The bottomline is that viruses sometimes try to hide by pretending to be legitimate Windows system applications running in background. Sometimes they replace the application, sometimes they have a name similar to that of a legitimate application. However an up-to-date AVS running in real time will catch these so if you're not getting a virus warning you're probably OK. What you have to watch out for are poorly written legitimate programs that open multiple instances of a Windows app like svchost.exe and never close it when done with it. That eats your memory up. Network devices often require this particular app running in background all the time so you're probably OK.

0

Thanks everyone, well my svchosts don't really take up any cpu usage its just that they take up a whole lot of RAM. I use spybot, adaware, and McAfee AV and they don't really catch anything so I guess I'm okay... Peace

0

I would do 2 more checks. ewido security suite free for Windows 2000/XP http://www.ewido.net/en/features/ http://www.ewido.net/en/download/ Please use the online update after the installation. Only then can the recent signature database be transferred and installed. Extract from link below, I use Avast myself. http://www.avast.com/i_idt_153.html http://www.avast.com/iavs4pro/setupeng.exe Reregister after 14 months free use ( Still stays free ) http://www.avast.com/i_kat_207.php?lang=ENG Home edition is a full-featured antivirus package designed for home usage. Our company offers Home Edition free of charge. "By combining the free AVG anti-virus scanner, the free version of Ewido anti-Trojan scanner and the free Microsoft Antispyware scanner, I managed to achieve a 95% detection rate against a particularly nasty set of 104 assorted malware products that I had downloaded from P2P networks." By combining the free AVG anti-virus scanner, the free version of Ewido anti-Trojan scanner and the free Microsoft Antispyware scanner, I managed to achieve a 95% detection rate against a particularly nasty set of 104 assorted malware products that I had downloaded from P2P networks. Ewido Security Suite Setup: Version 3.5 http://rstones12.geekstogo.com/ewidosetup.htm http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/issue122.htm http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/issue123.htm http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/back_issues.htm Trojan and Spyware Tool -- Ewido Security Suite http://georgeh123.blogspot.com/2005/09/trojan-and-spyware-tool-ewido-security.html Microsoft Antispyware http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4466.html

0

Thanks a lot, well I tried everything and it did find one piece of spyware and some tracking cookies, but nothing really big... Peace

0