Has my laptop been hacked?

chops018

So, the last few weeks some random thing pops up on my laptop when I boot it up. Pops up and goes away too quick for me to see what exactly it is.

Have been ignoring it but then this evening the windows cmd just randomly opened for a few seconds. Nothing happened, but then I think some text quickly came up and then it closed.

Any ideas on what's going on?

Also, if so, what can I do to fix it?

Thanks.

New Home

I can't help you, bar suggesting that you could film the screen while booting up your computer - then you could play it back in slow-motion to be able to read the pop-up message.

chops018

Thanks for the suggestion. Just film the screen using my phone or is there a program I can get to record?

Running MalwareBytes, gonna see if that turns up anything!

New Home

I'd say use your phone.

chops018

Bumping this as I now have what it says.

A box comes up on the screen for a second then disappears:


"SPUpdate.exe

An error occurred in the application.

Continue application.
Restart application.
Close application.

Send bug report. Save bug report. Show bug report."


That comes up a few minutes after I turn the computer on each time. I shut it down when I have finished using it for the day.

Any ideas?

wexie

Well it doesn't look like from here....

https://www.google.ie/search?q=SPUpdate.exe&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIE787IE787&oq=SPUpdate.exe&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I'd probably start with updating and running Malware Bytes, another one I like using is spybot.

Good luck!!!

EDIT....hangon, some other articles are suggesting this may actually be part of Malware Bytes?

http://www.freefixer.com/library/file/SPUpdate.exe-230937/

https://www.windowsprocess.com/en/p/spupdate-exe/

maybe just try updating and running that first.

chops018

So it's not hacked as such, just a virus?

I ran malware bytes a while ago when I first saw it popping up, but it's still happening. It was an old version though.

Do you suggest downloading the latest version and using that?

I will possibly download and use spybot too.

Thanks btw.

wexie

Yeah start with a new version of Malware Bytes.

The first couple of links seem to be perhaps a bit less trustworthy than the ones suggesting it's part of Malware Bytes.

Maybe just do a search and see where the file is located.

chops018

Ok, will have a go at the above in the morning. Bit late to be starting now.

Thanks for the help!

Fathom

Suggest Spring Cleaning: Update OS Update browsers Update virus program Clear router Defrag & optimize Run virus scanner Download free Ccleaner Run Ccleaner (including registry) Reboot Anything different?

New Home

Fathom, how do you clear the router?

Fathom

New Home wrote: »

Fathom, how do you clear the router?

I kill the power. Mine loses its little mind.

chops018

Fathom wrote: »

Suggest Spring Cleaning:
Update OS
Update browsers
Update virus program
Clear router
Defrag & optimize
Run virus scanner
Download free Ccleaner
Run Ccleaner (including registry)
Reboot

Anything different?

I know how to do most on that so will give it a try also, thanks. Updating the OS - is that necessary?

New Home

Ah, ok, thanks. I thought it was something more arcane.

Fathom

chops018 wrote: »

Updating the OS - is that necessary?

Mine is on auto-update. If you have not updated your OS recently, you could be vulnerable.

CalamariFritti

I assume this is windows.

Have a look in your registry. Cant remember exact location but something along HKLM/Microsoft/Windows/Explorer/Run & RunOnce & RunOnceEx or such. Sorry I cant quite remember 100% and cant check, I'm on a mac. Maybe easier just go to top level and hit Ctrl+F for search then search for RunOnce. Should bring you to above location. There are typically three keys to look out for Run, RunOnce & RunOnceEx. There are program entries in there that automatically run with every Windows start. Look for the entry for your spupdate.exe and remove the entry. Don't remove the Run & RunOnce & RunOnceEx keys themselves or other values (entries) in them. These are legit and required by windows for other stuff.

But before you do that note the location of the file. Will probably be some weird path in your local app data or some temp folder or so. Anyway like I said remove the entry. Boot up again. Should not pop up then. Then go to the remembered location with Explorer and delete the entire folder where that thing is in. Unless of course its a common or system folder like c:\windows\system32 or so. Then delete the spupdate.exe file only.

Reinstalling windows will work too but is a bit of sledge hammer method.

Always helps to keep windows up-to-date and have windows defender or whatever their anti virus/malware kit is called these days installed. Its quite decent. Better again install Linux instead or buy Mac.