[ALONGTHEWAY]

What exactly is it? And what is the best way to avoid it?

Steve

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Hello ALONGTHEWAY,

Welcome to GeekstoGo my name is Snickets and I will be helping you today!!!

If you are interested in how to prevent infection here is a good set of rules to follow below.

Here are some tips, to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future, I strongly recommend installing the following applications:

Detect and Remove Programs:
How to use Ad-Aware to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Ad-Aware.
How to use Spybot to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Spybot. Similar to Ad-Aware, I strongly recommend both to catch most spyware.
Prevention Programs:
Spywareblaster <= SpywareBlaster will prevent spyware from being installed.
Spywareguard <= SpywareGuard offers realtime protection from spyware installation attempts.
IE/Spyad <= IE/Spyad places over 4000 websites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads (Cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.
MVPS Hosts file <= The MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well know ad sites etc. Basically, this prevents your coputer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer
Google Toolbar <= Get the free google toolbar to help stop pop up windows.
Other necessary Programs:
AntiVirus Program<= An AntiVirus program is a must! Whether it is a free version like AVG or Anti-Vir, or a shareware version like Norton or Kapersky, this is a must have.
Firewall<= A firewall is definatley a must have. Two good free versions are Sygate and ZoneLabs.
More Secure Browser<= Internet Explorer is not the most secure and best browser. There are safer and better alternatives available. I recommend Firefox, however Opera and SlimBrowsers are good as well.
And also see TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place? and Spyware Aid's spyware article: Spyware, Adware, Malware: What it is, how it got on my computer, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.

Thank you,

Snickets

[Snickets]

Hello ALONGTHEWAY,

Welcome to GeekstoGo my name is Snickets and I will be helping you today!!!

If you are interested in how to prevent infection here is a good set of rules to follow below.

Here are some tips, to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future, I strongly recommend installing the following applications:

Detect and Remove Programs:
How to use Ad-Aware to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Ad-Aware.
How to use Spybot to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Spybot. Similar to Ad-Aware, I strongly recommend both to catch most spyware.
Prevention Programs:
Spywareblaster <= SpywareBlaster will prevent spyware from being installed.
Spywareguard <= SpywareGuard offers realtime protection from spyware installation attempts.
IE/Spyad <= IE/Spyad places over 4000 websites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads (Cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.
MVPS Hosts file <= The MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well know ad sites etc. Basically, this prevents your coputer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer
Google Toolbar <= Get the free google toolbar to help stop pop up windows.
Other necessary Programs:
AntiVirus Program<= An AntiVirus program is a must! Whether it is a free version like AVG or Anti-Vir, or a shareware version like Norton or Kapersky, this is a must have.
Firewall<= A firewall is definatley a must have. Two good free versions are Sygate and ZoneLabs.
More Secure Browser<= Internet Explorer is not the most secure and best browser. There are safer and better alternatives available. I recommend Firefox, however Opera and SlimBrowsers are good as well.
And also see TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place? and Spyware Aid's spyware article: Spyware, Adware, Malware: What it is, how it got on my computer, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.

Thank you,

Snickets

[ALONGTHEWAY]

So I should use FireFox? I found that there were more entries in my SpyBot log when I was using FireFox often 50 just from advertising.com. I just recently deleted it off of my computer.

Now when I do the windows updates like I do, daily, it prompts me that I need to use IE in order to download them.

Should I use FireFox for my main browser, and just keep IE so I can download the updates.

Also, I'm using the XP firewall...does this protect me while using FireFox and if not what are some good free FireWalls.

Lastly, the windows security updates that I download daily... are they still in effect if I use FireFox..?

Thanks for your time, I app it!

Steve

[Snickets]

Hello ALONGTHEWAY,

This is what it was suppose to look like, I don't know why it came out that way.

I would suggest using firefox as your primary browser. Then going to IE only when you need to do certain web page viewing and updates.

Yes the updates are in effect. The browser has nothing to do with the vulnerabilities of your windows software. They are just pushing out patches or updates to better your system.

Here are a couple of firewalls that I would reccomend and they are also free firewalls:

For a tutorial on Firewalls and a listing of some available ones see the link below:
Understanding and Using Firewalls
Here are a couple of Firewalls that I can recommend you try using.
Download Zone Alarm Firewall (Zone Labs)here it is free.
Also Sygate has an optional free version here.

Here are some tips, to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future, I strongly recommend installing the following applications:

Detect and Remove Programs:

• How to use Ad-Aware to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Ad-Aware.
• How to use Spybot to remove Spyware <= If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer, here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Spybot. Similar to Ad-Aware, I strongly recommend both to catch most spyware.

Prevention Programs:

• Spywareblaster <= SpywareBlaster will prevent spyware from being installed.
• Spywareguard <= SpywareGuard offers realtime protection from spyware installation attempts.
• IE/Spyad <= IE/Spyad places over 4000 websites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads (Cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.
• MVPS Hosts file <= The MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well know ad sites etc. Basically, this prevents your coputer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer
• Google Toolbar <= Get the free google toolbar to help stop pop up windows.

Other necessary Programs:

• AntiVirus Program<= An AntiVirus program is a must! Whether it is a free version like AVG or Anti-Vir, or a shareware version like Norton or Kapersky, this is a must have.
• Firewall<= A firewall is definatley a must have. Two good free versions are Sygate and ZoneLabs.
• More Secure Browser<= Internet Explorer is not the most secure and best browser. There are safer and better alternatives available. I recommend Firefox, however Opera and SlimBrowsers are good as well.

And also see TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place? and Spyware Aid's spyware article: Spyware, Adware, Malware: What it is, how it got on my computer, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.

[ALONGTHEWAY]

Okay I installed FireFox.

What about the increase of SpyBot entries for advertisments.com

Any suggestions on how to prevent them? Are they spyware or just temp files?

[Snickets]

Hello ALONGTHEWAY,

Let's take a look at a HijackThis log by doing the following:

1.Set up a folder by doing the following.
To create a folder:
Click My Computer, then C:\
In the menu bar, File->New->Folder.
That will create a folder named "New Folder", which you can rename to "HJT" or "HijackThis".
Now you have C:\HJT\ folder.

2. Then go here to download the latest version of hijack this 1.99.1 and save this into the folder you created for hijackthis.

3. Double-click on the hijackthis.exe to scan.
Select "Scan and Save Log".
After the scan save the log somewhere where you will remember.
Then go to the location where you saved the hijack this log and open it up, then hit CTRL A to highlight all the text inside, then right click and hit the copy option then paste the contents back into this thread.

Thank you,

Snickets

[ALONGTHEWAY]

Here it is. It says that HiJack this wqas started froma temp file, but I'm assuming that does not make any difference.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 6:39:58 PM, on 8/23/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\atievxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Aim\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Default\Local Settings\Temp\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.ebay.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\blank.htm
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE" /background
O9 - Extra button: AOL Toolbar - {4982D40A-C53B-4615-B15B-B5B5E98D167C} - (no file)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: AOL Toolbar - {4982D40A-C53B-4615-B15B-B5B5E98D167C} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\Aim\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.micros...b?1124644115654
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.micros...b?1124644103526
O16 - DPF: {9600F64D-755F-11D4-A47F-0001023E6D5A} (Shutterfly Picture Upload Plugin) - http://web1.shutterf...ds/Uploader.cab

[Snickets]

Hello ALONGTHEWAY,

Was this the full log?

If not please post the full log in here for me to review.

You should have some more to this log including 016 section and an 023 section atleast.

Let me know.

Thanks,

Snickets

[Snickets]

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