*@%£$ ing Automatic search downloaders/pop ups - Page 2

Firefox · 18th November 2003, 20:31

I have a Question for the really technically minded. While visiting a hacker site to get something, some alteration was made to my browser. Now instead of getting a 404 error, I am redirected to "internet optimizer.com" which is a website full of all those pay links to casinos and credit applications. It also kindly tells me my link couldn't be found, but I don't like getting redirected to where I didn't ask to go. Anyone know how to get rid of this feature?

Postscript: I answered my own Question

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/InternetOptimizer.html

For those interested.

WarrenB · 20th November 2003, 03:08

Can't they just leave us alone?

Firefox · 22nd November 2003, 21:37

It seems not.

Anyway, I have successfully solved my adware and spyware problems now.

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/

Gives a free check and some good instructions for removal

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

Enables you to check the meaning of what programs are running on your system at startup

Use of start...run msconfig.exe and regedit.exe will enable you to remove unwanted applications (Check what they do at pacs portal first! Don't edit the registry unless you are sure you know what you are doing or windoze might not work)

Finally

http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml

Is a good resource which enables you be alerted if applications try to alter the start up programs.

shyguy · 22nd November 2003, 21:50

Thanks Firefox, some useful links for all of us there, and also a warning about staying away from the murkier areas of the web

If you're using Hacker sites, stay safe and use some firewall protection too, this can also stop some popups, and some of the adware/spyware phoning home to report back.
http://www.zonelabs.com offers their firewall (zonealarm) in a free version.
And Antivirus software, if you don't have any, is free at http://www.grisoft.com for AVG antivirus, and includes free regular updates and works very well.

Firefox · 23rd November 2003, 00:25

Good advice Shyguy. I have AVG and it is very good. I'm not running a firewall but may have to consider it at some stage.

If you don't want to run a firewall then a good tip to stop adware/spyware installing itself automatically on your machine is to go to Tools...internet options...security on the browser menu and make sure that you check prompt before activeX components are allowed to run on your machine for the internet zone. Running activeX automatically (which is a microsoft default setting on IE) is a primary route to how these crooks get their crap onto your set up. If you visit the wrong web page (even a quite innocent one) you will have rubbish installed on your machine "as you browse" if you allow the use if activeX without prompt.

Someone in another thread was saying how they trusted the default microsoft security setttings. Think again.

bladerunner · 3rd December 2003, 03:33

I'd recommend zonealarm as well.Had no problems with it at all,whereas norton's fire wall was a complete pain.

PJ · 3rd December 2003, 04:53

I just experienced a very annoying problem. Somehow, my internet brower's home page got changed. The culprit was the web site FASTSEARCH.CC, and it appears to be a legitimate commercial site.

First I tried using SpyBot. But that helped only for a very short time before it reappeared.

I then tried using Internet Options under the Tools menu. But once again, the cure was only temporary.

Then I tried REGEDIT to edit manually edit my registry. This also was successfull for only a short time before the problem returned.

As a last resort, I ended up reformatting my hard disk and re-installing all the software. That seems to have cleared it once and for all.

As a result, I will never use FASTSEARCH.

Firefox · 3rd December 2003, 10:53

There are other less drastic ways of getting rid of adware. You can generally do it using msconfig, regedit, an ctrl-alt-del to see what progs are running. It is difficult though. In your case, it might have been auto-repairing when you connected; even though you had got rid of some components, you didn't zap the updater.