Freepers how do I get rid of this spyware crap that is on my computer?

myself ^ | 3 July 2004 | trueblackman

[Trueblackman]

I have Norton and two pop-killer programs, but my Norton can't remove Spyware and activeware on my computer.

[RandallFlagg]

Right click and "Save Target As"

[umgud]

bump for later

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, I don't know about how to dump the Spyware thing, but that Netcaptor
Browser/Popup Blocker you told me about is GREAT, Happy ! I'm lovin' it !

[tet68]

Make sure you get Ad - aware with a hyphen there is an adaware spy program.
I use ad-aware, spybot S&D 1.3 and Spyware blaster along
with Zone alarm and still the stuff keeps coming through,
just have to stay on it.

You can sure tell, cursor gets acting funny, things don't load right etc. Hate it when the home page gets hijacked
it happened recently and was occuring with out changing the
home page address. Sure enough, some sort of spyware.

[raybbr]

Go here (Mozilla.org) and download any one of their browsers. All have pop-up blockers and you will browse faster.

[TN4Liberty]

Open the back of the computer and cut all the red wires. You won't have pop-ups on your screen anymore.

There is a trojan that is able to reproduce itself unless you get it out of three or four places at once. I don't recall the name, but I used the "System Restore" once to get rid of it. There were other ways listed on the Windows Help pages, but that seemed simplest since I had just gotten in on there. You would need to know when you DIDN'T have it on there so you could restore back to that time.

[exnavy]

self bump

[PokeyJoe]

spybot search and destroy does an excellent job.

[1rudeboy]

Thanks, but what am I supposed to right-click on, and when? If I right-click on the "media player" window, I simply get the standard play options. If I right-click somewhere else on the web page, no "Save Target As" option appears. Am I supposed to highlight something.

[RandallFlagg]

Post the link to the page and I'll take a look.

[Still Thinking]

Norton, Norton, Norton. Try to stay on topic. He said you need AdAware and Spybot, you said you had them. Have you actually run them? Do you run daily or at least weekly? Have you gone online to both sites to update to the latest spyware definition files?

[ChocChipCookie]

Thanks for the Google bar info! I've had the bar on my computer for ages and had overlooked their popup block. Thanks!

[SlickWillard]

If you have any expertise with computers, just re-install the operating system [then apply all critical updates, and NEVER install an Active X control that you find on the web].

Another option for people with some expertise is to redirect your DNS traffic for the pop-up advertising companies [typically this would involve your HOSTS file, but you could do it on an intranetwork with a DNS server]:

Mike Skallas' Ad Blocking Hosts file

Also, there's more on the state of the art in pop-up blocking in this recent Slashdot thread:

End Run Around Pop-up Blockers

[Salvation]

Have you tried ad-aware?

[FReepaholic]

I have found that no one tool will catch all the malware on your system. Run both Spybot and Ad-aware periodically.

Also, run these after booting into Safe Mode.

Also try CWShredder.

If you're PC savvy or know someone who is, use HijackThis. Don't try it if you don't know what you're doing.

BEWARE FAKE SPYWARE REMOVAL TOOLS!! There are some out there that are fake and actually drop malware onto your system.

BEWARE OF A SOFTWARE PRODUCT CALLED: "PURITYSCAN"!! This purports to find all traces of porno on your system. It actually drops malicious ad/spyware onto your system.

[1rudeboy]

Here. Thanks in advance.

[DaiHuy]

I use spysweeper, it is the best I have found so far. I used to use adaware until I found out that it actually puts it's own spyware on your computer.

You might also try www.kimkommando.com, she usually has good tips for spyware programs.

[kenholm3]

Getting spyware off your PC is difficult at best. The knobs that write this stuff should be hung by their toes...

First, check your Startup Folder under your Start->Programs. Remove everything you can (right click->delete) without breaking anything.

IF YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR REGISTRY AND ARE COMFORTABLE MODIFYING IT SKIP TO THE BOTTOM FOR EXTRA INSTRUCTION. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE REGISTRY DO NOT MODIFY IT. YOU WILL DESTROY YOUR PC IF YOU DO!

Get Adaware http://www.download.com/Ad-aware/3000-8022-10214379.html?tag=lst-0-2.

Also get Spybot http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022-10289035.html?tag=lst-0-2.

Run Spybot first. When installing, be sure to not load extra languages, unless you use your pc with another language. Also be sure to enable the Tea Timer. Tea Timer is a real time Registry protection program.

For both SBot And AdAware, be sure to download the updates available.

After each program has run, remove or quarantine the found spyware items.

TeaTimer will notify you when a suspicious mod will be made to your registry. This is a tricky thing to know when to allow registry mods and when to disallow. If you did something to trigger a registry mod, it may be ok. IE - Installing MS Office, probably ok. Windows Update, probably ok. HOWEVER... if you're surfing or just reading email and TeaTimer pops up and asks to mod the registry... NUKE IT! No way!

A good pop-up killer is from Panicware at http://panicware.com/process_download.html?prdid=PSFREE.

Install this straight thru. No sweat. It catches most pop-ups. Not all.

FINALLY, if you do not want any spyware, DO NOT DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE CUTESY JUNK OFF THE NET... To include:

ANY helper bars (GOOGLE, YAHOO, MSN, are included in this)
Screen savers
Smileys
Icons
Wallpaper
Bargain Helpers
Password Reminders (GATOR!)

For those who will say, "But I cannot remember my passwords" or "I really like the pictures of tropical islands" or "But Google is a major corporation" I say learn to live with Spyware, pop ups and your PC being PWNED! (That's elite speak for "OWNED!") At that point, someone else is using your PC more than you are!

OK, DANGEROUS STUFF HERE - MODIFYING YOUR REGISTRY

DO NOT DO THESE THINGS UNLESS YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

It's probably a good idea to create a back up of your registry. Export ALL settings in case something goes awry.

Start->Run Command->regedit

Find HKEY_CURRENT_USERS Software Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Run

In the Run Folder on the right hand side of the window, start ripping stuff out. If you cannot look at the item and determine what it is you may not want to remove it.

Do the same for anything in the folders like Run, ie - RunOnce, RunOnceEx, RunServices, etc.

ALSO do the same thing for

HKEY_CURRENT_USERS Software Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Run*

By removing things from the Run* folders, the worst that should happen is you remove something that SHOULD be started when the PC boots. You may need to re-install some software like a printer or scanner driver.

At times, I have ripped out EVERYTHING in a Run Folder with no harm.

Please do not screw up your PC. I am not responsible for what you do to your PC!

-Ken

[Brad’s Gramma]

FYI

[hole_n_one]

Try to stay on topic. He said you need AdAware and Spybot, you said you had them.

TBL's response was to reply #3.

You can't find anywhere on this thread where TBL says he has adAware or Spybot installed.

Still Thinking, you may be thinking, but it's certainly not about the contents of this thread..