HouseCall phenomenon

[Votan]

Preamble: XP SP3, IE8, one HD C, one backup HD D, one USB drive . CRT monitor.

I had a problem of breach of security that wiped out my hard drive, my backup drive and my USB drive. I started feeling the effect of this problem about three weeks ago. I was limited literally to only three websites. Another phenomenon occurred, the monitor luminous intensity decreases sometimes to complete darkness. I had to turn off the monitor and wait at least one minute and turn it on again. This phenomenon happens when I am online. It happened rarely when I turn off the modem.

I tried to run Trend Micro HouseCall using the Java option (of course before the disks were wiped out). Here’s what I got:

I updated the script, or I thought I did. Then I clicked on scan now, this is what I got:

If I try to update the script again, I get the message:

“Verifying Java Version
Congratulations!
You have the recommended Java installed (Version 6 Update 13).”

If I continue, Trand Micro freezes at the point where it downloads the update files. At that point I was unable to go to the internet or run an antivirus.

My Zone Alarm is on but the strange thing about it is that it started to allow applications to go to the internet unchecked, e.g. windows explorer, control panel, acrobat distiller, word, excel, power point, and every other application that has no business whatsoever to go online. The nasty thing about it is that if I block one application from going online, the next time I check Zone Alarm it gets back online.

Another thing happened is that most of the folders were blocked and I could not open them, e.g. when I click to open the folder My Documents I get the message Access denied, you have no permission to open this folder. I am the only one who uses this computer and I have all administrator priviliges.

The same thing happens if I use the browser option.

At that point I decided to reformat the disk and reinstall fresh copy of windows. Mine is OEM SP2 from Dell. That did not cure the problem. Now I have a fully updated freshly installed windows and the stanza of Trend Micro java and freezing at the download updates is the same.

I do not know if this observation could be helpful to solve the problem. When I formatted the disk, I had two partitions, one is labeled C and the other one is about 8 GB without name. I could not delete the last one separately, I could not format it separately. Its trace disappears upon deleting partition C but it comes back upon setting up a new partition that was labeled automatically C. Could it be the case that the unnamed partition be the host of a nasty software that controls what I can do with my computer?

Any suggestion as how I could run HouseCall?

[Ferrit]

If you run zonealarm and trend micro together your asking for trouble to start .
You have not indicated of the computer is a Dell as well.
The 8 gig partition may be the restore partition.
Ifr you are sure it isnt and in doubt about whats on that partiition.
You can use Wipe or Zap and remove everything from the harddrive and start
with a new partition and a clean load of windows

[Votan]

I haven't thought about zap or wipe. I will do that. I did run HouseCall all the times with ZoneAlarm running. I never had a problem. As a matter of fact, I run HouseCall after I reinstalled windows and before I installed ZoneAlarm. The same stanza.

[Platypus]

I had two partitions, one is labeled C and the other one is about 8 GB without name. I could not delete the last one separately, I could not format it separately. Its trace disappears upon deleting partition C but it comes back upon setting up a new partition that was labeled automatically C.

Are you sure its size is 8GB? If it's 8MB, it will be the unallocated space Windows leaves when a drive is partitioned, to allow for future conversion to a Dynamic Disk.

[Votan]

Are you sure its size is 8GB? If it's 8MB, it will be the unallocated space Windows leaves when a drive is partitioned, to allow for future conversion to a Dynamic Disk.

Yes 8 MB. The question now, could anyone spawn a malicious sofware in that space of the disk and could not be detected?

[Platypus]

I don't think so, it's unallocated space. The drive clusters can contain data, but nothing can run from there (or even access that data I would think, short of using absolute address block reads through the BIOS or drive controller). And every drive partitioned under DD-capable Windows versions will have that unallocated space, I've never heard of it being used for any malicious purpose. If the drive is wiped using the utilities already mentioned, or DBAN, Eraser etc, any data that was there will also be removed.

[Votan]

Anybody can help me understand why I cannot run HouseCall on my computer? It keeps complaining about java and it freezes there.

Another issue, the monitor dims only when I go online.

Help please

My XP is Dell SP2, updated to SP3.

[NooNoo]

go here and check you have the right java.

Important Notes about HouseCall 6.5
HouseCall 6.5 has two independent Core Engines to choose from:

1.The ActiveX Core Engine: to use this engine, please adjust here the IE browser’s Security level to Medium at least and be sure that signed ActiveX objects are enabled.

2.The Java VM Core Engine- to use this engine, please install the Java VM from www.java.com

Does the activex version work?

[Votan]

Yes I have the correct Java. Here's what I got:

Verifying Java Version
Congratulations!
You have the recommended Java installed (Version 6 Update 13).

still not luck.

[NooNoo]

Does the activex version work?

[Votan]

There is no activex in housecall folder, house call is not downloading it. this is a screenshot where it freezes. Notice the page is truncated and there is not vertical sliding bar. With or without zone alarm the same stanza.

The Java icon does not last for long in the tray.

I tried to restore windows. It does not restor. This is a new fresh installation of XP2 using Dell CD and updated with SP3 download from microsoft.

[NooNoo]

Which browser are you using? Have you tried another?

[Votan]

I have ie8. I had ie6. the same stanza. It is really a puzzle.

[NooNoo]

Try it in firefox.

[slgrieb]

Running Housecall 6.5 you should see an option to run a java scan or an Active X scan when you use the online scan. If you are using a version of Housecall installed on your computer, you need to be aware that your version contains security flaws that make it a potential backdoor for hackers. It's possible you might have a damaged download as well. Currently, TrendMicro only offers v. 7 of Housecall, not the older versions

If you want to run Housecall, you should go to their site and use the v. 7 Beta. Alternatively, you could run Eset's online scan or, even better, download and run a trial of NOD32.

http://cyberinsecure.com/trend-micro...tivex-control/