Potential Virus?

[James Bond]

I just ran a virus scan with AVG, and it turned up something called Python-2.2.3.exe. AVG seems to think it's some kind of a Trojan Horse (it says "Trojan Horse PHP/ MPack.B"). I Googled this Python, and the Wikipedia entry seems to indicate that this is a computer language program of some kind. All my other scans (Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Windows Defender) turn out fine, but AVG is identifying this as a threat. The threat is located at path C:\hp\bin\Python-2.2.3.exe and C:\hp\bin\Python-2.2.3.exe\COMPARISONS.HTML.

Does anyone know what this is? Is it safe? And if not, how do I get it off my computer?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[James Bond]

Please does anyone have any info?

 

[Earl]

Zed.P.M. said:
Please does anyone have any info?

I don't believe it's a "Virus"

Some sort of programing software, I think...

Link

It's not on my system.

 

[PlixTixiplik]

A program I installed (I think it was ArcGIS) also installed the program that allows you to write scripts in the Python programming language. I assume that's what happened in your case, although with a different program perhaps. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

-MEC

 

[Gertch]

Sometimes you'll get a false positive. You can report it and have them look into it. But usually a couple of days later an update will correct the issue.

This happened to me once when I was making up Installshield installations. One day we started getting all kinds of virus warnings and calls from customers cussing us out. Turns out the AV company made an error and the next day an update went out.

 

[James Bond]

Ah, I guess I won't worry about it then. Thanks a lot, guys. I knew I could count on you! :thumbsup:

 

[scotthm]

PlixTixiplik said:
A program I installed (I think it was ArcGIS) also installed the program that allows you to write scripts in the Python programming language. I assume that's what happened in your case, although with a different program perhaps. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

ArcGIS does indeed install Python. I don't know what else does.

---------------

 

[James Bond]

UPDATE - I just scanned my computer again this evening, and there were "no threats found". :thumbsup:

 

[BriGuy]

I had this same issue too. I just found out yesterday that it was indeed a false positive. AVG apparently was told, and fixed it. Of course, I found out after I nearly had a heart attack about having some very bad virus/trojan on my computer.

HP told me Python is a programming language, as you know, that ships on their computers, but it's not needed. Which is good, as I uninstalled it.

In the process I changed my antivirus from AVG to Avira. Opinions on if I should keep Avira (also free) or go back to AVG?

I got and ran PC Tools Spyware Doctor. It's not finding anything. But since its free version doesn't remove anything, just detect, I uninstalled it. I'm otherwise running AdAware and Spybot with the Tea Timer turned on, along with Zone Alarm firewall, so I think I'm protected.

 

[rxmanperry]

I have exactly the same problem and when AVG ran at 8am est this morning it was still there. It appeared on July 21st. Here is a message about it that I sent to a friend with more computer savy than I have:I've been screening my computer with AVG Free and have been clean up to just last week...recent report was a trojan horse that they could not remove it because it is embedded inside the archive...the program is Python Programming Language 2.2.1 that add/remove reports is rarely used as of last 11/2004 which is probably when I got this computer...do you know this program...do I need it....if I remove it will the trojan horse be gone???

 

[BriGuy]

As has been said, it's a false positive. There's no virus. AVG was supposed to have eliminated the detection in an update. But I still haven't gone back to AVG, I'm still using this Avira program.

HP told me Python is not needed for anything. If it makes you comfortable, just uninstall it.

 

[Alaedhros]

BriGuy said:
HP told me Python is not needed for anything. If it makes you comfortable, just uninstall it.

That's not necessarily true. Python is not needed for the OS, sure, but it's quite possible that one or more of the OP's applications is written in Python or uses a Python script. If that's the case, the Python interpreter and libs are definitely required. I'm guessing the only way these would appear on a Windows machine is if a program needed them and thus installed them; the last time I checked, it didn't come with the OS ('though Vista might have changed that). So Zed, don't uninstall it unless you're quite sure none of your programs use it.

 

[BriGuy]

I've been using my computer for some time now without this Python installed, and I have noticed no difference.

Can anyone explain what if anything Python would be needed for?

 

[Alaedhros]

BriGuy said:
Can anyone explain what if anything Python would be needed for?

As I stated previously, Python (the interpreter and libraries) are needed if 1.) you have applications written in Python or 2.) applications that accept Python scripts. Examples of the former can be found here. One example of the latter (ArcGIS) has already been given; others include Blender, Maya, GIMP, and Matlab.