Hello pachyderm,
You haven't given me a HijackThis log to see what your machine operating system is, or what anti-malware programs you are running so the following comments are general ones. They may not apply directly to your machine.
Also you should be aware that running more than one real time anti-spyware, anti-virus or firewall at the same time can cause a conflict. That conflict could result in error messages, crashes of the programs or other types of failure. You will very likely end up with little or no protection.
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Now here are some things I think are worth having a look at:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check your Java is up to date. Older versions are vunerable to malicious attack.
Download
JavaRa to your desktop and unzip it to its own folder
- Run JavaRa.exe, pick the language of your choice and click Select. Then click Remove Older Versions.
- Accept any prompts.
- Open JavaRa.exe again and select Search For Updates.
- Select Update Using Sun Java's Website then click Search and click on the Open Webpage button. Download and install the latest Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version for your computer.
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Check your
Adobe Acrobat Reader; it may be out of date. Older versions are vunerable to attack.
Please go to the link below to update.
http://www.adobe.com.../readstep2.html---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be sure and give the Temp folders a cleaning out now and then. This helps with security and your computer will run more efficiently. I clean mine once a week. For ease of use, you might consider the following free program:
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A great way to check that your Microsoft and Java have the latest updates is to go to Software Inspector at Secunia.
I do this weekly. Not only do they tell you which programs need updating but they give you the link to follow.
To bolster your security go to
Secunia.com to ensure essential programs are up to date.
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Make Internet Explorer more secure- Click Start > Run
- Type Inetcpl.cpl & click OK
- Click on the Security tab
- Click Reset all zones to default level
- Make sure the Internet Zone is selected & Click Custom level
- In the ActiveX section, set the first two options ("Download signed and unsigned ActiveX controls) to "Prompt", and ("Initialize and Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe") to "Disable".
- Next Click OK, then Apply button and then OK to exit the Internet Properties page.
* MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well known ad sites and other bad sites. Basically, this prevents your computer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer, meaning it will be difficult to infect yourself in the future.
* Consider using an alternate browser. Mozilla's Firefox browser is excellant; it is much more secure than Internet Explorer, immune to almost all known browser hijackers, and also has the best built-in pop up blocker (Note: this as an added benefit!) that I have seen. Firefox is my default browser but I retain Internet Explorer as well so that I can access the very few sites that require it.
Firefox may be downloaded from
Here-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Startuplite is a tool to help you stop some programs not needed when you start your computer from loading. They will begin automatically only when needed.
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To help protect your computer in the future here are some free programs you can look at:
- SUPERAntiSpyware Free for Home Users to detect and remove spyware.
- IESpy-Ad to block access to malicious websites so you cannot be redirected to them from an infected site or email.
You should also have a good firewall. Choose one of these that are free for personal use:
- Comodo Note:Comodo Firewall is no longer available as a stand-alone download and you should choose firewall only during installation.
- PC Tools Firewall Plus
and a good antivirus (these are also free for personal use):
It is critical to have both a firewall and anti virus to protect your system and to keep them updated.
If your Microsoft Update is not working automatically. Keep your operating system up to date by visiting
monthly. And to keep your system clean run these free malware scanners
weekly, and be aware of what emails you open and websites you visit.
To learn more about how to protect yourself while on the internet read this article by Tony Klein:
So how did I get infected in the first place?Have a safe and happy computing day!
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