Question

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #2250485

    Internet Explorer

    Locked

    by jacro07 ·

    How do I stop the re-direction of my internet explorer to porno sites or different advertisments. I have run some adware programs it also changes my home page. I need to proterct and clean my computer.

All Answers

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    Replies
    • #3281535

      Clarifications

      by jacro07 ·

      In reply to Internet Explorer

      Clarifications

    • #3281525

      have your problem on a daily bases.

      by husp1 ·

      In reply to Internet Explorer

      I deal with several hundered PC’s monthly that have simular issues, I recommend that you try “Hijack this” freeware that is available on “Major geeks” website. maybe you should look at some of the other antispy devices there as well.

    • #3281518

      Which Programs

      by thechas ·

      In reply to Internet Explorer

      Which programs have you run?

      I normally recommend AdAware from http://www.lavasoft.de

      and SpyBot Search and Destroy from http://www.safer-networking.org

      You also should run a firewall. Even if you are on dial-up.

      If you don’t mind locking your system down very tight, and the cost of the full version, Panda Titanium does a pretty good job.

      Warning, Panda does not have options to allow you to save or ignore files it finds. Some administrator utilities have the same signature as some viruses. So make sure to back up any special utilities you have.

      Chas

      • #3281494

        A few added thoughts

        by jdclyde ·

        In reply to Which Programs

        “Hijack this” is a decent utility to try as well.

        Turn off your system restore option.

        Clear out your temp files.

        Update all of the utilites you have loaded.

        Reboot into safe mode to run your scans.

        repeat this last step until there are not any more warez found. Sometimes the ones you find the first scan are hiding others, so reboot back to safe mode and run the scans again.

        Patch your system fully.

        Don’t use internet exporer again, because that is how you got infected in the first place. Switch to FireFox. Before I switched my users over, about 70% of my time was just cleaning out systems like yours. Now it is about 5% of my time, just by not using IE.

    • #3281303

      try HiJack This

      by sgt_shultz ·

      In reply to Internet Explorer

      well, don’t forget to put on all the critcal Windows Updates. then use all of the programs TheChas suggests. download and install and update them. turn off System Restore, then boot into Safe mode and scan with each product. use HiJack This and see if it can find you more stuff. betcha you have a bogus entry in your hosts file. hijack this will find it. once you are clean, keep it clean with a spyware/virus product that has realtime protection in it. such as (gag) orton internet security as it slows the system down but it sounds like you need it.
      if you can get the hard drive out and over to a buddy with a clean system who will put it in as a second drive, that is a great way to scan it.

      • #3281289

        One problem with HiJackThis

        by kiltie ·

        In reply to try HiJack This

        is what to do with all the results when you get them.

        You can mosey on down to a specialist site and post in the forums there, but this can take weeks to resolve, it depends on if any of their experts are available, since they are busy folk and usually volunteers.

        Or you can try some self help, run HiJackThis, get a log file and copy/paste it into the large white box on this site, then click analyse to see what they make of it.

        http://www.hijackthis.de/

        You have to interpretate some results yourself and it may flag as suspicious some of your favourite programs, but it may well spot some known nasties for you. Much of it is self explanatory.

        In addition to Spybots Search and Destroy, I also use SpywareBlaster from javacool.

        http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

        It works similarly to SpyBots immunise function (but has a LOT more entries), in that it stops malware (of the type you are getting) from known sites from ever getting into your system.

        Better than cleaning up the mess afterwards. I use both, never had malware problems (I don’t count a few harmless tracking cookies, such as Alexis). I also run AdAware every few weeks as another check, and run AVG daily.

        A multi layered defence is best.

        Another check, particularly if your home page is being hijacked is to check your Hosts file. In normal useage there should only be one IP address there
        127.0.0.1
        Any others are because YOU put them there, so you should know about them.

        If your system is badly affected, there are plenty of free online scans available (post back if you need details) or you can use a bootable diagnostic CD, such as Ultimate Boot CD, Hiren, or ** GASP ** a Linux Live CD to check out your drives.

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