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Windows XP: I've had it with spyware!

by jetblast - 2/1/05 3:11 AM
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Post 1 of 84

I've had it with spyware!

by jetblast - 2/1/05 3:11 AM

I hope this is the right forum. I have XP and I am tired of my homepage being taken over by a weird search site and free porn loaded up in my IE favorites section (even after I delete them). I ran spybot and ad-aware in safe mode. It cleaned out alot of junk, but what I mentioned is still there. I am using the XP firewall that came with the computer. So do I need to go and buy a spyware program and a firewall. The free stuff isn't working. And will this even fix the problem? Thanks so much.

Post 2 of 84

i hope this helps

by hrnym - 2/1/05 3:36 AM In reply to: I've had it with spyware! by jetblast

i have had simular problems with my homepage being hijacked i suggest you download hijack this the link can be found in these forums then put it in a new folder on its own and run it from the exe file and save the reults in the folder and then post it in a dedicated hijack this forum they will tell you what to safely remove to stop your problems it resolved my problems. you can also find the links to forums that help with hijack this logs in this forums too but you have to be patient as it took some time as they are busy

Post 3 of 84

Spy Ware

by Peter Matthews - 2/4/05 11:28 AM In reply to: i hope this helps by hrnym

I use NoAdware program and it certainly works - I scan my PC at least 2 or 3 times a week and it catches any problems. Unfortunately you have to pay for the service but it is worth it, and also you get free upgrades when necessary.

Post 4 of 84

RE: This Will Resolve Your Problems.

by neophius - 3/31/05 7:20 AM In reply to: i hope this helps by hrnym

If you are extremely serious about your security do the Following. Firstly Download All Updates from Windows XP Update and let them install.

Open IE/select Tools in browser bar/Internet Options a box Will Open With these tabs
General/Security/Privacy/Content/Connections/Programs/Advanced.
Select Security/Then Click Default Level Click the Apply Button another box will pop up and click yes to Accept. Then select privacy set the slider to Medium High as this is better (much better) than the default settings for handling cookies and will not allow any personally identifiable content leaving your computer. Click Advanced and check in the (Override Automatic Cookie Handling) Select the radio Button First Party cookies (Accept) And Third Party Cookies Prompt. 99.9% of third party cookies you should deny When Prompted. So just deny them all.
When you start using Internet Explorer after this setup you will occasionally encounter prompt boxes that will prompt you to decide weather or not to accept a cookie so deny the cookie and check the box with (always use this action)
You will see later. After this setup.
Check Always accept Session Cookies click (OK) click Apply/OK We Are done Here.

Try To avoid Freeware sites Malware and downloading programs that offer lucrative gains in money or extreme internet performance or things that tell you that your PC is running low on memory or your time clock requires updating. or your processor is to slow.
Slow processors are a fact of life they will never be fast enough. And we just cant get enough memory
There is realy only one internet acceleration Broadband or software that i have ever had any sort of performance with (IMSI) (Net Accelerator.)
But I would still not use it again.for safety reasons it loads way to much into internet cache in the background In other words while you are reading a page it will be loading all other links on that page to your cache so when you click on another link on that page it appears to load it faster.(NOT GOOD)For Broadband.
But Ok For 38K 56K Connections if tweaked correctly.
If you need more memory go and Buy some usually when it cheap. Programs that tell you they free up memory are false or atleast that part of them is.

Download and Install Spyware Blaster here http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html also download and Install Spybot Search and Destroy Here http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html these both work extremely well together. Lastly if you can download Microsoft Antispyware Beta Here http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx It Works Well and is Free (At the Moment) Maybe Later Also. These have no conflicts with each other. Install in the order I have mentioned. Once downloaded install and download updates for Spy ware blaster and activate this will load all known bad sites into your browser control so that these sites are unable to load crazy stuff to your PC you will rarely have trouble visiting sites but you will be extremely safe. Also install Spybot Search and destroy click search for updates and download all updates then select Immunize. Next Install Microsoft Antispyware download Updates and run a scans First MS Antispyware Then Spybot run these and restart the PC and re run a few times. after all the threats are removed go into control panel and switch of System restore Providing everything is running efficient smooth and normal and your system is suffering no major hardware problems.
Assuming all is well switch of SYS Restore Go to Control Panel System restore turn of apply and wait until the restore facility erases all restore points. then re activate it and go to Start/All programs/Accessories/system tools/System restore set a restore point call it what you like (All Is well is a good one).
Run another Scan with all Scanners and if they find any vulnerabilities let the programs remove them. But It Is unlikely many will be found.

Also Install a Good Antivirus and Internet Security and always run updates in them to retrieve all of the latest virus definition files this will let your virus and system scanners recognize threats and stop any recognized threats I recommend Use Norton Internet Security although these are resource hungry it is far from noticeable for what the program is doing.

Most free stuff on the net is mostly not what it seems and if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.
You pay one way or another.
Either pay for good legitimate software that is known and reputable.
Or pay with ignorance. And have a PC that spends most of its life turned of because it is so slow and crammed up with Malware Spyware and Trojans it might as well be an anchor.
I hope this has helped.

Post 5 of 84

Two things (or three)

by Steven Haninger - 2/1/05 4:16 AM In reply to: I've had it with spyware! by jetblast

First, ditch IE. Keep it updated and use it only when your other browser does not function properly at a site you need to visit. About that alternative browser...try Mozilla Firefox. It's excellent and far more secure than IE. Lastly, excessive spyware attacks might be because (and this is not meant to be critical) they have been invited. Some sites are rife with them. Don't click on anything but exactly where you want to go and limit use of your PC by others. I've cleaned a few PCs in folks homes that have multiple users where the PC has been attacked and it's owners have no idea where some of the stuff came from.

Post 6 of 84

I'll second using Firefox

by Yew Anchors - 2/1/05 4:46 AM In reply to: Two things (or three) by Steven Haninger

And don't worry about a thing. It'll import all your favorites, autocomplete entries, logins for sites, etc the first time you run it. Save for some tracking cookies (which are a low level threat), it'll leave the spyware with IE however.

Post 7 of 84

I Agree Completely

by geoffcaplan - 2/5/05 2:21 AM In reply to: I'll second using Firefox by Yew Anchors

Ditch IE, Outlook and/or Outlook Express. I use Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird. It's heaven. I ran three anispyware programs last night and I had no spyware or even adware cookies. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. I also use ZoneAlarm Pro and the great, free antivirus application, Avast.

I only open IE once in a while, very briefly, to view sites that don't render properly in other browsers. Mozilla also offers a Firefox "plug in" that allows you to "right click" and quickly open IE on those rare occassions when you need it.

Post 8 of 84

I disagree about the use of firefox

by jayfin - 2/5/05 9:55 PM In reply to: I Agree Completely by geoffcaplan

I just recently download firefox onto both my wife's computer and mine. Guess what? It caused my computer running XP with sp1 to lock up but once I uninstalled firefox, it ran like it always has. But my wife's computers with sp2 had to have the hard drive reformatted. So all I can say is be carefull about using Firefox.

John

Post 9 of 84

this might help you

by jonah jones Moderator - 2/1/05 4:31 AM In reply to: I've had it with spyware! by jetblast

download Adaware SE and Spybot (both freeware)
after installation, reboot, turn system restore OFF, download latest definitions files for both programs, after checking/cleaning, reboot normally, start system restore, run your browser, set your homepage, reboot, your browser should be OK...


hope this helps

jonah

.

Post 10 of 84

Re spybot and hijacked homepages in IE

by pvandck - 2/2/05 12:12 PM In reply to: this might help you by jonah jones Moderator

Spybot contains a setting that enables prevention of an IE home page being hijacked. Can't recommend Spybot highly enough, although Spyware Blaster in addition is even better.
Here's my setup with Win XP Pro. Adware Personal, Spybot, Spyware Blaster and PC-Cillin 2005. PC-Cillin also comes with a spyware chech and a Windows security check. I also keep the Windows firewall switched on even though PC-Cillin has a firewall too. This all runs on an Athlon 2.1Ghz processor and 1Gb of ram – perfectly. I also use the web browser Mozilla most of the time. No problems with spyware or any other nasties.

Post 11 of 84

Be careful with PC-Cillin

by BethSchoe - 2/7/05 1:29 PM In reply to: Re spybot and hijacked homepages in IE by pvandck

This came with my computer and I immediately had trouble working on Ebay and going into various sites. After much troubleshooting I found that the PC-Cillin software was causing all my trouble, once it was deleted things started working normally... Just a thought.

Post 12 of 84

So why do you use Internet Explorer?

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 2/1/05 4:45 AM In reply to: I've had it with spyware! by jetblast

Why not use something else and reserve IE for the few places it's needed?

And ... even the stuff you pay for will not remove all the spyware AUTOMATICALLY! Get past that and you will find the Adaware, Spybot and your use of HIJACKTHIS can eject all the a few stubborn pests. But if you persist in using Internet Explorer, even with Spyware Blaster, the pests use IE to return.

Your choice.

Bob

Post 13 of 84

IE

by gmperry - 2/1/05 11:32 AM In reply to: So why do you use Internet Explorer? by R. Proffitt Moderator

If you turn the Preview Pane off this helps. Also set up a Spam folder this also helps.Gordon

Post 14 of 84

No offense, but do tell...

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 2/1/05 11:37 AM In reply to: IE by gmperry

How would one turn off IE's Preview Pane?

I think you are writing about OE?

Bob

Post 15 of 84

Preview Pane

by gmperry - 2/7/05 6:33 PM In reply to: No offense, but do tell... by R. Proffitt Moderator

Bob, You are right & thanks for the correction.It is OE. Gordon

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