Adware/Spyware Removal

[primetime]

I have been getting hammered with Adware/Spyware for the last week. I start up my computer and have to run Spy Sweeper by Webroot which detects and removes about 20 items and 500 traces.

What is protecting by system:
Norton Professional Antivirsus
Alpha Shield Firewall
Webroot Spy Sweeper
Windows Security Centre is all turned on

I downloaded the latest updates from Microsoft.

Where is all of this coming from and how can I prevent it from showing up.

 

[hitrack]

What version of Norton you running?

Get yourself the MS antispyware, adaware and spybot aswell.

What kinda websites you surfing off to?? If every second site is advertising web cams, casinos, and penis enlargers I would suggest not going there any more.

Do you open email from people you don't know, 99% of my email just goes straight to the trash, and the other 1% is just opened as plain text.

I aint spending the whole fukkin afternoon reinstalling windows because I clicked here for joke of the day.

 

[primetime]

Thanks for you help, I downloaded the Microsoft Anti Spyware...

Here is a partial list of stuff I am getting:

SideFind Adware
180search Assistant Adware
IST.ISTbar Brower Modifer
AdStatus Remote Access Trojan
BlazeFind
PowerScan
WinAd
WebRebates
Slotchbar

Has anyone else run into the same problem. I run full sweeps and say they have been remove.

Any ideas on how to get rid of them without reformating the hard drive.

 

[LonelyGhost]

Thanks for you help, I downloaded the Microsoft Anti Spyware...

Here is a partial list of stuff I am getting:

SideFind Adware
180search Assistant Adware
IST.ISTbar Brower Modifer
AdStatus Remote Access Trojan
BlazeFind
PowerScan
WinAd
WebRebates
Slotchbar

Has anyone else run into the same problem. I run full sweeps and say they have been remove.

Any ideas on how to get rid of them without reformating the hard drive.

typically if you have a clean install, you can use the system restore to go back before the crap got loaded ... in your case, however, it would seem that date may not be available and a format may be in order.

if you do that, turn off your internet connection, format the harddrive and load windows ... then load your anti-virus, firewall and spyware remover then go online to get the windows updates and then run the virus scan and spyware and then you might be okay.

its a Pain but sometimes has to be done.

 

[pokemon]

You've obviously loaded some program(s) that your adware and spyware removal programs are not deleting. The 180search toolbar got onto my computer - I had to go onto their website to find a removal program to get rid of the sucker. You may need to do that for the various programs you can't get rid of. These cos. tend to have removal programs but they make it hard to find though. Good luck.

 

[Edmonton Mod]

here is how i got rid of some of them...

I am sure... sorta 3 ways...kinda complicated though. Do it at your own risk and make sure you know what you are doing, or it could screw things up!
1) there is a REGISTRY key that starts those programs up... find it and delete it. reboot and delete the files
2) Start safemode or lower-> delete the files that way
3) Do a search for some of the files->change the permissions on the .exe files and the folders in which they are stored->insure SYSTEM and EVERYONE cannot start them... that way when windows boots they won't come back and this way the anti-spyware programs can delete them (if they are loaded... they will be in the memory and can't be deleted)

Its confusing... but sometimes the only way is manual... less frustrating! You don't necessarily have to format. But if you find this confusing... it might be easier to format. The way windows works is basically if you delete teh registry keys and the folder u shouldn't have a problem. Sometimes it can be a bit more complicated... but most of the time it isn't.

Also go into the administrators control panel in xp/2k and shut down services that shouldn't be running. Some of these spyware programs start that way.
98/milleium and 95 are quite a bit different

 

[Edmonton Mod]

If you are really adament on getting rid of spyware, get a hardware firewall.. these software programs don't really work sometimes. Stay away from porn (this one will be tough! )/mp3/warez etc sites. Stay off file sharing programs (these are REALLY bad except itunes and the other paid ones for the most part!). Just my thoughts.

 

[vancouverman]

If you are really adament on getting rid of spyware, get a hardware firewall..

 

[Edmonton Mod]

a firewall blocks traffic to the internet in general. I was just saying that a hardware firewall works better than like zonealarm etc.. Sorry for the techinical jargon. Me->nerd!

 

[TantheMan]

A firewall does not block adware or spyware from being installed at all.

Firewalls block ports and can prevent many forms of intrusion - adware and spyware come in on port 80 (web) so a firewall does nothing here - unless you have prevented web access as well.

Generally using Firefox instead of Internet explorer will dramaticly reduce the amount you get primarily because there are more exploitable areas in IE than Firefox (so far)
Indeed - staying away from many warez, porn, and filesharing type sites will greatly help as well - but it will not entirely save you - and will make your life dull

I use a combination of Lavasoft's Ad-Aware SE and Safer-Networking's Spybot search & destroy 1.x - remember to update both regularly.

Currenty - There are a few really ugly ones out there that niether will remove - for this you will need to either use HiJack this (Do not use if you are not familiar with the registry) or use regedit to modify your registry.

A common plan with these ones is like this; (do not follow this if you are not familiar with the registry)
-end task on the process (rundll is masked for a current one - but many other names can be used)
delete the files in question (often one in c\windows\system32 and the others in your profile's temp dir
enter the registry and go to ;
hkey_cur_user\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main
hkey_users\(all the s-x-x-x hives)\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main
hkey_lm\software\microsoft\internet explorer\main
- and look for unexpected key modifications to home page and search defaults
Be sure to remove unwanted startup apps as well from hkey_lm\software\microsoft\windows\current ver\run and \runonce