High Physical Memory %

[MindoverMaster]

I find Malwarebytes to find things others don't. A team of investigators is better than one.

 

[Digerati]

Yeah, I generally recommend everyone have MBAM on hand as an on-demand supplemental scanner to complement their regular real-time anti-malware solution. As I noted above, I use MSE (with Windows Firewall) but every week or so I ran manual scans just in case something got past MSE. So far (since I built this system for Win7 in Oct 2009) MBAM has not found anything MSE missed, but I'll keep doing supplemental scans just in case.

And whenever I download a file from a forum post or the like, or an attachment, I manually scan it with MBAM.

 

[MindoverMaster]

My AV scans for spyware/viruses after it is done downloading. I use Comodo Internet Security. (Free version)

 

[Digerati]

My AV scans for spyware/viruses after it is done downloading.

As should every real-time scanner. But since real-time scanners depend a great deal on signature/definition files that may be almost 24 hours old, or older, there is always a slight risk brand new malware or a new mutation, or a zero-day exploit is out there and just happens to be residing in that download or attachment. Supplemental scanning with a second scanner does not guarantee detection of something that new, but it doubles your odds. If you are not 100% sure of the source of that download or attachment, and unless you sent it to yourself I don't think you ever can be, supplemental scanning with a second scanner is a prudent precaution in today's security environment.

 

[MindoverMaster]

So, if your scanners don't happen to be updated on a daily basis, you can still get malware or viruses. And some viruses are known to be hidden within a file.

 

[Digerati]

So, if your scanners don't happen to be updated on a daily basis, you can still get malware or viruses.

Sure! Even if you just updated your scanner, a badguy can release something new the next minute. New malware is typically out in the wild for some time - often days or longer before the anti-malware community becomes aware of it. And that is usually only after some one has been infected and reported it. Then they have to learn how to detect and identify it, then write the definition/signature files and get that out to us users.

This is why illegal filesharing via P2P sites and torrents is so frowned upon by the security community - it is not just about stealing software, songs and videos. Badguys use these sites to release and distribute their new malicious code because they know many who participate in such risky activities are also less likely to practice safe computing, and therefore, their infected files will be widely disbursed rapidly before the anti-malware community can react. This is why a key component of practicing safe computing is for the user (always the weakest link) to avoid risky practices like participating in illegal filesharing or visiting sites badguys are known to wallow in, such as P2P sites that allow illegal filesharing and illegal porn and gambling sites, chat rooms, social networks, and the like.

And some viruses are known to be hidden within a file.

Ummm, not sure what you mean here. Virtually all viruses and other malware are hidden in files. Viruses don't go running around announcing their presence with self-describing filenames.

 

[MindoverMaster]

All torrents are not bad. It depends upon how you go about getting them. There are Linux distros that are perfectly safe to torrent. Now, if you were to download something with a crack, that is entirely different.

Well, there are stealth and polymorphic viruses that trick your Scanner into thinking that it is safe.

Computer virus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit: Please stay on topic. Help the OP.

 

[Digerati]

All torrents are not bad.

Ummm, I did not say all torrents are bad. I did not say anything about torrents being good or bad. I said, "illegal filesharing via P2P sites and torrents is" because, "badguys use these sites to release and distribute their new malicious code". Big difference. Please don't twist my words around.

...there are stealth and polymorphic viruses that trick your Scanner into thinking that it is safe.

Well, sure. Lots of the more cleverly coded malware attempts to trick your scanners. That's a primary goal of malicious code writers - to not be detected. Not sure of your point there either. They still don't announce their presence and are typically distributed disguised as or within safe or friendly file names - all the more reason to manually scan new downloads with a supplemental scanner.

Edit: Please stay on topic. Help the OP.

Okay. I assume you are addressing yourself too, right? Noting this thread has via a natural course turned to Curbkiddytech's anti-malware solution - or potential lack thereof, I think "our" side discussion is not far OT. He can jump back in at any time and I hope he does because to that, until he replies in response to my quiry about his version of Spyware Doctor, we don't know if he does or does not have a complete real-time anti-malware solution. And since malware could be part of his excessive memory use, I think my line of inquiry is in line with helping the OP. And to that point, I think it best to curtail this tangent line of discusion now until we do learn which version of SD he has.

 

[kmote]

Alright guys, it is possible that the OP has a virus but that is only one theory. Until the OP gets back to us, we can do little more.

EDIT: main point - there's no need to argue

 

[Digerati]

Sorry, no argument intended. Just trying to clear some of the confusion (in my mind anyway).