anders

[Leroy Riggs]

Thank you, sir. I'll folow up.
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[Wiz Feinberg]

You should also scan your PC for Bots. Sometimes their activities will pin the CPU, as they send out thousands of spam messages, or launch DDoS attacks.

Ask if you need recommendations and links to effective Bot and malware scanners. (See links in my signature!)

[Leroy Riggs]

You should also scan your PC for Bots

Actually Wiz, I have a special email address set up that, when sent, it will be returned to me as undeliverable. That address is:

YOU_HAVE_AN_ISSUE@CHECK_IT_OUT.COM

When it can't be delivered, it returns with the error message:

The message could not be sent: One or more recipents do not have a valid e_mail address.

It's never happened yet but if it does, I'll know someone is inside my computer and is using my email list.

This probably won't detect DDoS attacks though.
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[Steve Norman]

ddos is just against web pages tho rite? not against s single computer I think. Its usually a program like loic that just repetitively opens a webpage until its servers cant handle the load.

[Wiz Feinberg]

ddos is just against web pages tho rite? not against s single computer I think. Its usually a program like loic that just repetitively opens a webpage until its servers cant handle the load.

A DDoS attack is a cyber-criminal event, carried out against either a commercial enterprise, or Government agency in our Country, or another, and is meant to bring down servers and cripple communications, either for financial blackmail, or to make a political point, or as a prelude to an invasion by hostile forces. DDoS attacks are carried out by PCs in Botnets and consume 100% of the CPU during an attack session. That is why I recommended scanning for Bots.

[Steve Norman]

ddos is just against web pages tho rite? not against s single computer I think. Its usually a program like loic that just repetitively opens a webpage until its servers cant handle the load.

A DDoS attack is a cyber-criminal event, carried out against either a commercial enterprise, or Government agency in our Country, or another, and is meant to bring down servers and cripple communications, either for financial blackmail, or to make a political point, or as a prelude to an invasion by hostile forces. DDoS attacks are carried out by PCs in Botnets and consume 100% of the CPU during an attack session. That is why I recommended scanning for Bots.

its def illegal< and good to know that a bot can propagate it' another reason to make a bot trap harder thanks wiz, this community is lucky to have you

[Wiz Feinberg]

its def illegal< and good to know that a bot can propagate it' another reason to make a bot trap harder thanks wiz, this community is lucky to have you

I try to contribute as much as possible to the members here and others who look to me for assistance in fighting off attackers. I make almost nothing for my efforts, but I do feel good about my self and how I live in this world. Thankfully, I make enuf as a musician to eat and pay my lot rent.

Regarding my statement about DDoS attacks being a prelude to an invasion, that is exactly what happened a couple of years ago, when Russian tanks rolled into the Republic of Georgia. A cyber attack was launched against all Government agencies and Internet Service Providers in Georgia, from thousands of IP addresses, using a Botnet, just ahead of the line of tanks and troops.

[David Collins]

Does MalwareBytes detect/remove bots?

[Wiz Feinberg]

Does MalwareBytes detect/remove bots?

Yes, MBAM does detect and remove most Bots. Still, MBAM is currently meant to be used in conjunction with an anti virus program that does have anti-bot protection. Its primary targets are rogue security programs and better known rootkits and Trojans.

If you register MBAM and enable realtime protection, you will probably have to create exceptions for it in your anti-virus scanner. Things get dicey when you run more than one program with real time monitoring.

There are going to be some big changes and improvements in the next version of MBAM (1.45), especially for registered users, but also for free version users. A brand new advanced heuristics detection module that will be integrated into both scanner and protection module. You will also be able to customize IP protection and other items. The developers are listening to input on the users' Forum and plan to include many of the most requested additions.

Trend Micro Internet Security products already contain anti-bot modules and are updated frequently, often with instant definitions sent to servers "in the cloud." The program on customer's PCs scans files being downloaded, pages being opened, or files being accessed, then polls the cloud server to see if they contain matching fingerprints of recently discovered Bots, or other malware. They have a module that is specifically designed to monitor for typical Bot activity, then investigate further.

[Leroy Riggs]

That is why I recommended scanning for Bots.

I'll do it.
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[David Collins]

Thanks Wiz,

I'm running Malwarebytes along with McAfee Security Center. Should have me covered fairly well.

I just wanted to be sure.