How to remove W32.sober virus

Norton detected W32.Sober.O@mmlenc and unable to repair. any suggestions

This question was answered on May 8, 2005. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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Here is the norton website detailing the removal of your virus

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sober.o@mm.html

Removal using the W32.Sober Removal Tool

Symantec Security Response has developed a removal tool to clean the infections of W32.Sober.O@mm Use this removal tool first, as it is the easiest way to remove this threat.

Manual Removal

The following instructions pertain to all current and recent Symantec antivirus products, including the Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus product lines.

Disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP)

Reinstall the current version of LiveUpdate

Update the virus definitions

Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as W32.Sober.O@mm

Delete any values added to the registry.

For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.

1 To disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP)

If you are running Windows Me or Windows XP, we recommend that you temporarily turn off System Restore Windows Me/XP uses this feature, which is enabled by default, to restore the files on your computer in case they become damaged If a virus, worm, or Trojan infects a computer, System Restore may back up the virus, worm, or Trojan on the computer.

Windows prevents outside programs, including antivirus programs, from modifying System Restore Therefore, antivirus programs or tools cannot remove threats in the System Restore folder As a result, System Restore has the potential of restoring an infected file on your computer, even after you have cleaned the infected files from all the other locations.

Also, a virus scan may detect a threat in the System Restore folder even though you have removed the threat.

For instructions on how to turn off System Restore, read your Windows documentation, or one of the following articles:

How to disable or enable Windows Me System Restore

How to turn off or turn on Windows XP System Restore

Note: When you are completely finished with the removal procedure and are satisfied that the threat has been removed, reenable System Restore by following the instructions in the aforementioned documents.

For additional information, and an alternative to disabling Windows Me System Restore, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article: Antivirus Tools Cannot Clean Infected Files in the _Restore Folder (Article ID: Q263455).

2 To reinstall the current version of LiveUpdate

Click download LiveUpdate.

Note: If you are not reading this Web page on the computer that is getting the error notice, the address for downloading the file is:

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/liveupdate/lusetup.exe

If necessary, you can type this address into the address bar of the problem computer Changes to the Hosts file will not stop you from getting to this site.

Save the file to the Windows desktop

Double-click the lusetup.exe icon on the desktop to install LiveUpdate

Run LiveUpdate

Did you see the message "LU1860: LiveUpdate has detected a potential security compromise on your computer"?

If you did, let LiveUpdate "Remove these entries from the hosts files" (Recommended).

This should allow LiveUpdate to run

If you did not, that was not the cause of the problem Return to the Removal section.

3 To update the virus definitions

Symantec Security Response fully tests all the virus definitions for quality assurance before they are posted to our servers There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:

Running LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions: These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers once each week (usually on Wednesdays), unless there is a major virus outbreak To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, refer to the document: Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate)

Downloading the definitions using the Intelligent Updater: The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted daily You should download the definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site and manually install them To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, refer to the document: Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater).

The latest Intelligent Updater virus definitions can be obtained here: Intelligent Updater virus definitions For detailed instructions read the document: How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater.

4 To scan for and delete the infected files

Start your Symantec antivirus program and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files

For Norton AntiVirus consumer products: Read the document: How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files

For Symantec AntiVirus Enterprise products: Read the document: How to verify that a Symantec Corporate antivirus product is set to scan all files.

Run a full system scan

If any files are detected as infected with W32.Sober.O@mm, click Delete.

Note: If your Symantec antivirus product reports that it cannot delete an infected file, Windows may be using the file To fix this, run the scan in Safe mode For instructions, read the document: How to start the computer in Safe Mode Once you have restarted in Safe mode, run the scan again.

After the files are deleted, restart the computer in Normal mode and proceed with section 5

Warning messages may be displayed when the computer is restarted, as the threat has not been fully removed at this point Please ignore these messages and just click OK These messages will not appear when the computer is restarted after the removal instructions have been fully completed The messages displayed may be similar to the following:

Title: [File path]

Message body: Windows cannot find [file name] Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search.

5 To delete the value from the registry

Important: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before making any changes to it Incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files Modify the specified subkeys only For instructions refer to the document: How to make a backup of the Windows registry.

Click Start > Run

Type regedit

Click OK

Navigate to the subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

In the right pane, delete the value:

" WinStart" = "%Windir%\Connection Wizard\Status\services.exe"

Navigate to the subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

In the right pane, delete the value:

"_WinStart" = "%Windir%\Connection Wizard\Status\services.exe"

Exit the Registry Editor.

About the author

Posted by Ronald of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on May 8, 2005

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