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

Firefox · 28th October 2003, 01:44

Recently I have been plagued by a pop-up that opens full screen obscuring desktop, tool bars, task bar ie everything, and also disables right button clicks on the page.

It is entitled "search the web" and contains 100's of text links to various supposedly useful resources, gambling, finance, and others.

If you get this screen don't click on any links. They only give money to the people who run this disruptive type pop up. I don't mind a few small easily closed down pop ups which help finance web pages, but this kind is annoying because it can catch people who don't know how to clear it.

The way to get rid of it is to press ctrl alt delete together to bring up the task list, and then select "search the web - IE explorer" and then "end task".

Does anyone know of where this particular pop up comes from? I suspect it may be Hotmail or even a trojan on my machine, though I have scanned with AVG specifically for the this type of ad downloader and come up with negative.

hoverfly · 28th October 2003, 02:03

If you are using cookies wipe them all out when you are having problems with pop ups. I think there is some kind of advertising spy wear "bait I would call it" among some cookie information. Some of these cookies called are "Double click" "Sextracker" and "Gator" seam to attract those pop ups the most when you visit cretin sights. So I just dump the cookies, pop ups go away, and I don't visit that web sight again.

Firefox · 28th October 2003, 02:58

Excellent tip, I'll clear them as well now I think, but I don't usually do that unless really plagued by something.

hoverfly · 28th October 2003, 03:22

Just remember

your pass words!!!

Tom-NL · 28th October 2003, 08:47

Or just simply disable javascript in your "browser" ...

Ionic · 28th October 2003, 16:00

I installed a freebie cookie/pop up manager quite a long time ago and this relieved a lot of the nuissance pop ups espcecially those total screen takeover ones.

Cookies are either manually set to accept / reject (eg accepted on this web site) or otherwise 'session only' cookies so the web site functions but the cookie is wiped when you shut down.

Pop-up blocker can be switched on/off

Link referrals blocker is switched on (sorry Firefox if this stops the click through income micro-payments here)

Also I have lots of site or image file blockers on lots of adservers. This speeds up of lot of ad-riddled pages. I don't seem to be able to stop ads done in Flash (without getting rid of Flash).

The program is a bit ancient now and needs quite a bit of training - CookieCopII - but works fine with browser/Zone Alarm firewall/AVG as other defenses. All I need to do is do lots of version updating now of all those security thingies!!!

/I

TallSwede · 28th October 2003, 18:02

Also have a look at WebWasher at www.webwasher.com It is a *very* versatile tool free for non-commercial use, originally developed by the computer guys at Siemens AG and later spun off as a separate company.

AdAware at www.lavasoft.de (IIRC) and/or www.lafasoft.com will search and destroy adware and spyware on your PC. This is also freeware for personal use.

A personal firewall is also quite important. (Free) Zonealarm at www.zonelabs.com is very good (if not the best of all), but it requires you to hunt through a number of pages offering Zonealarm Pro which also is equally good but costs money.

Happy surfing!

TallSwede

Himark · 28th October 2003, 18:04

You may have one or more bits of advertising-sponsored software on your machine. Some of the ad bots can be quite obnoxious.

You could try downloading and installing a program such as AdAware, or Spybot Search and Destroy. It will search out and remove most ad bots. Unfortunately, it will also remove some software programs that you may find useful, e.g.- KAZAA, which are sponsored by pop-up ads.

jo · 28th October 2003, 21:30

Same advice as before. Get AdAware and clean your machine of junk.

Next, download a modern standards compliant browser such as Mozilla which has inbuilt managers for cookies, images, downloads, popups, forms, banner ads, passwords, and so on.

You'll never go back to IE after you have tried it!

BobHH · 29th October 2003, 07:14

That web search takeover usually installs itself in a directory. Spybot will take care of it, or you can go to My Computer, Control Panel and remove it under Install/Remove Programs.