Alright Stone, you win!
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it
LOL - I run Microsoft Spyware and that is all. A lot of these other things are just viruses themselvs IMO. And don't forget - each spyware program is trying to convince you that it found stuff the other ones couldn't, so you'll buy that one.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe.
I have used nothing but IE, and when I scan for spyware, I almost never find anything.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts!
Sounds like fun to me. It also reminds me of a review I read of a Motley Crue concert - Tommy gets girls to take their tops off during the show, and the reviewer said it made him fear for the girls safety on the way home. At that point, I knew he knows nothing of the way of metal.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
It's only 10:30, what's wrong with you ? Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it
I wouldn't be surprised if these "Anti-SpyWare" companies are writing "SpyWare" themselves and then showing you that they can catch their own SpyWare (of course they don't tell you its theirs =))
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it
I wouldn't be surprised if these "Anti-SpyWare" companies are writing "SpyWare" themselves and then showing you that they can catch their own SpyWare (of course they don't tell you its theirs =))
It's cheaper just to claim to have found something that doesn't exist, and set a registry key telling you to step to the next phantom spy. Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Well i am using IE all the time , I did some anti spyware thing and have regular ms security updates. spywares or BHO's are there in the computer mostly because u installed something before , or sometimes some third party antispyware which are trojans actually
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts
now that was an analogy Are you complimenting IE here ??? or you want to be with an ugly women in the same streets ;P 1. Microsoft Anti Spyware 2. Ad Aware 3. and System Mechanic This is all you need to have a spyware free IE that too once and after that its more of prevention which is required. --- My first article^ -- modified at 23:19 Tuesday 13th December, 2005
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Well i am using IE all the time , I did some anti spyware thing and have regular ms security updates. spywares or BHO's are there in the computer mostly because u installed something before , or sometimes some third party antispyware which are trojans actually
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts
now that was an analogy Are you complimenting IE here ??? or you want to be with an ugly women in the same streets ;P 1. Microsoft Anti Spyware 2. Ad Aware 3. and System Mechanic This is all you need to have a spyware free IE that too once and after that its more of prevention which is required. --- My first article^ -- modified at 23:19 Tuesday 13th December, 2005
Quartz... wrote:
1. Microsoft Anti Spyware 2. Ad Aware 3. and System Mechanic
Don't forget regular trips to Windows Update. It also helps to disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX. Just in case you click the wrong link by accident. Running in a VMWare session helps too...
---- Scripts i've known... CPhog 0.9.9 - make CP better. Forum Bookmark 0.2.1 - bookmark forum posts on Pensieve Print forum 0.1.1 - printer-friendly forums
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners.
As you have learned, I always thought that there's something terribly wrong in the very concept of trying to solve software bugs by adding more software. I don't see dead pixels anymore... Yes, even I am blogging now!
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe.
Nishant, every other browser could be equally vulnerable and could be so bad as IE. But the fact is that IE is overlooked at since it is a MS Product and most widely used, while other browsers are left as it is. There is a huge population who are shifting toward Firefox and the results are that these hackers have started working towards puncturing Firefox also! (Mozilla is giving patches too). Regards, Rajesh R. Subramanian You have an apple and me too. We exchange those and We have an apple each. You have an idea and me too. We exchange those and We have two ideas each.
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf:That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open
So, Nish... *Vikram munches on a carrot* been watching too much pr0n? ;P Cheers, Vikram.
"When I read in books about a "base class", I figured this was the class that was at the bottom of the inheritence tree. It's the "base", right? Like the base of a pyramid." - Marc Clifton.
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Nish, you might also want to run Rootkit revealer[^] :) Cheers, Vikram.
"When I read in books about a "base class", I figured this was the class that was at the bottom of the inheritence tree. It's the "base", right? Like the base of a pyramid." - Marc Clifton.
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf:That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open
So, Nish... *Vikram munches on a carrot* been watching too much pr0n? ;P Cheers, Vikram.
"When I read in books about a "base class", I figured this was the class that was at the bottom of the inheritence tree. It's the "base", right? Like the base of a pyramid." - Marc Clifton.
reminds me of dogbert internet tech support hahahahaha .... --- My first article^
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
While you're at it, you might want to install GreaseMonkey and CPhog and see how cool Shog's work is. ;)
And that's not all. I just discovered this cool concept called "object oriented design". I can't wait to convert my subroutines to class methods! :-D -Ravi Bhavnani on finally installing XP SP2...in December 2005
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
I've ben surfing with "naked IE" for a long long time, and caught almost nothing. It's all in the habits I guess. I caught MSBlast on "Emission Day", had a few minor "very inactive" spyware (nothing scary. except it was completely silent). Now I'm behind a HW Firewall, and have AV / Antispy up and runing and active. Though they mainly make my PC feel slower, I'm forcing myself to keep them (and myself) active.
We say "get a life" to each other, disappointed or jokingly. What we forget, though, is that this is possibly the most destructive advice you can give to a geek.
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist -
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it
LOL - I run Microsoft Spyware and that is all. A lot of these other things are just viruses themselvs IMO. And don't forget - each spyware program is trying to convince you that it found stuff the other ones couldn't, so you'll buy that one.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe.
I have used nothing but IE, and when I scan for spyware, I almost never find anything.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts!
Sounds like fun to me. It also reminds me of a review I read of a Motley Crue concert - Tommy gets girls to take their tops off during the show, and the reviewer said it made him fear for the girls safety on the way home. At that point, I knew he knows nothing of the way of metal.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
It's only 10:30, what's wrong with you ? Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
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Well i am using IE all the time , I did some anti spyware thing and have regular ms security updates. spywares or BHO's are there in the computer mostly because u installed something before , or sometimes some third party antispyware which are trojans actually
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts
now that was an analogy Are you complimenting IE here ??? or you want to be with an ugly women in the same streets ;P 1. Microsoft Anti Spyware 2. Ad Aware 3. and System Mechanic This is all you need to have a spyware free IE that too once and after that its more of prevention which is required. --- My first article^ -- modified at 23:19 Tuesday 13th December, 2005
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Quartz... wrote:
1. Microsoft Anti Spyware 2. Ad Aware 3. and System Mechanic
Don't forget regular trips to Windows Update. It also helps to disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX. Just in case you click the wrong link by accident. Running in a VMWare session helps too...
---- Scripts i've known... CPhog 0.9.9 - make CP better. Forum Bookmark 0.2.1 - bookmark forum posts on Pensieve Print forum 0.1.1 - printer-friendly forums
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While you're at it, you might want to install GreaseMonkey and CPhog and see how cool Shog's work is. ;)
And that's not all. I just discovered this cool concept called "object oriented design". I can't wait to convert my subroutines to class methods! :-D -Ravi Bhavnani on finally installing XP SP2...in December 2005
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Have you installed all the latest patches, both for IE and for Windows itself? I run IE on XP SP2, no anti-virus, but with automatic updates turned on, and have not yet had a virus or spyware infection. Maybe I'm just going to the wrong sites ;) cheers, Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
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Have you installed all the latest patches, both for IE and for Windows itself? I run IE on XP SP2, no anti-virus, but with automatic updates turned on, and have not yet had a virus or spyware infection. Maybe I'm just going to the wrong sites ;) cheers, Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
Chris Maunder wrote:
no anti-virus
:wtf::omg::wtf: :omg::wtf::omg: :wtf::omg::wtf:
Chris Maunder wrote:
Maybe I'm just going to the wrong sites
Aah, that might just be it. ;) Cheers, Vikram.
"When I read in books about a "base class", I figured this was the class that was at the bottom of the inheritence tree. It's the "base", right? Like the base of a pyramid." - Marc Clifton.
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
It happened to me sometime back and I was too close to formatting my machine to get rid of the stuff, it's so painful. When I first spotted the spyware I thought I can get rid of it easily but it turned out be a nightmare. One tip I have is set your security in the internet zone to high (beware you cant download if you have it high), this saves you atleast some heart burn until you are convinced your machine is clean.
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I spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning my machine of spyware/trojans and what not! I am still unsure if my machine is clean or not. I have Ad aware, Microsoft anti spyware etc all running now. I also have 3-4 other registry/trojan cleaners. And I was constantly staring at process explorer for most part of the last 2 hours. I can tell you one thing though - these spyware writers do it well. I had a service installed, that hid itself, and kept adding BHOs of various names to my IE. It seemed to have 3-4 ways to keep alive. Painful, very painful. I am on Firefox now and my browser is reliable. But I am not sure of my machine. I dont really know what happened or how it happened. All of a sudden my wallpaper changed to a bitmap with text saying my machine has spyware. Then a spyware app automatically ran (it must have downloaded automatically too) - detected some spyware and said it can clean my machine if I purchase it :wtf: That was the beginning - I seemed to have ended up with a dozen different spyware. I have no clue which site is responsible. I had several windows open, where all those windows originated from google's India specific news site. I may have clicked on a site from a google news listed site. Or maybe gone even one more level - don't remember. All I know is that IE is absolutely and totally unsafe. Using IE to browse the web is like asking a beautiful woman to walk in scantily clad clothing through a street full of criminals and perverts! I've learned my lesson - and I learned it the painful way. I am so tired, I think I'll just go to bed now!
Is your user account a member of the Administrators group? -- Andrew.