Possible Audacity Virus?

[Sweet Dreamer]

I just recently discovered a problem with my Audacity recordings. I have no clue what's causing it but I suspect it's due to some sort of virus. I also don't know if this is specific to Audacity but I thought I'd pass along my observations and see if anyone else has experienced this.

I first noticed this when a strange icon showed up in one of my music folders. I never saw that icon before and thought it was suspicious. So I started looking around and what I noticed is that all the Audacity data files are "locked" now. When I look in the data folder at all the b000.au files they all have a little padlock on them. They never used to have that. In fact, I looked back at my older recordings and none of them have the padlock.

For some reason, now all of my Audacity data files are being "locked". I've also had a few other strange experiences such as strange song titles and composer names showing up on my recordings.

Other than this Audacity seems to still working properly. I can still record with it and save the recordings as mp3 files. But I don't like all these locked files and I'm highly suspicious of what's going on.

So I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

When you record with Audacity look in the Data folder and see if those b000 files have a padlock on them. As far as I know they shouldn't. They never did before. This has only just started happening for me since yesterday.

I looked through the audacity preferences and can't find any way to remove this locking feature. I'm also not even sure what it does. It appears that I can delete these 'locked' files without a problem. But I know this isn't right.

So if anyone has ever experienced something similar with Audacity please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[kevgermany]

Have you asked/searched the audacity forum?

http://forum.audacityteam.org/

 

[MandyH]

I don't see any little padlocks on any of my audacity files.

 

[rudjarl]

I have not registered any padlocks on Audacity files either. But when I save mixdowns with names that matches well known titles, album art and such alike is automatically downloaded to where the file is. I suspect it is "Windows Media Player" that is the culprit and not Audacity. Perhaps it is something similar with you.

 

[Sweet Dreamer]

Have you asked/searched the audacity forum?

http://forum.audacityteam.org/

I'm on really slow dial-up so I'll go check them out, but it will take a while. Thanks for the link.

 

[Sweet Dreamer]

Ok, I posted the problem on the Audacity forum in the Windows forum. It's awaiting approval to be posted. I'll report back what they say when they finally respond.

 

[Sweet Dreamer]

Evidently I have a virus on my computer in general. It's starting to padlock out everything including my documents folder, etc.

I just did a system restore to an earlier date, and that unlocked all my folders, but Audacity is still creating locked files when I record, so evidently the virus is still active. They aren't really locked out though, they just have the padlock icon on them.

Anyway, I thought this might be specific to Audacity but I guess it's just a general virus. I might need to do an entire system restore to get rid of it altogether. That won't be too bad since this is a fairly new computer.

Sorry if I alarmed anyone who uses Audacity. I don't think Audacity has anything to do with this virus other than it's being affected by it.

A virus attacking a computer in Heaven. Imagine that! Things are getting pretty darn bad. (ha ha)

 

[kevgermany]

Evidently I have a virus on my computer in general. It's starting to padlock out everything including my documents folder, etc.

I just did a system restore to an earlier date, and that unlocked all my folders, but Audacity is still creating locked files when I record, so evidently the virus is still active. They aren't really locked out though, they just have the padlock icon on them.

Anyway, I thought this might be specific to Audacity but I guess it's just a general virus. I might need to do an entire system restore to get rid of it altogether. That won't be too bad since this is a fairly new computer.

Sorry if I alarmed anyone who uses Audacity. I don't think Audacity has anything to do with this virus other than it's being affected by it.

A virus attacking a computer in Heaven. Imagine that! Things are getting pretty darn bad. (ha ha)

Computer viruses (calm down OG, it's common usage now) are a sad fact of life. Trouble is they're not only messing the machine up but their relative track passwords, account numbers, userids....

Only way is to run at least an anti-virus program. The free version of AVG is OK, so's the paid version. Avoid Macafee and Norton, you'll spend all your time wondering why web sites aren't working (they block at the slightest opportunity).

You may get lucky if you're on Windows, there's a Malicious software removal tool in it, it may just clean the machine for you. But I'd really recommend getting AVG.

 

[old git]

Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine never suffered from viruses, or anything.

 

[jonf]

Dowload Malwarebytes Anti Malware and run a full scan ASAP. It's more effective at dealing with problems than most anti-virus programs. They tend to work by trying to prevent viruses and when they're detected they mark them as problems, putting them more or less safe but not deleting them. Malwarebytes deletes them.

You should also ask yourself how you got a virus in the first place. Do you keep up to date AV software, with auto-updates set? Are you downloading risky files like executables, or opeining emails from unknown subjects with attachments, etc, etc?

 

[Tenor Viol]

Computer viruses (calm down OG, it's common usage now) ----snip--->

I assume this is a reference to the perennial question around 2nd, 4th, and possibly 5th declension plurals in English?

 

[kevgermany]

Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine never suffered from viruses, or anything.

Probably cos he never made it - and the one in the science museum is in a protected environment - no internet....

 

[kevgermany]

I assume this is a reference to the perennial question around 2nd, 4th, and possibly 5th declension plurals in English?

yes it is

 

[Tenor Viol]

yes it is

Thought so ;}

 

[Targa]

I had the free AVG on previous machine so when I got this one I downloaded the free 30 trial of the full version. When that expired I tried to download the free one but the free 30 day full one appeared again. See what happens when it expires this time.

 

[Sweet Dreamer]

You should also ask yourself how you got a virus in the first place. Do you keep up to date AV software, with auto-updates set? Are you downloading risky files like executables, or opeining emails from unknown subjects with attachments, etc, etc?

I actually run Norton anti-virus that came with my computer. But something went wrong.

I think I know exactly where I got the virus. I downloaded an executable program from a music site and installed it. It's a program that will play chord progressions. Unfortunately I didn't even like the program and I uninstalled it within the hour. But the damage had already been done evidently.

That had to be where the virus came from.

I also checked the Norton Settings, and for some reason it was turn OFF for scanning downloads. I have no idea how that got turned off.

In the meantime Norton doesn't seem to be able to recognize the virus now that it's "loose" on the computer. I'll have to use the Recovery Manager and start the computer from scratch, which means that I'll lose all my files and have to reinstall all my programs.

That's not as bad as it may seem since I use that computer almost entirely as a studio recorder.

I'm currently using a different computer.

These viruses are so disgusting. But I guess it was my fault for downloading that stupid music program. I didn't even like the program anyway. All that for nothing.

Typically I seldom download anything more than mp3 files or graphics. Or maybe youtube videos. But that's about it. And then emails of course, but I never even open junk mail. I only open mail that I know who it's from.

I make ONE MISTAKE, and PAID FOR IT!

I thought that music site was trustworthy, my mistake.

 

[jonf]

First off, reading back through my original reply, at looks a bit unsympathetic. It wasn't meant to be, you have my sympathies. It can happen to anyone. In a job a while ago the network got shut down as a result of a virus attack, and two day's work in a 1000 person organisation was lost. The culprit? The IT Director.

Have a try with Malwarebytes. If Norton isn't finding it, forget that. I've had good success with Malwarebytes cleaning up an infected PC. If that doesn't work, if I were you I'd go right back to basics and reformat the hard drive and do a rebuild from the operating system level. It's a pain in the arse.

If you have valuable files on the infected machine you could try copying them all to an external drive (you can get a half a tera onefor £25 these days). Then unplug the drive, rebuild the PC and separately virus check the drive on another PC. We have a stand alone 'sheep dip' machine at work for just that purpose, maybe you can access something similar.

 

[kevgermany]

On top of what Jon siad, if you're going to reformat the drive, do a low level format by bringing the machine up from the windows cd and delete the partitions, then recreate. But - as Jon said, copy the files to an exteranl drive and check that carefully. But do give malwarebytes a go first.

 

[Sweet Dreamer]

On top of what Jon siad, if you're going to reformat the drive, do a low level format by bringing the machine up from the windows cd and delete the partitions, then recreate. But - as Jon said, copy the files to an exteranl drive and check that carefully. But do give malwarebytes a go first.

I don't have a windows CD. Do you think I need to go that far? Won't a system recovery to square one do the job?

If I ask it to make a windows recovery CD now that recovery CD might be contaminated with the virus? I never made one when I first bought the computer, but I guess I should have. I haven't been as diligent as I should be I guess.

 

[Moz]

Avoid Macafee and Norton, you'll spend all your time wondering why web sites aren't working (they block at the slightest opportunity).

Been using Mcafee for years, never had a virus. It's fine and unblocking sites is easy. Better to have a blocked site that can be unblocked when you want to than to want to block a site when it's too late.

Norton has always messed up any computer I have ever owned so I'll agree with you there.

Cheers

Martin