Suspected spyware/virus? Random .exe's like 76hmefTY?

Question

Ok, so as of 24 hours ago random exe's like 76hmefTY or some other random combination of letters and numbers have been popping up in my Task Manager ALSO Internet Explorer(I use Firefox) has also been randomly starting and showing ads. I ran Spybot Search and Destroy (got nothing of relevance) and Norton...but I don't think Norton is working correctly as LiveUpdate won't, well, update.

I don't even know where to begin to look for answers in this, and I'm hoping someone in the know will give me a bit of advice.

Answer 1

Nothing to worry yet about. Though this is a symptom of malware infection, you can easily get rid of malicious files by running a free online virus scanner. Because your system works otherwise normally, I think it's the easiest way for you to clean out the system.

Hint1: run two different scanners for best results. Say, BitDefender's and NOD32. You can specify drives and folders to minimize the scan time (though a thorough scan is preferred).

Hint2:consider switching from Norton to some other antivirus. If you want a better, yet free one, have a look at avira antivir (a German antivirus, its classic version is free for home use).