While social networking is all the craze, I was skeptical as to whether I wanted to open my life to the world. After much debate I set up my Facebook page where I soon was inundated with friend requests from friends, relatives and past classmates that I had not seen in many years.
I have to admit I did like the instant update into their lives and appreciated the globalness to one small status update. That is until one day I received a friend request from a friend of a friend. Since I knew the person I accepted the request. Within an hour I had received a message from my new friend telling me I must run the attached video because it was something that I really had to see.
I clicked on the link and after a momentary pause a box popped up telling me the file was not available. I was a little annoyed but continued on with my day. At the end of the day I again logged onto Facebook attempting to check the status of my new found, and long since heard from, friends.
As my wall appeared I was shocked to see that while I was not even on Facebook 'I' had sent out many messages to just about all of my friends telling them to view this non-existent video. This action of clicking on this video file had unleashed a virus like none I have ever seen. Not only did it mess up my PC but also that of many of my friends that did not get my "HALT" message that I had put in my status to attempt to warn them. So while my Facebook repeatedly sent out this same message over and over now also did some of my friends to their friends which included me. As quickly as they came I deleted as fast as I could and repeatedly put a warning in my status hoping to help as many as I could from this mess.
Thus began my search for Free Anti Virus Software. In my search for solutions, the help center within Facebook was not much of a help. Everything that was suggested was to no avail. And it was not just Facebook that was affected but I also acquired a Google search re-direct. For those that don't know what a re-direct is, I would enter a search term and upon selection of a site I wanted to visit I would not connect there but be re-directed to a site that wanted to sell me something. This virtually eliminated the ability to search the internet.
My rescue came with the save of the day by finding free anti virus software that would remove those nasty implants and restore my system to a functioning productive piece of business equipment. Now the real reason to read this article is for the free software locations that were my savior.
The first was superantispyware.com A free download that scans and deletes infected files. Second was malwarebytes.org. Another free download that in a short time cleared the remaining diseases on my system giving me back the ability to Google and go once again.
In this day of things rarely being free these two gems are ones that you will want to download, run, and savor, for all the goodness they bring to your life. And as for Facebook... once clear of infection, quick change your password, apologize to your friends, and refuse to click on any file that is not explained in detail from a trustworthy source.
