My Toolbar was Hijacked!

Vanity | May 17th, 2005 | Missyme

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

It's free for 30 days. Then it becomes inactive until purchased. But 30 days is more than enough for you to cleanse your system easily, download and install Firefox and never use Microsoft Internet Explorer again.

I've used them all and a combination of AdAware (free), Spybot Search & Destroy (free) and Spysweeper (I'm thinking of buying because it's so good) is the best bet for most users. Don't be afraid of installing these. They are free and easy to install. But most of all, stop using MSIE.

[backhoe]

I am only like 1/4 Computer Saavy-

OK, this is just general advice-- there are several ways to proceed, but one path:

1- download & install AVG, (free) and update it.

2- download & install Ad-Aware SE (free). Update it.

3- reboot in "Safe Mode"-- this is usually done by tapping the F8 key during boot-up. A menu offering several choices will appear, pick "safe mode" and proceed. Be warned, it is very slow to boot like this.

4 - now run Ad-Aware with a "full system scan" and let it clean out the nasties. Follow that with AVG-- you want it to scan everything.

5- reboot normally and run an online internet scan just to be sure-- Trend Micro and Panda are very good. So are bitdefender or RAV.

Be advised of two things-- the above is not gospel- some people swear by Avast and Spybot Search & Destroy... you need one that get viruses, and one for spyware, because they look for different things.
The other thing is some of this new malware regenerates, and is incredibly hard to eradicate. It can be done, but if a few tries with some of the things I and others mentioned don't work, you need to join a forum, learn what format they use, and ask for help.

Good luck- malware propagators should be horsewhipped, in public.

[missyme]

Your right! IBuse that e all the time! Okay I will do it!
Thanks so much BSR!

[JennysCool]

I'd give it a shot -- though MYSEARCH is, as you say, a pernicious little bug. Your mileage may vary.

[missyme]

Thanks SO Much !!!
Yes you are right! Them and Telemarketers should be horsewhipped!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Here ar the links to all you'll need. Click on the links, save the files to your hard drive (remember where you save them to) and install them one at a time. With AdAware, SPybot and Spysweeper, run the update functions before doing a scan on your system, then remember to update them before each scan (Once per week at least).

AdAware SE Personal

Spybot Search & Destroy

Spy Sweeper

Firefox Web Browser

[missyme]

OKAY: I am working on it now!

[backhoe]

Excuse the cut & paste-- it's the fastest way to get this info to you-- I just realized I did not include online scan links:

The most thorough is Trendmicro ( virus, trojan, spyware and security holes )--

http://housecall-beta.trendmicro.com/en/start_corp.asp

Some other good ones:

http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp?j=1&langid=us&venid=sym&plfid=22&pkj=CUXVBXUQIZQVMUYTACD


http://www.rav.ro/scan/indexn.php

http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php

Do not use MS Internet Explorer, except for the sites ( like MS! ) that won't accept anything else-- get FireFox, or Opera, or even Netscape. IE is a popup and virus magnet.

You need a hardware firewall, too. How? Set up a home network, either wired or wireless. Even if you have only one PC, put it behind a modern Ethernet router-- all the new ones have a NAT firewall, and it filters out a load of garbage. Every hour, my router's log show dozens of "unrecognized attempts" by random port scans. You won't know how many intrusions are tried until you get a LAN ( local area network ) and see the logs. It's awful out there in 'netland nowadays.

[Antioch]

Spyware, gosh... you may be looking at a new keyboard...

[backhoe]

BTW, be advised that if you have to join SWI forums, it's run by volunteers, so they can be slow responding-- they went from 5,000 members last year to over 52,000 today- that's how bad this garbage is.

The good news? New members with cute female names ( like yours ) seem to get the fastest attention. Sexism? Who cares, if it works to your advantage. Use what ya' got, is what I always say.

[dit_xi]

One of my favorite website for freeware is MajorGeeks.com Just go there and search for ToolBarCop (one word) and it'll take you there. It's a very nifty program that allows you to enable or disable/delete the BHO's (Browser Helper Objects) that are on your toolbar. Looks like you're computer is infested with spyware. Check out MajorGeeks.com they've got tons of freeware to combat spyware.

[missyme]

I'm down on that! yes this SPAM is out of freaking hand!
My internet emaill gets 100 Spams a day I stopped using that one and just use my cable modem one...

[HAL9000]

Yes XP I just paid 30.00 and it says I have 346 Threats on my computer

Windows is a tool of organized crime. I respectfully suggest that you fire Bill Gates and get a Mac.

[Paul_Denton]

You might try Avast Anti-virus (it actually protects against viruses, worms, malware, browser hijacks, spyware and a lot of other stuff). Home edition is free (no strings attatched) and even better than Norton. It is also good for the gamers among us as it will not effect performance.

Register it HERE.

Get it HERE.

[Veto!]

I had that problem but AdAware cleaned it up. Ad Aware is free. YOu have to use the "deep cleaning" feature, which is also free.

Now unless I'm freeping I disable cookies. I think I picked up my parasite by clicking on "see my store" feature at eBay. Regular eBay seems fine. NEVER click on a link to eBay sent to you in any email no matter how official it seems. Virtually all of them are sent by hackers who want to install "MalWare" on your computer. I had a bunch of that junk that AdAware quarantined and removed..

[Veto!]

I use yahoo mail, which is free. It has a very good spam filter that filters out 98-99% of the junque sent to me. You can sign up at yahoo.com. Free, and the mailbox is huge, and there are lots of other nice features too that I never use but they're good.

And again, AdAware returned my toolbar to me.

[Dick Vomer]

what is AVG? '42 94r7 2uflakd

[Peace Is Coming]

ping

[backhoe]

what is AVG? '42 94r7 2uflakd

Grisoft Freeweb: Get AVG for your home PC virus protection
... AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is
available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! ...
free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/ - 10k - Cached - Similar pages

---

For whatever it's worth, I use it at home, my brother in law uses it at his business, and it's well recommended by some of the helpers on the malware forums. Avast and Kaperski are also good.

Now, regarding this?

'42 94r7 2uflakd

You have posed something I really can't answer without more information...

[Dick Vomer]

i THINK I have a i;89 jj vir...>us.... or my keyboard is sticky with Diet Coke.