HELP!!!! My Computer Has Been Hijacked!!!

[CBulla]

Reefguy - Googles popup stopper is one of the best I've seen, and in my office, believe me I've seen a LOT of them here at my office. Since Google is always updating information from the web, everytime you search, etc., it updates its information from behind the scenes thus your always with the latest information - you can also update on the fly with your own information. Nearly every other blocker comes with a stock set of blocked stuff then you have to manually put in new stuff. Google also respects annonyminity.

PC-Cillian is also known as Trend Micro and www.antivirus.com - they are our corporate chosen protection software and to be honest, I'm impressed with how up to date they are.

 

[ReefGuy]

I've never had a prob with PC Cillin. Bought the lifetime updates and haven't regretted it a bit (especially last night, went to get a cheat, and it intercepted a trojan). I liked popup stopper, but since they've introduced a pay version, the freeware has not kept up. I'll try google.

BTW, if anyone knows how to mark a mission complete in Mechwarrior 3, please let me know. One mission has a bug which makes it unbeatable (targets are not visible), tried uninstalling, but no such luck.

 

[CBulla]

BTW, anyone interested in learning more about PC Security and just how do some of these viruses get around or how spyware/malware infects your PC, I'll be happy to point you around to some sites on the net. Here's a site to get you started:

https://grc.com/x/portprobe=135

Their main site to learn more:

http://grc.com/default.htm

 

[Robert Phillips]

The problem with pop up stoppers is that they just stop the pop ups, they don't get rid of the problem.
Working for an internet provider as a field service technician, most of the service issues I see in the field have to do with browser hijacks and spyware/malware issues. This thread has some good advice and some that will just mask the problems and not fix them.
Browser plug-ins need to be removed as well as uninstalling as many spyware/malware programs that you can find. You may also need to run AdAware or Spybot with your computer in safe mode. If you have a serious hijack, you wont be able to get online to download any programs to remove the problem. Getting to a computer with internet access is needed to get a copy of AdAware or another utility.
There are a lot of steps to getting rid of these programs, more than I can go into here, but if anyone needs help (you can consider it expert help, as I do this on a daily basis for a living!) PM me and I will get you squared away and educated on how to fix the problem when (not if) it happens to you again.

 

[hvulin]

I would suggest using mozilla or Firefox (www.mozilla.org) browsers as they have popup blocking built-in and many more nice features...

They are also very separate from the rest of M$ OS, and if they crash everything else will keep on working.... (don't forget that you still have IE on comp which is a security issue: even if you're not using it - the rest of OS is using it without your knowledge)

I know this might sound stupid but IE and OE (outlook express) ARE the main security holes on a typical userland/home PC... - so avoid them if you can....

PS antivirus and some sort of personal firewall are also highly recomended (I use norton antivirus and ZoneLabs Integrity desktop)

Of course, you should install all this AFTER you clean up your PC with one of the (before) mentioned software (Adaware or something like it)...

 

[The Chairman]

I love Spybot S&D... anything with "Search and Destroy" in the name has got to be cool! One way to make it work COMPLETELY when you have a hacked browser (www.coolsearch.com, www.sexsearch.com, etc etc) is to leave your browser open when you run Spybot S&D. It can't seem to do it's work completely and so ASKS if it can run on start up. GO FOR IT... it does it's finest work right then. Also go to support.microsoft.com and select Internet Explorer 6.0 and use hijack as the search criteria and you will find an excellent fix (using regedit, so be careful) entitled Home Page Setting Changes Unexpectedly, or You Cannot Change Your Home Page Setting. This will fix it no matter what!

Google has the best pop-up stopper going. It ain't bullet proof, but nothing is these days. I install on ALL of my client's PCs.

Stay away from low morals sites. They obviously have no honor and their only purpose is to make money off of you in any way that they can. They are only here to exploit.

Get thee over to windowsupdate.microsoft.com early and often. Update, update, update and make sure you have the latest update.

While IE6 and OE can be big holes, the BIGGEST SECURITY HOLE for any PC is the user. They are not dependent on platform or application for the ability to take down their system, but they will ALMOST ALWAYS blame one of them thar computer viruses!

Hey guys... the Doctor for your Network is "in".

 

[rab]

While IE6 and OE can be big holes, the BIGGEST SECURITY HOLE for any PC is the user. They are not dependent on platform or application for the ability to take down their system, but they will ALMOST ALWAYS blame one of them thar computer viruses!

This reminds me of an email that I received a few years back when one of the PC-based viruses was making its rounds. It declared itself a "Unix virus" and asked if you would kindly delete several files at random and then forward the email to a group of your friends.

-Rob

 

[The Chairman]

My favorite was "The Good Times" virus. It was a tongue in cheek description of Windows 95 (consumes all available memory, takes control of the entire PC, yada, yada, yada). The kicker was the name. Before they got permission to use "Start me up" from the Stones, they were going to use "Good Times" by this artsy fartsy singer. Anyway, you can find the song on the 95 disk... too funny.