Would you like to learn to fight malware?

[Malware Removal Specialist]

Are you serious about becoming a Malware Removal Specialist at Computer Hope?

Below is a list of classrooms that you can apply to for learning how to fight malware.

Online schools/academies: These are in no particular order and there are other good schools out there that you can join.

- GeekPolice Academy
- Geek University (GeekU)
- BleepingComputer's Study Hall
- SpywareInfo Bootcamp
- Tech Support Forum Academy
- What the Tech Classroom

Remember this is not a quick process. It involves a lot of reading and research. It takes time patience and most of all dedication. Learning is self paced and there is no big hurry to advance. Enrolling and attending one of these online schools is completely free and the only real way to learn about the tools we use. We welcome new helpers but malware has grown to be big business and become so complex that normal antivirus and antispyware tools, in many cases, are not enough.

If there are any questions about any of these schools feel free to ask here.

Anyone interested in joining the crew must have a good amount of experience and submit references to CBMatt (Chris) or evilfantasy (Kevin) in a PM for further approval. If you already have experience in malware removal feel free to send a PM saying you would like to help or PM a Malware Removal Specialist.

Be prepared with the following information:

* Forum(s) you activiely assist/train at.
* Username(s) used on the forum(s).
* What level of training you're at if not graduated.
* The name (screen name) of a trainer who will vouch for you.

Posting advice without having the title "Malware Removal Specialist" under your user name in the Computer Viruses and Spyware forum will get your post edited or deleted as the wrong advice is too risky for the users we are trying to help.

Good luck and we look forward to having you join our team.

<admin edit> URL removal requested and done.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

I applied to Geeks Univ. last week and still haven't heard anything. Should I apply to a different school?

[Malware Removal Specialist]

It can take some time for them to reply. Be sure to check your PM inbox at G2G. If you don't hear something within a few more days you can PM Kat and inquire. Being summer, work schedules, family time, vacations etc., they get pretty busy. Patience is always best.

I'm already on MRU.
I've been there for 6 months already.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

I'm already on MRU.
I've been there for 6 months already.

It's not a fast process....

The Tech Support Forum Academy has stopped taking new trainees for the summer of 2008. They needed a break.

I was on Tech support aswell, they gave me the address of MRU, Its very good I must say.

So- do these teach people how to use malware removal programs, or how to remove malware? personally I find removing malware myself to be quite a rewarding experience, although I must admit it is somewhat frustrating- around every three months or so I notice rundll32 running in my process list, which is a sure sign I'll be occupied for at least 45 minutes afterward- using a few malware removal tools, and those being unsuccessful, some manual investigation with REGEDIT and REGMON (I love that program. so useful), and maybe FILEMON if I find the need.



My weapons? a intimate knowledge of the registry, and a desire to eliminate these threats myself. Why, just this morning I removed some autorun entries twice in recovery console, only to find them reappear. I used REGMON to discover that WINLOGON was constantly writing to the autorun key the two malware values, so I immediately look in the HKLM\software\microsoft\windows nt\current version\winlogon\notify key to find that a new dll has decided to nest there. deleting all three DLL files at once in recovery console, as well as removing these registry entries in safe mode, and removing the relevant CLSID's from HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid has returned everything to normal. Strange thing was this was all caused by Firefox not loading a page more then once. As well as the friendly Ad aware SE telling me I had 8 threats (oh good, it'll get rid of these strange auto run keys)- nope. just bloody cookies. I guess they were newer malware as well, because Fix-it utilities didn't pick up any threats other then cookies either.

As I've said far too many times however- I kind of like being in total control of exactly what happens when the malware is removed. Far to often I find overzealous anti-virus or anti-malware doing things that are completely unnecessary, or deciding that what I REALLY wanted to do was defragment my hard drive, or something equally unhelpful in the context of malware removal. So I go solo, with no on-demand scanner (which I would have no choice but to install with IE- another topic altogether). people have called me foolish, and I can do nothing but agree at least partly.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

This is my view/experience so far.

There are different levels of learning. I say learning instead of training because if you aren't going to be self sufficient then it will be a difficult experience. Some people who work for the popular AV vendors and some who develop the specialized tools have went through the process as well. You will learn how and when to use a large variety of tools as well as ways of ridding the malware with very few tools like you described above. All of this is done in an internet help forum style. You don't just say how it can be fixed, you have to lay it out as you would in the Computer Viruses and Spyware forum helping someone who doesn't know much more than how to click on pop-ups.

With the knowledge you have now it would probably be pretty interesting for you. There is a ton of information to look through even for the beginner. The further you advance the more you will gain access to the more powerful tools. It's usually best to read through the different threads for a few hours a day (or more) before even attempting to turn in your first practice log.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

EF, it doesn't look as if I'll be able to get into any of these courses until sometime in the fall. Could you please recommend some reading/training material the I could study until that time?
Edit: Within a few hrs. of posting this I received confirmation from MRU and I can start training immediately.

[Web moderator]

I applied at MRU over a week ago, but I havent heard anything. Should I wait or apply at a different one?

[Malware Removal Specialist]

Last admissions were done on the 18th June 2008 at 24:00 BST.

I would give it some more time. They will probably look over applications within another week or so.

[Web moderator]

Okay. Thank you for replying.

[Web moderator]

Just got accepted into MRU. Thanks for the link.

I also applied for MRU  too but did not get any response ,my bad luck. looking for another one.

[Web moderator]

I also applied for MRU  too but did not get any response ,my bad luck. looking for another one.

How long have you been waiting?

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

It can often take up to a week to get accepted, sometimes longer during the summer.  Just be patient and I'm sure you'll hear something from them soon enough.  If not, you can always try applying somewhere else.

[Web moderator]

It can often take up to a week to get accepted, sometimes longer during the summer.  Just be patient and I'm sure you'll hear something from them soon enough.  If not, you can always try applying somewhere else.

Yep... Took about 2 weeks for me and I applied in the start of "summer".