Question:
"YOur Privacy is in Danger" - taking over my desktop background and pop ups coming along with it.?
flashingjesus
2008-01-08 15:04:23 UTC
This annoying red 'Privacy is in Danger' Keeps taking over my desktop background. I have read previous entries on this and the only thing that has worked at all is the SmitFraud. However this only rids me of the problem for a couple of hours before it returns.
I have tried numerous Spyware removal programs as recommended by various people and none of them have worked. Is there anyone out there who can help in ridding me permanently?
I have a copy avail;able of the pre and post Rapport reports when using SmitFraud and the HijacThis log if this will help.
Finally, until I solve the problem, is this a danger to my security or just plain annoying?
Six answers:
2008-01-08 15:07:41 UTC
Yes this is quite a large danger to your security. If the programs for removal aren't working you might want to skip to my last step and do the recovery. Otherwise try from the beginning and see how much luck you have.



STEP 1: SCAN COMPUTER FOR INFECTIONS



1. The most important thing you can do is make sure you know what you’re up against. Run these online scanners to help figure out what is infecting your system:

-http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

-http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/

-http://www.bitdefender.com/

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



STEP 2: TURN OFF SYSTEM RESTORE



1. Turn off Windows System Restore Points:

a. Right Click on My Computer

b. Click Properties

c. Click System Restore Tab

d. Check the box next to: Turn off System Restore on all Hard drives

i. Malware can sometimes be restored from previous restore points, this will help the removal process run more smoothly

2. Click Apply and OK



STEP 3: GO TO ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS TO CLEAR KNOWN MALWARE



1. Before scanning the computer you can remove certain malware programs from the Add/Remove Programs list in the Control Panel in Windows XP

2. Open the Start Menu and select Control Panel

3. In the Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs

4. Look through the list for anything suspicious

5. Search http://www.google.com for any program you are not sure about.

6. Uninstall and follow the directions on any program that you decide to remove.



STEP 4: REMOVE TEMPORARY FILES



1. Go to the Start Menu and select Control Panel and click Internet Options.

a.Click the “Delete” button and delete all browsing history (temp files, internet files, cookies) and any settings stored by add-ons.

2. Open My Computer and click the Tools Menu and select “Folder Options.”

a. Next click on the View Tab and click in the circle next to “Show Hidden Files and Folders” then click OK.

3. In My Computer click on the C Drive > Documents and Settings > USERNAME (do this for as many names as you have on the computer) > Local Settings > Temp.

a. Now go to the Edit Menu and click “Select All.”

b. Once all the files are selected hit the “Delete” key.

4. Open the Start Menu, mouse over All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> and select Disc Cleanup

a. Select C Driver and click OK

b. Check any boxes listed here

c. Click OK and Yes

5. Download, install, and run CCleaner:

-http://www.ccleaner.com/



STEP 5: MALWARE REMOVAL TOOLS



1. Trojans, Worms, Key Loggers, Viruses, and Spyware are all very difficult to remove with just a single program. That is why it is recommend to run several programs to aid in the removal process. I recommend running each of the following programs listed below in order. Not all the programs are freeware and require purchase, you don’t have to run that program but I recommend looking into it if the results come back with your computer still being infected. Still, after all the freeware programs have run through your computer should be clean of any infection.



NOTE: It is recommend to run these programs in Safe Mode for the best results!

2. Freeware – Spyware Doctor: In my personal experience and on sites like PC World, PC Magazine, AV-Testing, Spyware Doctor is the #1 at removing malware. If there is one tool you use this one is it.

- http://www.download.com/Spyware-Doctor-Starter-Edition/3000-8022_4-10754824.html



3. Freeware – SUPERAntiSpyware: This program has a top notch removal system just like Spyware Doctor.

-http://www.superantispyware.com/



4. Freeware – AVG Anti-Spyware: I’m not a huge fan of the AVG Antivirus but I’ve found that their Anti-Spyware does have a good kick to it. It can find a lot of the obscure malware programs some of the others might miss.

- http://free.grisoft.com/



5. Freeware – Spybot: This one gets a lot of advertising bots and other malicious programs.

-http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html



6. Trialware – Counterspy: With a surprisingly powerful engine I find that Counterspy will power through the system and pick up the mess a lot of the previous programs might have missed.

-http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home-Home-Office/Anti-Spyware/



7. Freeware – Ad-Aware 2007: Just because, does a great job finding cookies and small time malware.

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



8. Freeware – Spyware Terminator: Although you might have almost cleaned out the complete infection it doesn’t hurt to run this guy to double check your work.

-http://www.spywareterminator.com/



9. Purchasable – Spy Sweeper: I always save one of the best for last. Although Spy Sweeper may not have the best removal engine, it has been proven time and time again as the best active protection Spyware program. Also their Spy Sweeper with Antivirus is powered by Sophos which makes it quite a powerful program. It’s a $30 or more depending on the version you want but this is well worthwhile. This is one that you want to have for active protection.

-http://www.webroot.com/En_US/index.html?rc=5082



10. With a few stubborn files I find that the following programs will sometimes have a slight edge.

Smitfraud Removal:

-http://www.afterdawn.com/software/deskto...

Vundofix:

-http://vundofix.atribune.org/



11. Trialware – Registry Mechanic – You can purchase the full version for $30 but I find it does a pretty good job of cleaning up in the end even with just the trial.

-http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/?ref=afl_onenetwork



STEP 6: HIJACKTHIS



1. Many times malware can hide itself in the computer to avoid detection, or change the file name it uses. HijackThis examines certain key areas of the Registry and Hard Drive and lists their contents. These are areas which are used by both legitimate programmers and hijackers. Some items are perfectly fine. You should not remove them. Never remove everything. Doing that could leave you with missing items needed to run legitimate programs and add-ins.

-http://www.download.com/3000-8022_4-10781312.html

2. If you are unsure how to use this program then follow this guide.

-http://www.whatthetech.com/hijackthis_v2/

3. After running a scan make sure to post the log on the following website so the experts can analyze it for you.

-http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/register.html



STEP 7: SCAN COMPUTER FOR INFECTIONS



1. Once more I recommend going to the online scanner just to be sure that you were able to remove all the malware infections:

-http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

-http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/

-http://www.bitdefender.com/

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



STEP 8: TURN ON SYSTEM RESTORE



1. Turn on Windows System Restore Points:

a. Right Click on My Computer

b. Click Properties

c. Click System Restore Tab

d. Uncheck the box next to: Turn off System Restore on all Hard drives

2. Click Apply and OK



STEP 9: WINDOWS UPDATES



1. It might seem simple butting running the Windows Updates on the system will help it against vulnerabilities of future malware problems.

-http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com



STEP 10: SETUP PROTECTION



1. Now that the system has been cleaned you want to protect it from happening again. I would recommend the following anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to help protect the machine.

2. Anti-Virus

a. Avast: In overall scans I found that this comes in at the top for virus and spyware protection amongst the free anti-virus programs.

- http://www.avast.com/

b. Avira: In the same scans I found that Avira comes in a very close second to Avast for virus and spyware protection.

- http://www.avira.com/en/pages/index.php

3. Anti-Spyware

a. Spyware Blaster: This is a powerful utility that helps to block potential spyware problems from browsers and websites.

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

b. Spy Sweeper: As I said before this one is the best that I’ve come across. You will have to pay for it yearly for the protection but the price is not to high to deter

from the purchase.

-http://www.webroot.com/En_US/index.html?rc=5082



STEP 11: SYSTEM RECOVERY



1. In a worst case scenario if the following steps do not clean your system, even after purchasing the software, you would want to do the system recovery on the computer. Just make sure you backup your important files before formatting. This will format the hard drive and erase any problems the computer was happening before restoring it to a factory default state that it came from the manufacturer.
Hugh J's Daddy
2008-01-08 15:11:53 UTC
LOL...that is an aweful long response to this question....makes one wonder



I am pretty certain it is a hinderance and annoyance more than a serious threat. If you would like to permanently remove it, get two programs. SuperAntispyware Free Edition and Spyware Doctor Starter Edition. Get them both from www.download.com. Install,update, disconnect your pc from the internet, and perform complete scans with both programs, preferably scan with SuperAntispyware first.



This WILL remove the infection. GUARANTEED! It might be necessary to scan in safe mode, but try in your normal windows environment first.



If you need more specifics, feel free to save me as a contact and I will walk you through it step by step.





Good Luck!
starkes
2016-10-04 04:22:56 UTC
Thumbs down is for whilst i think of somebody is being completely ridiculous or downright rude and insulting. If human beings are not getting a `thumbs down` for promulgating racial hatred, we could desire to assert, human beings will seem on the respond and think of that I and all of us accept as true with or have discovered no insult or undesirable feeling contained interior the respond. that does no longer seem good to something of he worldwide and makes us all seem heartless or indifferent. many of the rubbish spouted out in this section is disgusting to assert the least and to enable it pass `unthumbed` could be morally incorrect. Now, reporting is a diverse remember. I one hundred% have faith in freedom of speech, yet I even have had the main harmless solutions bumped off by employing the religista. How approximately, "particular a sprint" as `no longer an answer` ??? EDIT: a minimum of in case you're starting to be thumbs in any direction, you comprehend everybody is analyzing what you assert, whether they don`t like it.
AMG
2008-01-08 15:17:44 UTC
Yes, it is very possible that you are infected with some form of malware. It is very hard to remove sometimes. Here are a list of programs that can help you remove the spyware.



Free Anti-Spyware

SpyBot Search & Destroy 1.5 - http://www.safer-networking.org

Ad-Aware 2007 Free - http://www.lavasoft.com

A-Squared 3 Free Edition - http://www.emsisoft.com

AVG Anti-Spyware Free - http://www.free.grisoft.com

SuperAntiSpyware - http://www.superantispyware.com

Windows Defender - http://www.microsoft.com

SpyWare Doctor Starter Edition - http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/

SpyWare Terminator - http://www.spywareterminator.com

CCleaner - http://www.ccleaner.com



Turn off system restore before anything is done trojans can also hide in the system restore.

Remember, install atleast one, not more than 3. If removal fails then try to see if you can boot into safe mode by pressing F8 at startup. To keep your computer away from viruses try to use a good scanner like Avast! with realtime protection. Other free AV's are good too aslong as there're updated and ready to go.



Free Anti-Virus

Avast! Home Edition - http://www.avast.com

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic - http://www.free-av.com

AVG Free Edition - http://www.free.grisoft.com

BitDefender Free Edition - http://www.bitdefender.com



Again if the removal fails try to boot into safe mode. YOu need a firewall to prevent computer hijacking and instrusions. Try these.



Free FireWalls

Comodo Personal FireWall - http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Jetico FireWall Free - http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/jpfirewall.htm

ZoneAlarm FireWall Free - http://www.zonelabs.com



There are very effective, more than Windows standard firewall. Scanning with a rookit detector is also a good idea, since most trojans are packed with rookits.



Free Anti-Rookits

AVG Anti-Rookit - www.free.grisoft.com



Doing an online scan at http://housecall.trendmicro.com is a great way to clear junk. It has a special engine that not can search for viruses but remove them aswell.



May i also suggest switching to Mozilla FireFox? It is a much safer browser than Internet Explorer.

Mozilla FIreFox - http://www.getfirefox.com

There is also a plugin for FIreFox that alerts you when sites are scams or phising sites! Very Easy to download and install. It is also for Internet Explorer 6-7.

SiteAdvisor - http://www.siteadvisor.com
2008-01-08 16:33:29 UTC
Spyware Adware Removal:

Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Adware 2007 Free http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

Superantispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/

Run 1 at a time.



ALL FREE



Hope this helps.
SPACEGUY
2008-01-08 15:14:53 UTC
it is maleware,



Download and update the spyware doctor and it should find it, If not the reboot and start up in safe mode by tapping the F-8 key and then select safe mode and run your antivirus and the spyware doctor while in safe mode;



This is very good tool and I recommend it to keep your pc in good running condition,



Windows Advanced Care , This tool will keep you computer running good and you can see the startup programs to help you understand what runs in the startup programs; It also imunizes your computer against the attcks we face each time we go on the internet Just run it once a day and your worrys are much less,



http://www.download.com/Advanced-WindowsCare-Personal/3000-2086-10407614.html





Here is a very good tool called Winpatrol and it monitors your computer for programs that try to run on your system without your knowlege, This tool also allows you to manage all the startup programs on your computer,, It also warns you if a program tries to run without your permission, I use this software and I recommend it,





http://www.freewarefiles.com/downloads_counter.php?programid=8625





Here is a free and very good antivirus tool called avg free,

Note; You should never use more than one antivirus on your computer at a time,



http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=aff





Here is the PC Tools free antivirus and is a very good antivirus

Note; You should never run more than one antivirus on your computer at a time,,



http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/





The free edition of spyware doctor, The best for removing spyware and malware and its free,

http://www.download.com/Spyware-Doctor-Starter-Edition/3000-8022_4-10754824.html





Here is the adaware se free personal and is a very good spyware removal tool



http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html





Here is an antispyware software called avg free antispyware, It is a totally free software and it works very well,



http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=asf





SG


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...