is this a virus?

DamoKen

Hi, noticed a change to the standard XP theme recently that I know I haven't made. Ran antivir,spybot, adaware & stinger none of which turned up anything. Plus have zonealarm running & take usual precautions opening downloads etc so not sure where this is coming from. Anyway, and try not to laugh. The actual change is on the WinXP logon page, the one with user accounts visible and the turn off link down in the bottom left hand corner. The turn off link should read "Turn off computer" but instead it reads "Turn off cnuts"!
Change the spelling slightly on the last word there and you'll get what it is, no prizes mind.
Googled this to see if I could find any mention but just got links to mainly p0rn sites plus the odd crazy blog rant. Haven't noticed a slowdown in my pc overall but I don't particularly like when stuff is being changed around without me doing it, so would be really interested if anyone has seen this before?

cheers

r3nu4l

Have you received any virus warnings in the past or cleaned off any virus? Sometimes these things leave small payloads behind that aren't removed during cleaning.

Try downloading and running 'HiJack this'. Do not hit the 'fix' button. Instead post your log on theCastleCops website. It will take a few days for them to answer but these guys are very good and should be able to sort the problem or at least remove any other nasties that may be lurking about. You have to register to use the site but registration is free and they don't spam you.

frodo_dcu

NO!

This not a virus, if have more than one account or just added one then one of these people has done this as joke.

right click the my computer icon on your desktop click properties, then the computer name tab. In the the computer discription box you will see the **bad word** you mentioned just change it to fix this

LOL i laughed so much when i read this

r3nu4l

frodo_dcu wrote:

NO!

This not a virus, if have more than one account or just added one then one of these people has done this as joke.

right click the my computer icon on your desktop click properties, then the computer name tab. In the the computer discription box you will see the **bad word** you mentioned just change it to fix this

LOL i laughed so much when i read this

Ah, *penny drops*, I didn't read the post properly...my bad I thought the OP was saying that the message appeared after clicking 'turn off computer' in the start menu. I thought it was appearing on the options box, "Turn off (rude word)" "Stand By" "Hibernate"!

Yes OP, frodo_dcu has gotten it right. It was so simple I overlooked it, this is just someone having a laugh. You will need to log in as administrator to remove/rename the account

DamoKen

cheers for the answers lads, thing is the only account I've added is that of my girlfriend who is how shall we say computer illiterate and has trouble logging on let alone changing any properties. No one else has access to the machine as it's in my house. I know it's easy enough to change the standard look or messages displayed, first thought that occured when I saw this was simply to change back to what it had been.
As I know neither of us changed it though I was just wondering if anyone had heard of a virus, worm etc that may do stuff like this? As it is this seems fairly harmless and easy to fix, but how did it happen in the first place?
Hmm, on reflection I did pick up 1 worm last week during a routine scan, can't remember the name but got rid of it anyway.
Maybe this was the cause?

r3nu4l wrote:

You will need to log in as administrator to remove/rename the account

The account is fine by the way r3nu4l, both accounts are shown in the centre of the screen, it's the turn off option down in the left hand corner that's changed. Anyway I'll go into My Computer this evening and see if it's just the description that's changed. Again cheers guys

rOBeRt frETt

It was me! I did it while yer back was turned, I live behind your couch, and I'll be dammed before I let any of you cnuts judge me!!