Security Error

[zaineyma]

a laptop has come up on startup with a message that the police are looking at the laptop and they will be in touch with me, the web cam on the laptop also switches on. I cant get past this message to get into windows. The laptop is clean, doesnt have any data and for the record there is nothing on there that would cause this to happen. Nobody has been in touch but i will assume this is a virus of some sort or some hacking software? I intend to wipe the hard drive if i can and then rebuild it, is this the best way and has anybody come across this error before?
The laptop is a stand alone but on a home broadband wireless network. Again, nothing has been done or happened on this laptop for anything of this type to be real.

 

[MarcLodge]

It's a virus. I've seen this one before and it's quite difficult to get rid of. If the'res very little on the machine then a rebuild might be the best bet.

 

[zaineyma]

Many thanks, just been told they did a rebuild but it came back, any idea why or where from so to avoid? laptop is used for browsing, media and general ms office stuff.

 

[MarcLodge]

I'm not sure where this comes from but I believe it's malware rather than a virus, not that I really understand the definition.

I think that there are many different flavours of this, some more difficult to get rid of than others. If you type 'metropolitan police virus' into Google, you'll get a number of links with a lot of information and potential cures.

Marc

 

[goombawaho]

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1686883

 

[rclarke250]

It's a scam, there is one that says its the FBI, and crap, and to pay 200.00 to unlock it, Since you say there is nothing on the laptop, Format it, and lay down a new install.

 

[Sympology]

Here's what I recommend.
Rebuild your pc off the network.
Then
Reset your router to Factory Default
Connect to the router using a cable.
Create a new SSID on the wireless for it and make sure you are using WPA2 with a new passcode (not the default one supplied).
Change the admin password on the router.
Make sure the firewall is on.

Next if when rebuilding you pc use trusted media.
Install windows and patch it right away.
Install no other software until you have it fully patched and a firewall on.
Make sure you have a trusted AV and anti-malware installed
Run a system restore point.
On your browsers, turn on the smart-screening type stuff.
Then add programs you required from trusted media.

As you see I emphasize the trusted media bit, you never know if that USB you've always used has somehow become infected.

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

http://alvechurchlounge.org.uk

 

[goombawaho]

I wouldn't rebuild your PC without trying to remove it. It's not that hard core of malware if you can find where it's launching from and/or use Rogue Killer to kill it off. It doesn't put many tentacles into your systems so it should be clean once the main vein is removed.

 

[rclarke250]

Sympology, not understanding why you would do all that work with the wireless ssid? And the router. Unless you know there is another machine that is compromised on your network? In which case, you didn't tell the OP to clean all other computers on the network. Why would you change your admin password? unless you thought it was compromised? If you have a decent router, with decent security, you would have remote and wireless access turned off. So unless someone is walking up and plugging directly into the router, they couldn't change anything anyways.