Posted on 06/16/2004 10:42:22 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Please excuse the vanity (this is my first vanity post). I am having a problem with spyware. It started when my 11 year old son installed a "really cool" screensaver on the computer (running XP Home) from "screensaver.com". As soon as he told me he did that, I knew that I was up the creek without a paddle. So, I ran Spybot, and then Ad Aware, and "fixed" my Spyware problems. Right. Needless to say, my computer is still infested.
I then did some searching on the web,and downloaded Hijack This, since my browser was hijacked to a different home page (msn.com). Since I wasn't sure which programs were spyware, and which were not, I haven't "fixed" them with Hijack This yet. I also downloaded Aluria's free spyware scanner, and it shows 17 spyware files. The files include Wild Tangent, IWon, Cydoor, 2020Search, Comet Cursor, WhenUSave, and MyWay Speedbar. I did re-run the SpyBot and AdAware, as well as CWShredder (run in Safe Mode), but the spyware persists. I am also up to date on all Windows updates. Any help would be appreciated. I do have a log file from the Hijack This if that would help.
Get your son his own computer, then when he's "stuck" by his "really cool" junk he will learn ............
I had a similar problem a few weeks ago, and I ended up re-installing some components of Windows 2000. There's a great website I came across where you can post your registry file directory, and someone will provide advice on how to deal with your problem.
Try running your anti-spyware with system restore off.
Are you sure that you have the latest version of SpyBot? Also, SpyBot has a spot where you can set it so that your homepage can no longer be hijacked.
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I am going through the same crap right now. Post your log file.
CWShredder usually works for my friends. Havn't used it myself. I just did a clean wipe on my OS system yesterday. Just took me 2hrs. I do this once a year. If you havn't done it in a while you might consider this.
I can't help much, but I can tell you that if you get rid of those files you listed, it will help. Also, did you make sure that you had the most recent version of Adaware? Don't forget to run your virus scanner program, too.
There's a program called Spyware Blaster. It prevents spyware from being installed on your PC in the first place. Get it going, then try another spyware scan. If the spyware scanners get rid of the spyware, Spyware Blaster should prevent them from coming back.
Spybot has a feature like this, called Inoculation, but it's not as extensive as Spyware Blaster's. It's definitely worth using, however.
It could be one of those "Messenger ads", which are really annoying because they don't appear as spyware. Try this advisory:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/stopspamv45.mspx
Post the results of Hijack This! here so we can see it.
Sounds like you need to do system restore to a prior point. Many times the spyware programs are the worst. I'd get a good anti-virus program (Norton, Trendmicro, etc) and download the recent patches from microsoft. In the end once everything is stripped it often gets into the registry and you may have to restore your whole system to a known safe earlier date. Some people have to wipe the whole system clean and startup disc from the beginning.
Sometimes the cure is worse than the fix with spyware.
Good idea; I didn't think of that (although I did run in Safe Mode; not sure if System Restore is on during Safe Mode).
"...clean wipe on OS..."
Clean wipe means defrag right? no?
Oops-- I have both SpyBot and Spyware Blaster. It's Spyware Blaster that has the ability for you to lock your homepage setting so that it can't be hijacked.
By the way, I found this morning that my Internet Explorer homepage had been hijacked to MSN. I can't figure out how it happened-- and I didn't have it protected from hijack, either. It is now, though.
I downloaded the latest SpyBot (I think it's 1.3; I'm not at my home computer now).
I would also run a full virus scan and make sure your anti-virus program is up to date as well.
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