Aggressive adware trojan on my computer!?

Question

Extremely annoying pop-up ads periodically appear as I work on my computer. Example: I'm reading my email and suddenly one or sometimes two browser windows open and display ads or websites inviting me to buy something or some service. Is there any sure-fire, reliable solution to rid my system of this? I've tried a couple of freebies, Spybot, etc., to no avail. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Malware, Dialers, Popups:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

http://www.download.com/Bazooka-Adware-and-Spyware-Scanner/3000-8022-10247782.html

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sgdownload.html

http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10379544.html

http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/download/

Online Scanners:

http://www.webroot.com/consumer/products/spysweeper/freescan.html?

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan.htm

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html

http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

http://www.spywareguide.com/onlinescan.php

http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/

Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Malware, Dialers, Popups List:

http://www.softpedia.com/catList/104

http://www.download.com/Adware-Spyware-Removal/3150-8022_4-0.html?tag=dir

Antivirus:

http://www.grisoft.com/

http://www.avast.com/

http://www.free-av.com/

Antivirus Lists:

http://www.softpedia.com/catList/1

http://www.download.com/Antivirus/3150-2239_4-0.html?tag=dir

Firewall:

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=staticcomp_za

Firewall Lists:

http://www.softpedia.com/catList/97

http://www.download.com/Firewalls/3150-10435_4-0.html?tag=dir

IP Blocker:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/peerguardian/pg2-050918-nt.exe?download

Browser:

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

Email, News, RSS:

http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/

System Cleaner:

http://www.ccleaner.com/

System Cleaning List:

http://www.softpedia.com/catList/98

System Info:

http://www.softpedia.com/catList/92

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Many trojans or spyware will block or try to block your scanning software while running in 'normal' mode.

Try running Spybot in safe mode, and Windows Defender as well...and your Antivirus software.

To get to safe mode, hit the F8 key after the POST screen but before Windows starts to load, select Safe Mode from the menu.

I also like the antispyware (Ewido) and antivirus (AVG) software (both free) from http://free.grisoft.com

Answer 4

In order to rid your system of this nasty virus-u need to format your harddrive, and reinstall windows. I assume u r running xp,

If so u must go into your bios settings-set the boot sequence to cd-rom,c,floppy.(Depending on your system, watch when it is rebooting and u will c a message such as [HIT DEL(or f2) TO ENTER SETUP].

Then put in the xp disk, reboot and wait until u c PRESS ANY KEY TO BOOT FROM CD, then push the enter key.

Then it is only a matter of following instructions. Be patient, and do not worry if your screen goes black for a few seconds now and ten. Also leave the xp disk in until u r completly finished.

U will loose all data.





D. Coel

Answer 5

Try AVG's Ewido Antispyware and its Antivirus. You try to run it on safe mode so you may disable some service that makes spyware or even virus not to be removed. Just follow this link: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Answer 6

hi, perhaps you can try norton to remove the virus and protect your PC, but you need to pay for the software.



i recommand you to use firefox with Google toolbar. firefox can disable all virus to run, because the virus can only run on IE.



besides, firefox can block any any poppus and disable any virus and adware, spyware on webpage, so, firefox is much safer than IE. as you know, most of the virus is spread throught internet and webpage.



firefox is much smaller than IE, so i run faster than IE.



download firefox for free:



http://www.bernanke.cn/firefox/



Best Wishes && Good Luck!

Answer 7

Try ewido antimalware. It is a very good trojan scanner. Hope that helps.

Answer 8

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/bugbusting.mspx

Answer 9

If you secure your computer and maintain it, use smart choices in the programs and habits you use, your computer will last longer than the 3 - 4 years it's designed to last.



Let's start from the outside in -



Router

This works like a hardware firewall. The router doesn't respond to most of the "are you there?" tactics hackers use. If some hacker's scanning for victims and manages to find you despite the security ... they'll see the router not your computer.



If it's a wireless router - secure it, secure it, secure it! Change the admin password. Put an encrypted password to connect. Look up all the ways to secure your particular router. Write down the settings.



Computer



Firewall

You need one. Yes, you do. And no, Microsoft's is NOT enough. Get Zonealarm, it's free.



Browser

This is how most people see the internet. There's a high chance you're using the "blue e" aka Internet Explorer. This is not a good habit as IE hasn't been worked on (beyond fixes to problems people complain loudly about) in YEARS. It's big, slow, out-of-date, allows all kinds of nasties in, insecure, inflexible, and a major target for hackers.



Get Firefox - it's also free, sleek, faster, more secure, blocks pop-ups, is very customizable, easy to use, and once you start using tabs... you'll get frustrated with IE.

There are also very simple ways to NEVER see a banner / iframe / image ad again - it's an add-on to Firefox called Adblock Plus. I also recommend the automatic filter for Adblock - Filterset.G Updater. All free



Other programs that find stuff on the net (file sharing, instant messengers) are also a security risk. I don't know what you have / use, so I'd recommend looking up "securing thenameoftheprogram" on google.



Get and install all updates to all your programs - Windows, your browser, your anti-virus, your anti-spyware, your router, you name it.



Ok, now we get to do the clean up part:



Anti-virus

Viruses can look through your computer, send your info to nasty people, fill up your hard drive, fry your computer... the list is endless.

I recommend AVG



Anti-spyware

Spyware / Adware / Malware are under the same category. Spyware watches what you do and sends the info to someone else. Adware shows you pop-ups regardless of your security settings. Malware is all of the above and more.

Ad-aware, Spyware Blaster and Spybot Search & Destroy are my recommendations and the Uninstall programs you don't use.



Download "CCleaner" to find the files that are just clutter (temporary files, browser histories, browser caches, etc)



Get into the habit of defragging and checking your disk for errors (both are options under "My Computer", right click on your hard drive, choose "properties", click on the "tools") twice a month. You may want look up how to automate this through Scheduled Tasks.



Protect your computer from yourself and others:



Make each user on your computer their own Windows profile - and only give them (and yourself) limited accounts.

The only time you need full (admin) access is to install programs.



Make each person password protect their account.



Get into the habit of changing ALL your passwords once a month. Don't write down your passwords in a place others can find / use. Make passwords that use both numbers and letters and that are hard for anyone else to guess - I recommend keyboard patterns.



Do yourself a huge favour and get a UPS - uninteruptable power supply. This goes one step beyond a power surge protecter and gives you time to shut down the computer, saves your router, etc from losing their settings or being fried by power fluctuations.



I have a legal and moral obligation to keep my pc 100% clean. And I use an antivirus/spyware program out of Beijing, China.

http://www.filseclab.com -- This program has kept me 100% clean for the past nine years.

Twister Anti-Trojan Virus is absolute state of the art technology that has a real time scanner

that really works. Will scan your memory on start up and continues to run in the background

while you use your pc. Plus this software uses very little CPU resources.

Some examples of how great this program is. If you open a webpage and there is a virus or

spyware embedded in the webpage the scanner will catch the virus in a second and clean.

If you download any type of file including music or a zip file and there is hidden embedded

virus in the file the download will stop and the Twister will clean and stop the download.

I had an experience where the software I download the company used another installer other

then their own. The installer had hidden embedded virus in the installer program. Twister found it and cleaned, plus ended the installation and traced it back to the installer software.

(I wrote the original software company and they now use their own installer).

What is really great is that you only pay a small one time fee for life. You will get frequent

large signature updates,excellent support and they never charge you for any new versions.

There are many other features as auto downloads, and the ability to fix all type of problems with your registry or windows.

The chinese don't believe in the annual fee or paying of new versions like most of the other software companies want to be paid over and over for the original purchase.



I use Zone Alarm free firewall (http://www.zonealarm.com). As a backup even though I have ADSL. I use ewido antispyware / malware. www.grisoft.com --Ewido was purchased by AVG. Ewido is free and will protect you from rogue dialers.



Also,you can use:



free

anti spyware blocker

spybot search & destory

spyware blaster

http://www.download.com



free

Windows Defender

http://www.microsoft.com



free

anti spyware firewall<<
http://www.download.com/



15day free try

ZoneAlarm internet security suite

all in one firewall / anti virus/ anti spyware

no1 auto virus killer that will kill off a virus

as the virus try to download on to your system

when you open your explorer and search on the net

there are virus on websire that will auto download

this all in one firewall/anti virus/anti spyware

will kill the download link fast and auto kill the virus

http://www.zonelabs.com/



not free

ad-aware se professional 1.06 /ad-watch

http://www.lavasoft.com/

ad-watch block's all pop ups



not free

ewido anti-spyware 4.0

http://www.grisoft.com/



not free

spyware doctor

http://www.pctools.com



not free

XoftSpy 4.22 is the Latest and Most Advanced Spyware Detection and

pop up spyware

Spyware

W32/Spybot

Browser Hijackers

Adware

Malware

Keyloggers

trojans

worms

back door trojans

Malicious mobile code

MALICIOUS SCRIPTS

toolbar trojans that dont show up



download xoftspy422 and install it then run it stop the scan and click on scan settings tick every box and click on where it says>>click here to select a folder then tick the (c) thats your hard drive if you have 2 hard drives tick the 2 of them then click ok then click start when the scan is done click on remove tab.

http://www.paretologic.com/



all of them are the best among the best

Before attempting to remove malware you must switch off System Restore as back up files will be hiding in there, and it will just restore itself. Go to Start - programs - accessories - system tools - system restore.

Run Avast and Ewido in Safe Mode. To get into Safe Mode repeatedly press the F8 key after the bios screen loads but before Windows loads. You'll know if you made it because the screen will be at 800 x 600 and your pc will be slow.



Then beef up your security. Its easier to prevent malware getting on to your sytem in the first place rather than trying to remove it.



The Windows firewall doesn't stop malware on your pc from dialling out. Either of these firewalls are free for personal use and stop unwanted incoming and outgoing traffic. You choose which programs are allowed to access the internet. They are both fairly easy to use and updated regularly.

http://www.zonelabs.com Zone Alarm firewall

http://www.kerio.com Kerio firewall



Shields Up security site, check your firewall works

https://www.grc.com



http://www.mozilla.com/ Firefox web browser

http://www.opera.com/ Opera web browser

Instal both these web browsers, turn off javascript on one and use that browser for vising unknown websites. They don't support Active X so thats one less way for problems to get on your pc.



Winpatrol is a handy utility that tracks cookies on your pc and stops unwanted changes to your startup folder.

http://www.winpatrol.com



Spywareblaster works with Internet Explorer and Firefox. It won't uninstall spyware that is already on your pc, but it will prevent hijacks and other malicious changes to your browser.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com...



http://www.siteadvisor.com -Site Advisor warns about malware on sites you are about to visit.



http://www.avast.com - Avast Antivirus



http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/... - Trend Micro online virus guide

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/... - Trend Micro PCillin online scan



http://www.ewido.net - Ewido anti trojan



Ad-Aware SE Personal anti adware

http://www.lavasoft.com



Spybot Search and Destroy anti spyware

http://www.safer-networking.org...



http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spy... - The Spyware Warrior site identifies fake anti spyware programs.



http://www.bitdefender.com -BitDefender can be used as a second, on demand anti virus.



For online AV scan, try the websites below:

GFI E-mail Security Testing –

http://www.emailsecuritytest.com/...

Port Scan Security Check -

http://www.sdesign.com/securitytest/inde...

Shields UP! -

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2...

Sygate Online Services -

http://scan.sygatetech.com/

VMon -

http://home.ahnlab.com/english/...

Panda ActiveScan Security Check -

http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan...

Online Malware Scan -

http://virusscan.jotti.org

eTrust AntiVirus Web Scanner -

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virus...

BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan -

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html...

Symantec Security Check -

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/defau...

For online spyware,malware & trojan scan:

Trend Micro Anti-Spyware For The Web

http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan

X-Cleaner Online Spyware Scanner

http://www.spywareguide.com/txt_onlinescan.html

Spyware Info Online Spyware Scanner

http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php

Ewido-Anti Spyware and Anti Malware Solution

http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan

Tenebril Online Spyware Scan

http://www.tenebril.com/scanner/189062_start.php

Trend Micro Free Online Scan

http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/free_spyware_scan.asp

Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Microsoft Safety Live Security Center

http://safety.live.com/site/en-US/default.htm

FutureSoft: Online Malware Scan

http://www.futuresoft.com/products/antispyware/webscan.htm

Free Online Trojan Scanner

http://www.trojanscan.com



Remember to update and run all of you anti malware programs at least once a week.

Maybe you should print off this list and check it once a month...