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Getting and keeping spyware off your computer
me
Posted on 01/18/2003 8:49:27 AM PST by Sir Gawain
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Yes it sounds like an infomercial, and no I don't work for these companies. These are totally free downloads. Have a nice day.
To: All
2
posted on
01/18/2003 8:50:57 AM PST
by
Support Free Republic
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To: Billthedrill; Cyber Liberty; dead; Victoria Delsoul; Fiddlstix; glock rocks; nunya bidness; ...
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3
posted on
01/18/2003 8:51:14 AM PST
by
Sir Gawain
(_|_)
To: Sir Gawain
Helpful. Thanks!
4
posted on
01/18/2003 8:52:54 AM PST
by
AntiGuv
(™)
To: *Computer Security In
To: Allan
Bump
6
posted on
01/18/2003 8:54:53 AM PST
by
Allan
To: All
Also realize that if you strip out the adware from certain programs, they might cease to execute properly. Imesh will still run correctly; it will just throw up an error at startup. I haven't stripped out the adware from Download Accelerator, so I'm not sure if it will still function correctly after you do.
7
posted on
01/18/2003 8:56:34 AM PST
by
Sir Gawain
(_|_)
To: Sir Gawain
This must be deja vu. Last night I was doing a diagnostic check using pitstop and even though I have Ad Aware installed, I noticed that my pages were loading very slow. I got the results from my check and sure enough I have spyware playing games with me. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks
8
posted on
01/18/2003 9:00:26 AM PST
by
shadeaud
To: Sir Gawain
good stuff. found a need for spybot last week at work, and it works as advertised. thanks SG.
9
posted on
01/18/2003 9:00:56 AM PST
by
glock rocks
(only you can prevent fundraisers - become a monthly donor)
To: Sir Gawain
Some claim backdoors are in every Microsoft OS since 98 SE, from what I've seen of Windows I tend to agree with them.
If you're running XP some claim you have already granted administrative authority over your computer to Microsoft, they can access it as they please. Anybody read the license agreement on XP to verify this?
10
posted on
01/18/2003 9:04:14 AM PST
by
steve50
To: Sir Gawain
I'm really glad you brought this up, Sir! I'm a real computer lightweight and recently installed AdAware.....after I scan, I'm in the dark as to what to do next.....I click here and there (even after reading the help topics), and remain unsure if I've accomplished anything. Plain English tutorial?
11
posted on
01/18/2003 9:04:31 AM PST
by
ErnBatavia
((Bumperootus!))
To: steve50
Backdoors? Huh? Who have you heard this from, or is this your own experience with 98 and or XP? What ports do you have open when you are connected? Oh wait, they must be invisible ports linking directly to Bill Gates' home. Do listen to lies. There are no "back doors" or connections in XP that yield control of your PC to a server, unless you allowed it on there.
To: steve50
AutoUpdate will try to communicate with Microsoft, possibly even if you disable it.
More info can probably be found here: www.windowsbbs.com
To: ErnBatavia
After AdAware gets finished scanning, right click on one of the items it found and select "Check All", then select Continue.
To: Sir Gawain
Bump for later :)
To: steve50
Here's all you need to know:
OrgName: Microsoft Corp
OrgID: MSFT
NetRange: 207.46.0.0 - 207.46.255.255
Blackhole that netblock at your router!
To: RedBloodedAmerican
A British research lab ran the story a couple months ago.
17
posted on
01/18/2003 9:20:08 AM PST
by
steve50
To: Sir Gawain
Danke Schoen!
18
posted on
01/18/2003 9:20:31 AM PST
by
ErnBatavia
((Bumperootus!))
To: steve50
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=7ce73da18993ed68cdcc9f15d9048297&threadid=13442"Read this on another site--thought it might be of interest to some folks.
XP Phone Home
I've mentioned my recent play with ZoneAlarm Pro, and while I don't use it heavily, I have left it to start automatically on one workstation where I do a lot of software testing. It's a fairly clean installation of Windows XP Pro, Office XP and a few other commonly used tools. Part of my routine with XP is to put a halt to the various automated procedures that it attempts to shove down my throat. This would include Automatic Updates most notably, but I also be sure to disable Windows Messenger, IE automatic updates and Error Reporting. Nothing should be contacting Microsoft without my knowledge as things are configured.
Imagine my horror when ZoneAlarm informs me that rundll32.exe wishes to contact 207.46.134.94:HTTP. I realize that spyware and viruses have posed as the legitimate rundll32.exe, but there are two things to consider. First of all, 207.46.134.94 is Microsoft's Windows Update site. Second, the version and date are identical to those of the rundll32.exe file on a different Windows XP Pro installation.
Nothing is launching from any of the startup registry entries or Startup Program Group using rundll32.exe explicitly, and there certainly isn't anything specific to Microsoft that is launching in those areas.
A service perhaps? Well, the process associated with rundll32.exe is executing under the context of my username, versus SYSTEM, which most services utilize unless configured to use different credentials. Speaking of services, both the Cryptographic Services and (gasp) Automatic Updates have been started by the operating system behind my back!
I have denied the access for now, but I have not forgotten. Next, I dig out a hub so I can sniff the packets as they wander by for clues regarding the suspicious activity. Not that I'm going to let it contact Microsoft, mind you. I also plan to fire up a full- blown hardware router to further isolate the machine from Microsoft, add a static route for the offending IP address, pointing it at a Windows 2000 server running IIS so there will at least be a session establishment attempt instead of the request being immediately stomped by the router and/or ZoneAlarm.
My suspicions at this point are not that Microsoft is being deceptive, collecting my hat size or preference in pain relievers for subversive use, but this lends weight to my very sincere believe that Microsoft is overstepping the bounds of reasonable respect to paying customers. Whatever XP is trying to do is likely trivial, but how it's being done is far from it. I'm plenty steamed, believe me."
To: Sir Gawain
Unbeknownst to me, my daughter downloaded Kazaa last night. Imagine my surprise this morning when Kazaa and Weather Bug and at least two other programs wanted permission to access the Internet!! (Thank goodness for ZoneAlarm!) I had to go throught and uninstall all of them. Then I had to run Adaware and delete over 100 files and about 40 keys that had been inserted in my registry!
While I don't use IE Explorer unles my arm is twisted, I do use Mozilla. Infinitely preferrable. Since IE is on my machine, thugh, I'm checking into the programs you've mentioned. Thanks for posting the info.
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