How I got my pc infected with malware and virus

Today I would like to explain how is it that our computers get infected with malware, spyware and viruses.

As many computer users that we are, we tend to look for things that we need, and Google is one of the place that we go first to find what we are looking.

I was troubleshooting a computer, it looked like it was a hard drive issue.  Like any other computer tech, i went to Google.com to find a program that would tell me if this Hard Drive was working ‘ok’ or not.

1. After searching, I came up with a forum that suggested a program to repair bad sectors on hard drives.  
2. After  I clicked the link I got presented with the Softonic webpage.
3. This website is full of ads and ‘click me‘ images to take you to download other software that you don’t want.  The owner of this website does this, to make revenue to pay for the hosting of the website and other services that cost money.  Clicking the wrong link in this page can easily take you to another page that will make you download malware and spyware.
4. After spending some time trying to figure out witch link will take me to the original download. I went and click to download the program that I wanted, HDD Regenerator.  Then I got presented with this page: 
5. I this page, We see the same issue, lots of ads and “click-me’ images to change and redirect a users click.  Again, taking some time reading all the small letters and making sure I click the right button, i went and started the download.
6. The download was quick and easy, then I went and double click the downloaded program to start the install process.  I got presented with this: 
7. Its a Down loader that will take me through a wizard so i can start the download of my program.  After I accepted the terms, got this: 
8. Two options to install my software, I have to select custom, if I select express (Recommended) I will also install the extra program, that is most likely malware or spyware. Click next then I get this: 
9. Selecting the Recommended setting, will also install PC Speed Maximizer, witch I know is a virus and malware.  Selecting the custom option will give you the option to not install the malware program.  After that last option I am presented with a “Thank you for downloading with Softonic”  and my program got downloaded to the desktop. 
10. After all that trouble I finally got the program and I went and installed it, and managed to get it going.  But what if I instead of going with the first option and using the down loader, search for the program, and manually download it?
11. Here I go to google.com and search the name of the recommended program:
12. I get results related to the name of the program.  I also get a link to the program home page, the ‘second option’  That link takes me to the download page of HDD Regenerator. 
13. This page provides a quick introduction to what HDD Regenerator is and does.  if I scroll down, there is a link to actually download the program from the authors website. 
14. Clicking in the download link, it will actually download the program.  The same program but with different ways to download.

What I Learned

1. Before I download a program from a website that has lots of ads and “click me” images, google the program and see if you can download the program from the authors website.
2. If when you are installing a program you are given the option to install other programs, always select Custom and Un-check all the other program options that are given.  Examples: toolbars, downloaders, optimizer’s or programs to speed up your pc.
3. MOST IMPORTANT research programs that you are trying to install.  Here is an example:
4. A quick Search for the name of the program will give you results.  Negative results show the nature of the program.
5. This is my little tutorial on how malware spyware and viruses get in your computer.  Installing the extra programs will install malware and spyware.

Enjoy!  Comments and questions are welcome. 🙂