When I try to access my yahoo email, I get a "high risk" virus alert saying the w32.feebs virus has been detected, cannot be repaired, and access has been denied.
What can I do to fix this so that I can access my email?
2007-02-27 15:49:44 · 11 answers · asked by Susan A 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
I just started having that same problem about an hour or so ago as well. It (so far) only happens when I try to open Yahoo! Mail Beta, and -- judging by all the other questions and answers that have started popping up on Answers in the last 5 or 6 hours -- is connected to Yahoo! Mail Beta specifically. Do a search here on Answers for W32.Feebs, and you'll find a lot more info on the problem.
According to most of the major online anti-virus sites (and a few I hadn't even heard of), W32.Feebs spreads in two ways:
(1) Through e-mails disguised as security warnings of some sort, using random security-related names and subject lines. It gives you a log-in name and a password (for some reason I haven't figured out yet) and instructs you to open the attached file. The attached file is an .HTA file.
(2) Through files obtained from peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks (Limewire, Bearshare, torrent sites, etc). The file looks like a cracked version of one of several popular computer programs, and usually has something in the filename like "full version + crack" or something.
According to the anti-virus sites, opening one of these is the only way to be infected by this worm. Supposedly, it can't execute itself. The user has to actually attempt to run the file.
One thing that makes it difficult to find on your computer: Apparently the virus uses rootkit functionality to hide its files, registry subkeys, etc. on your computer. I.e., if you go looking for the specific files on your system, you won't find them. I don't know if that means that your anti-virus program won't find them either (still looking up that info), but Norton's site says that the virus alters or deletes some of the files that Norton uses to operate correctly, so they suggest re-installing Norton. I'm waiting to do that until we can figure out if this is a real virus...
That being said, a lot of people on here are suddenly reporting this same problem today, and, in pretty much every case, it happens when they try to access Yahoo! Mail Beta (the regular Yahoo! Mail doesn't seem to have the same problem). According to everyone else on here, to access your e-mail all you have to do is switch back to the regular Yahoo! e-mail, and stop using the Yahoo! Mail Beta. If you want to be extra safe, go to your internet options (under Tools, if you're using IE) in your browser and delete your browser history and temporary internet files.
Also, one of the other answerers on here said that he'd talked to Yahoo! tech support, and they were working on the problem on their end. He didn't go into tons of detail, but it sounded like THEY have the virus and are currently trying to get rid of it. I don't know if that's true, because I'm reporting second hand info (so don't hold me to it), but it's worth investigating further.
From what I'm hearing, I'm hoping this is a false alarm resulting from some sort of miscommunication between Yahoo! Mail Beta and the anti-virus progs. Or that it's a problem on Yahoo's servers and not actually infecting our computers. Either way. All I know is that, if Yahoo! Beta infected my computer, I will be very angry...
When you get the warning, does it say that the infected file is in \Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\(some long string of numbers and letters), and that it can't repair this file because access to it is denied? Then, once you click OK, it says it resolves and repairs it? And do you have Norton (most people who are having this problem seem to). Just wondering if we're all having the exact same problem...
Anyway, I'm going to keep digging (and scanning), and will add whatever info here I can find.
Good luck! Hopefully this is just a false alarm...
2007-02-27 20:48:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
2
2016-08-20 21:55:57 · answer #2 · answered by Sherry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Other than moving to a different computer, here's what the Norton AntiVirus site says to do after you find w32.feebs
1. Reinstall your Symantec antivirus program.
2. Disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP).
3. Update the virus definitions.
4. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected.
5. Delete any values added to the registry.
6. Restore the Windows Security Center.
2007-02-27 15:58:48 · answer #3 · answered by Steve71 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
W32.feebs - General Description:
W32.Feebs is a detection for a family of mass-mailing worm that also spreads through file-sharing networks and lowers security settings on the compromised computer. The worm may also send confidential information to a remote attacker via FTP.
The worm arrives as an email attachment with an .HTA extension.
If your computer is infected with w32.feebs hijacker then , It is highly recommended to remove w32.feebs as it does transfer back and forth information from the infected computer which makes it a potential for data theft.
I got all these informations from the below link, there you can get manual and automatic removal tool there...
http://www.nosnoopware.com/worms/removal/w32.feebs-remove.htm
2007-02-28 00:11:10 · answer #4 · answered by john 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are not the only person that this is happening to. I have seen three other people, aside from myself, who have asked questions about this and we are all running Norton Internet Security, and all use Mail Beta. More than likely this is a glitch in the code or javascript for Mail Beta, because I really doubt that many people having the same exact problem on their computers is a computer problem. Especially when I ran a full system scan and it came up with nothing. Switch back to the original mail for the time being.
2007-02-27 16:03:32 · answer #5 · answered by Becca 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Susan ... A variant of the virus name you provided is described at the link I provided below. You may have to do a little more searching to find the same symptoms that you described. Hopefully, a scan with your anti-virus software can detect and remove the problem from your system. Good luck with it, Susan.
2007-02-27 15:56:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Search the net for free trial of Norton Anti Virus 2007 then install it. Then once it is installed you can run a quick scan if it doesn't find it then go to history and you can remove that virus so you can access your e-mail.
2007-02-27 15:53:43 · answer #7 · answered by Josh D 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your problem isn't Yahoo Mail related. You ahve a virus on your computer that is either effecting that particular page, or all pages that load XML documents. restart your computer in safe mode (Start -->Shut Down --> Restart.....press F8 while it is booting and select Safe Mode) run your anti virus, deleting anything it detects. restart the computer and try again
2007-02-27 15:54:14 · answer #8 · answered by jeff_elsten 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try these. They work and they are free:
Run the tool and then download the free spyware and virus protection programs:
Malicious virus removal tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
Ad-Aware Free download:
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/...
AVG Download free
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Yahoo Toolbar has good pop-up blocker:
http://toolbar.yahoo.com/
Good Luck
2007-02-27 15:56:02 · answer #9 · answered by phy333 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
install notorn or mcfee anti virus or u can download windows defender from microsoft.com
2007-02-27 15:53:41 · answer #10 · answered by yasirdynamite 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋