PLEASE READ: Am I Infected is Closed. Help is going back to Virus Removal Forum

After much discussion, it has been decided that we are closing the Am I Infected forum for the time being. For those who wish to receive malware removal assistance, you should instead follow the steps in this topic to create a help request in the Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Assistance Forum.

I know that many of our members will be disappointed by this announcement and I wanted to give our reasons for closing the forum.

When BleepingComputer first started offering malware removal assistance we created the Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Assistance Forum as a method for our visitors to receive one-on-one assistance from helpers that we know have been trained in malware removal. In this forum only the topic starter and those in the Malware Response Team are able to provide malware removal assistance.

As malware removal may in many cases require the used of advanced, and potentially damaging, tools, registry fixes, and file deletions, we felt this was the safest method.

To facilitate the ability to provide timely assistance for those wish to receive help, we developed tools so that no one would be left waiting for long and so helpers would be alerted to those who need assistance.

As time went on, the amount of logs quickly overwhelmed the amount of available helpers. To help speed up the help process, we created the Am I Infected forum as a temporary triage that people can come and receive help from any member, rather than just trained members. If the user was unable to be helped in that forum, then they were referred to the Virus Removal forum.

The Am I Infected forum was never meant to be a permanent forum and was simply a way to help those who didn't want to wait for a response in the Malware removal forum.

Fast forward to now, where Windows 10 has done a much better job at keeping people protected, security software has gotten better, and malware has gotten more stealthy (people don't even know they are infected), and we are seeing fewer malware removal requests. At the same time, the Am I Infected forum has become somewhat of a free-for-all where it is hard to monitor the support our visitors are receiving.

Due to this, we are now closing that forum until it's needed again and having all virus removal requests go through our original Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Assistance Forum.

If we become overwhelmed again, we will open the Am I Infected forum again to act as a triage. For those who currently help in AII and enjoy doing so, I want to thank you for everything you have done there. While I know this may not be desirable for some, this is the best solution for our visitors who need help receiving removing malware.

For those who want to continue helping, we do offer a training program where anyone can sign up and learn how to remove malware. For those of you who have been helping in AII, I am sure you would move up quickly and get back to assisting with topics.

At this point, it is not possible to create new topics in the Am I Infected forum. In order to allow existing topics to receive help, we are allowing replies for next week or so and then replying will be disabled as well.

All those looking for support should use the Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Assistance Forum now.

Thank you for understanding. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this topic.

Aw 'bummer'. I perused this topic daily because I learned quite a bit not only from regular members but staff as well.

Nothing has changed in that regard. Virus Removal topics are visible and can be followed to learn things as well.

Hi all!
 
Whenever I am assisting helpees and they indicate being concerned their computer maybe is infected with malware, I always refer them to the MRL Forum, as I believe the process of removing malware is best handled by members of the Malware Response Team.
 
Because, in that forum, several diagnostic Anti-Malware tools are available for helpees to use only under the guidance of professionally trained helpers, who can create comprehensive and advanced fix-lists that efficiently remove malware from helpees' computers.
 
Actually, some of the above-mentioned tools even have their publicly accessible tutorials, but of course, I will not post names and links to any of them here in the AII Forum, as that would be against the Forum Rules.
 
And finally, as already mentioned, helpers who want to continue assisting helpees with malware removal, can apply for the said training program, if they have the necessary obligation to do so.

Regards,
midimusicman79

Edited by midimusicman79, 10 June 2018 - 08:59 AM.