So, I did an obligatory virus/malware scan, which I've been doing since my previous virus scare. And low and behold, I find a trojan. Not much of a trojan, mind you, and it was taken out swiftly and with ease, but a trojan nonetheless. So I suppose my question is how is this possible?

I'm running Firefox 3 with its built-in fishing and malware dealies, running the ad-block and flashblock extensions, 3rd party cookies turned off, and not frequenting sites of ill-repute. I'm also running Spybot: Search & Destroy and Spyware Blaster to block negative cookies and websites/etc. Plus ZoneAlarm for the inbound/outbound access (with nothing allowed that shouldn't be).

I have Avast running on full protection, it's literally deep-scanning every file I touch on a second by second basis. While SpywareGuard, BoClean, and TeaTimer run by its side (and they're fully compatible when running together). All of them have been fully updated. And I haven't been downloading many files outside of safe program updates.

How could it slip through those defenses? And/or what else could I be doing?

 

Meh, it happens. All I have is AVG free, and I download loads of stuff (even stuff that could be seen as iffy in the virus department), but all I've got is one trojan downloader outbreak in 6 months.
Don't see the point in maintaining so many anti-virus programs at once myself.
Then again, better safe than sorry.

 

the only way to avoid virii is to use an OS that can't be effected by them like linux.

 

Do other people have access to your computer? That could also be a factor. Little Timmy might be downloading all sorts of dangerous PC-killing junk behind your back.

Also. Is your computer running from its very first boot up, or have you reformatted and reinstalled your OS? I know that many computers nowadays come with spyware and other crap preinstalled, so maybe it is picking up on that?

Failing everything else, it could be a false positive.

 

I know! I know a little kid and he asked me why his DS ROM was a .exe and like 1MB .