Author Topic: Major SPYWARE PROBLEM! (Read 1165 times)

cav58d · « **on:** June 11, 2006, 01:32:29 PM »

Okay guys I have encountered a major problem that needs some help....Over night my computer has become infected with spyware worse than I have ever seen...There have been no new downloads, no new websites visited...except one site I go to does have a java chat which I have used, but otherwise nothing new....I run AD-Aware SE and it will kill about 91 files, and I think everything is fine, but then 2 mins later my screen freezes because spyware popups...When I try to bring up windows task manager, it turns all gray and locks up....what other info do you need to know to help me troubleshoot this

cav58d · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2006, 01:41:01 PM »

Okay just finished a scan and some of the files that came up were adaware.admess, alexa, dailytoolbar, COOLWEBSEARCH, TRANSPONDER, VX2 and all with TAC ratings of 10.....What can A guy like me with basic computer knowledge go after this point where his anti spyware that is up 2 date wont kill this chit

Sandman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2006, 01:45:36 PM »

Go here. Follow the directions in this thread. It's going to take awhile, but I'm sure they'll fix it.

If you're interested in such things, here is the thread from my problem back in January.

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:05:38 PM »

Yea, run spybot and adware everytime you log off. Run hijack this and find the BS. Fix one thing at a time and it may be wise to create a restore point before hand. Spyware is atrocious and it is to the point where you cant go to any site without picking up 1 or 2 tracking cookies. It is atrocious that this kind of crap is legal. I picked up a avenue A tracking cookie going to the link sandman provided.

lukster · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:15:27 PM »

Download windows defender from MS, it's free. Turn off system restore. Reboot into safe mode, run a full scan with defender. Reboot and repeat until the scan comes up clean the first time after rebooting.

Sandman · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:25:46 PM »

Trust me... if you have a bad spyware/malware problem, there is no single program that will clean it up.

cav58d · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:30:10 PM »

This Crap is such BS....I dont understand how this can be legal...I dont see how their spyware does any good for their company, because as soon as I get a spyware popup, i vow to NEVER use that company.....ever!

Thanks for the help everyone...I've got to go to my cousins baseball game, and when I get home I will give it a shot....ill reply with results

Deth7 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:34:13 PM »

just do a restore from say 1 week ago and that will prolly take care of it

worked for me

Chairboy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:37:27 PM »

BTW, "tracking cookies" have nothing to do with you getting infected with spyware.

If the infection is bad, you're probably going to have to nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

Oh, and drop the IE habit on your new OS install and use Firefox exclusively.

Brenjen · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:53:32 PM »

I use spyware blaster; it prevents spyware from loading in the first place it's not a scanner & a combination of AdAware & Spybot S&D scanners. Plus I have a program called Advanced System Optimizer that has a spyware scanner that I use & my AV solution (Nod32 - the best there is) also hits some spyware.

It shouldn't be too much for you to handle, but each persons knowledge about this problem is different. If it is too much for you to handle try "hi-jack this".

I didn't look in the links Sandman provided but I assume that is what he linked you too. The only problem with hi-jack this IMHO is; #1 - your letting a complete stranger into your P/C & trusting them to tell you what's o.k. & what's not & #2 - you need as much knowledge to follow their instructions & not screw up your P/C as you would to nuke the stuff yourself.

I would just use a combination of free spyware scanners & blocker programs. I have never gotten hit with anything permanent & I have gone to the sites intentionally to help a friend of mine clean his P/C

By the way.....CWshredder is the only program I know of that will destroy Coolweb (it's a free D/L too) Spybot will find it, but not remove it. I believe you can still get CWshredder from Major Geeks.

lukster · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:53:50 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sandman
Trust me... if you have a bad spyware/malware problem, there is no single program that will clean it up.

There also is no single program that will stop all of it from infecting you. I spend a lot of time cleaning syware/malware from PCs. Windows Defender is the best general purpose cleaner I've seen so far. While it won't remove everything it is very good at finding everything. If the first full scan after a reboot says you're clean, then you probably are.

Sometimes it's quicker to just wipe the drive and reinstall everything.

Brenjen · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:58:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by lukster
There also is no single program that will stop all of it from infecting you. I spend a lot of time cleaning syware/malware from PCs. Windows Defender is the best general purpose cleaner I've seen so far. While it won't remove everything it is very good at finding everything. If the first full scan after a reboot says you're clean, then you probably are.

Sometimes it's quicker to just wipe the drive and reinstall everything.

I used Windows Defender Beta & it is on par with AdAware & Spybot S&D. If one were to add it into the combination of free blocker & scanner programs it would not hurt, it does what it is supposed to do.

Widewing · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2006, 02:59:02 PM »

I installed and subscribe to Spy Doctor. A few years ago I would not have used this software. However, it has been vastly improved and runs both effectively and seamlessly in the background. I only shut it down to play Aces High. Since it's a real-time defense program, absolutely nothing gets on my machine. Combined with a good anti-virus, downloaded grief is not an issue whatsoever. You can forget about hijacks when running Spy Doctor.

By the way, Spy Doctor updates the database DAILY, not weekly like most anti-spyware products. Worth every penny of the $30 annual subscription.

PCTools

My regards,

Widewing

J_A_B · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2006, 03:10:57 PM »

Find a program called LSPfix. It'll let you get rid of some unwanted .dll's. Don't use it unless you know what you're doing.

Security Task Manager is a pretty handy tool.

HiJack This should be on every computer.

Oh, and don't be shy about going through your registry key-by-key. You'll find all kinds of useless old crap, not only malware.

J_A_B

Vulcan · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2006, 03:46:04 PM »

Meh Windows Defender doesn't get rated that well in antispyware. Theres stuff out there that 'browser agnostic' now. So it doesn't matter if you run IE or Firefox or Mozilla you'll pick stuff up.

I use a combo of McAfee Managed AV with Antispyware and gateway AV/Antispyware on my firewall (yup its a Sonicwall). McAfee's not #1 in antispyware (iiirc BitDefender ranks #1) but its in top the top 5 - any of that freeware scanning stuff ranks extremely low.