ilivid

[Bernard321]

Just done a quick search and couldn't find much about this insidious program and all it's "extras". If you're unlucky enough to find it on your computer, then my advice is to get rid of it as soon as possible - but it may take you a while. It downloads itself onto your computer (in many instances without asking your permission because it comes secretly bundled with other programs) then sits there and sends info about you, the sites you visit and, I believe, even details of your passwords and credit card details).

I found it on my machine only when I ran the latest version of Spybot Search & Destroy, where it had invaded my registry with a number of pernicious entries which could not be deleted unless I did it manually (because the horrible thing is constantly working and needed to be closed down for Spybot to wipe it out).
By the way, all the other Security Software I run couldn't spot the thing, nor did they prevent it from downloading onto my PC.

After some research on the web I found more than a few angry individuals who's machines had suffered the same fate as my own, and who considered public hanging too lenient a sentence for the b*****ds who had unleashed their parasitic program onto the internet.

I think I've finally got rid of it, but I'm still worried that my machine may get infected again.

I'd be greatful if someone with a little more Computer experience than myself could give us a thorough way of getting rid of the thing.

[Gls50ful]

I found this at post #27 Rachel Sykes, and as much as I like Rachel, your timely post plus a bit of caution saved me. Much thanks.

Warning, Also Post # 2374 Rachel Sykes (She's Hot but the links very suspect).

[MrInBetween]

Originally Posted by Bernard321

Just done a quick search and couldn't find much about this insidious program and all it's "extras".

[...]

I think I've finally got rid of it, but I'm still worried that my machine may get infected again.

Though I've encountered similar problems, I haven't had to deal with this particular one myself, so this is a bit of a theoretical answer. I wonder if, in your search, you came across this page? As well as explaining what iLivid is and does, it lists some files and registry entries to delete and, in the comments down the bottom, someone says they found a way of removal, disguised, in their Control Panel. The page is touting the anti-spyware program Spyhunter; this requires purchasing before it will actually remove anything, but you could install the free trial version and see if it finds any traces of iLivid on your machine. It tells you the location of anything it finds, so you could then remove it by hand; I can't tell you if that's a good idea or not. It's probably what I'd do - but then I once trashed a hard disk by removing something that turned out to the FAT table, so perhaps you shouldn't listen to me...

Originally Posted by Gls50ful

I found this at post #27 Rachel Sykes, and as much as I like Rachel, your timely post plus a bit of caution saved me. Much thanks.

Warning, Also Post # 2374 Rachel Sykes (She's Hot but the links very suspect).

I had a look at where I thought you meant by your first reference and it led to a further post, which I think you've now added as your second one, so I hope I've got the right place. Anyway, the link was to multiupload, and it wanted to install a download manager. In The Rules it says we can't link to a file host that doesn't allow free downloads, but I wish there was a rule that we can't link to one that doesn't require the installation of software; it would save a lot of grief.

[Bernard321]

Thanks for that MrInBetween, but I believe I have removed everything from my machine now.

Hope this might be of use...
I first did a general search for ilivid on every hard disk and all partitions, and manually deleted everything to do with the program (folders & files including the compressed files by which it infects a machine).
Then did a search using the "free" program SpyBot Search & Destroy (latest version - older versions don't recognise the intruder) and came up with a short list of things to remove. I wiped out as much as possible using Spybot "FixIt" button, then did a second search to see if everything had gone. Unfortunately 3 entries were impossible to remove this way, and had buried themselves in my registry. Luckily Spybot gives a full location of anything it finds, so deleting these 3 "nasties" were easily dealt with by using "regedit" from the start button.

Unfortunately, some people may not realise they have ilivid on their machines because it is secretly bundled with other stuff when they download from the web.

By the way, this lousy little program also slows down your PC significantly, so if you find that your machine appears to be idling then it may be hiding a copy of this invader.

[MrInBetween]

Well, it was because you said you wanted a thorough way of getting rid of the thing that I thought you weren't 100% sure. You don't say what software you installed that caused the problem initially. I'd be interested to know because my computer has never been infected by anything. I feel reluctant to mention this, because as well as sounding arrogant, it's tempting fate. I'm regularly called on to eradicate all kinds of horrors from the machines of friends and relations, and these result much more from programs they've downloaded and installed themselves than from, say, not running virus checkers.

I'm addicted to free software and maybe I've just been lucky, but I think part of the reason is because the kind of stuff I want to install tends to be clean in the first place. If anyone has found their machine contaminated after installing IrfanView or Exact Audio Copy, I'd like to hear about it. I think it's the flashier programs that lure people in. Particularly I run right away from anything that wants to install a toolbar in my browser. Also if a file cannot be downloaded from a host without installing a download manager, I don't download that file. And when I do install something, I always select Custom Installation and make sure I've unticked the 'Also install...' box. I never let a program update automatically and weed out anything I find installed on my machine with a name like Google Update. And before I install any free program, I do a search to see if other people think it's likely to be malware or not.

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm trying to blame the victim, because I'm not. Like you, I'm worried that I might get infected and want to know as much about how and why it happens as I can. I'm too mean to shell out for a real-time anti-spyware shield, as opposed to running regular scans, but I haven't needed one so far; am I being over-confident?

[9876543210]

I have a candidate for where this "might" have come from. Rapidgator! It rarely works for me because of my FF security settings but just started to work a few days ago. At least for me it always wants to download a .exe before downloading the real file. If you recognize it wants to dl the .exe you have the opportunity to uncheck a box and then dl the real file.

Not impressed with this rapidgator site. It rarely works for me. So I'm thinking this may be where the spyware is coming from.

[ultimatewarlord]

About a year ago I noticed that just about every download site I visited had a disguised link to Ilivid. Click to download file and you were downloading Ilivid instead. It drove me potty but I started to get wise to it. Even watching streamed football they try to trick you with the 'Can't get picture? You're missing a plugin.' The sites that allow these scummers have much to answer for.

[buttsie]

Originally Posted by 9876543210

I have a candidate for where this "might" have come from. Rapidgator! It rarely works for me because of my FF security settings but just started to work a few days ago. At least for me it always wants to download a .exe before downloading the real file. If you recognize it wants to dl the .exe you have the opportunity to uncheck a box and then dl the real file.

Not impressed with this rapidgator site. It rarely works for me. So I'm thinking this may be where the spyware is coming from.

The rapidgator issue which is random is a known MALWARE issue
As to why they havent been banned like they were previously is anyones guess

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...&postcount=131

The illivid thingy has been around for a bit longer

The rule of thumb is pretty simple

If the downloads size doesnt match the file - dont download it - all of the bogus files are tiny
If the download has an exe on the end - dont download it.

If you get tricked by the shell game many hosts play with the different download buttons
as rapidgator does with its download manager has been labelled as a Malware
delete the download immediately - never try to run it

Running your browser sandboxed and something like no script on your browser is about the base minimum thesedays when venturing into any site trusted or not

Plenty of sites change hands or have lax security so hackers have a field day

IMHO you never have anysite listed as trusted even if you do
- the small amount of time saved is not worth the risk


As to those sites telling you you need a plug in never ever download from that site

Go to the source and check which version your using against what the latest is
If your up to date dont go back - nothing is worth playing Russian Roulette with your computer

[boneym]

I never bother with spyware and virus removal because I made a harddrive snapshot of my OS.
All data/videos/emails etc. go to drive D:\
Windows sits on C:\ and it was necessary to setup perfectly just once, then you make a byte-for-byte exact duplicate.
Whenever there is a virus or a spyware, I restore the snapshot and in 2 minutes the OS once more sits there, like a champ.

But the best thing about this is: New emails and updated documents are unaffected and can be continued to work with as if nothing happened, because they just have their respective links sitting on C:\. Only the files on D:\ themselves are unaffected by the restoration, and are beeing pointed at by the shortcuts.

[Darth Joules]

iLivid and its download manager is a well known piece of malware. Quite a lot of anti-virus packages aren't picking it up, Norton being one of them.

I just recently had to remove their incidious software from a friend's PC because it had hijacked his browsers so his homepage was always redirected to the iLivid.com site.