# changing passwords after trojan virus removal



## alugal (Dec 18, 2001)

Hello again helpful people!
Thanks so very much for your help in the past. You folks are real family! Now I need advice on the best way to go about changing passwords. I just cleaned a trojan virus from my computer, and I am advised that trojans can steal passwords and credit card numbers. How do you advise me to best go about changing passwords? Please be very simple in the answer, as I am fairly new to the cyber world.
Thanks from a deeply grateful friend, Tom


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## beach51 (May 18, 2001)

Hi Tom,Before you go ahead and change passwords i would install a firewall(Zone alarm)to see if anything is dailing home so to speak.The firewall will stop anyone who tries to access for computer and will also stop anything trying to access the internet from your computer.Go to this site and download the free firewall.

www.zonealarm.com


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

Since the Trojan has already been in, and has been removed, installing a firewall, although a good idea in the long run, is a little late.

re: passwords.

You need to go to every site that you have logged into, ESPECIALLY sensitive sites, like online banking, stock, etc.

Each of these, on their login page, should have the capability to allow you to change your password. On each site, select this option and change your password.

If you had any confidential files on your PC that referenced bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc., you should monitor these accounts closely for a period of time. It is entirely possible that even though you had a trojan installed, that you were not actually compromised by an intruder. 

BUT, in the event that an outsider had access to your PC, they could view anything they wanted. And, again, they may or may not use that information.


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## alugal (Dec 18, 2001)

Thank you both for your timely replies. I will follow your advise. As for using zone alarm, I have had that installed for some time as well as McAfee. The Trojan seems to have come from an email from "Linda" purporting to have won an auction I had on ebay.
Again I am in your debt! Thanks so much!!


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