Stupid Goddamn Spyware.

[Krylo]

Alright. I've run Hijack This, gotten rid of all unrighteous processes that are running, even starting up in safe mode to get rid of a few DLLs that Hijack This couldn't get rid of itself. However, I still have an internet explorer window pop-up from time to time to this site: http://www.ad-w-a-r-e.com/callback_ron.php?GUID={613F9057-7E95-45F9-AD23-32E148A4F445}&country=US&type=

The contents of which are merely "sendExternalEvent('EVENT:IEBROWSER:z1.adserver.com/w/cp.x;rid=52;tid=2;ev=1;dt=3;ac=29;c=48');"

This doesn't manage to do anything. I left it all day at work and had about twenty windows open when I got home and nothing else out of the ordinary. So, I've managed to completely disable this spyware, except this one irritating thing.

I've already run CWShredder as well. I had CWS once a few months ago, and I managed to get rid of it without the shredder, to the point that when I ran the shredder last night nothing came up at all. I was hoping that maybe it would remove whatever straggling bit of spyware was still hanging about. It didn't.

So now, I come to you people. What file is causing that and where is it? Or, failing that, where can I find out? It's mildly irritating.

[Little Unicorn Boy]

man, I fucking hate even more how these companies pay guys to write programs that will ruin people's computers. as if they have anything to gain with an undeletable piece of spyware. if someone doesn't wish to indulge in a FREE ONLINE CASINO, chances are they are not going to want to a year later. miserable fucks.

sorry if I'm over-reacting to your problem. I didn't really read it or anything.

[Kitty Cannonade]

I used MSN, but it was way to slow for downloading stuff. When I switched to MSN Premium, it was much faster, but I got all kinds of popups and strange programs would be in my files. I started using Mozilla Firefox and I haven't had any Spyware, AdAware, or any other weird popups since. It's much slower than MSN, though. That is my only complaint.

[Raerlynn]

Krylo: Spybot: Search and Destroy. Get it. Use it. Install registry protection with it.
Little Unicorn Boy: True. And malicious spyware is now illegal.
Kitty: Mozilla is only slower because IE is pretty much built into Windows. Tell Firefox to reside in memory (its under one of your options) and it should go much faster.

[ChaosMage]

I would say that your best option is to stop using IE, and the Spybot registry protection. Firefox. Clicky (www.mozilla.org/firefox).

[KefkaTaran]

Krylo: I'm definitely going to have to agree with the others here -- drop Internet Explorer for the much smoother and much better-protected Mozilla Firefox. Totally worth it.

[dudemullet]

yeah I'd get Firefox too, but only because your not gonna stop looking at porn

[adamark]

firefox rocks. IE suxx0rs

**edit but you can still get spyware even when using ff

[GatoFiero]

^Yep, ya still can.

If your really paranoid about malware, then switch to Linux.

[shiney]

Just not as easily.

If you must use IE, change the settings to not use any third party programs, then close all windows and reopen them. Do you have the most recent versions of ad-aware and spybot? All the updates? Get the new versions, connect to the update servers and get any patches available. Don't run them unless you are in safe mode.

S'my suggestion.

[Forever Zero]

Basically, I had a huge spyware problem. Three step solution that worked for me to get rid of ALL Spyware, and not have it return.

1. Install Mozilla Firefox. It ROXORZ UR BOXORZ.
2. Install Spybot: Search and Destroy. It gets tons of nasty spyware in a short amount of time.
3. Install the latest free version of Ad-Aware. I found that setting this to the most through search pattern possible will even turn up garbage even Spybot misses.

After doing all these things, I haven't had a spyware problem since.

[My Lead Airbag]

Is Spybot:Search and Destroy free? I'm moslty using Mcafee and the spyware is ramming me in the ass.

[KefkaTaran]

My Lead Airbag: Yes.

I also highly suggest TuneUp Utilities 2004, which is not free but is absolutely AMAZING for making your system run better. I honestly cannot emphasize how awesome this program has made my computer run in the past. FIVE STARS!

(And you can get it for free if you really want. Ahem.)

[Zweihander]

McAffee doesn't protect Vs spyware, just virii. And yes, everything FZ mentioned is free. Especially Firefox, since its open source.

The only time you should use IE is for Windows Updates and for serious online things (banking, work, college's web portal, etc) that don't work in Firefox. Because someone is teaching people that adapting to IE "standards" is a good thing. And it isn't.

[LordZoma]

Run hijack this, save the complete log, and post it on this site so I can take a look at it. Also, download the program "Bazooka scanner" and let me know which files it finds.

[BitVyper]

Bazooka is awesome, even though it won't actually delete anything for you. I had a shitload of problems a few months back, and NOTHING could get rid of them. The main thing was an ad for an auto-dialer. Bazooka finally helped me hunt down every last registry key and eliminate it with extreme predjudice. Ad-Aware has since released an update that covered the same spyware.

I started using AVG and an online scanner for virus scans when one of my friends pointed them out to me. AVG runs slower, but it seems to pick up a lot of crap that Norton just sort of glosses over.

Edit: With Spybot's protection turned on, I just get the occasional tracking cookie these days. It seems that since I defeated the great lord nvidia, my spyware adventures may have come to an end.

[Shiny Bunny Captain Socha]

Yeah I find Ad-aware and Spybot to be the best combination. Add to that Firefox or Mozilla (or basically any browser that isn't IE). One more thing tho. Switch your browser but there will be times you need to use IE, because some douchebags out there have sites that only work with IE. The main trick is to disable Activex. Activex is the real enemy here. However some malware can mess with the Actievex settings. So don't think it's a 100% foolproof way to use IE. But with all the steps I mentioned as well as killing Activex, I've had virtually no spyware for several months now. Which makes me happy. Very happy. :D

Edit: I forgot. There is a feature in Spybot called "Immunize". It helps a lot also. It has a list of "bad products" that it can block from downloading. Many types of spyware download from visiting sites. (porn being an excellent example). This is where Activex comes into play, it allows the programs to enter your puter. So a combo of nixing Activex and "immunizing" helps immensely.

[In Hindsight]

Actually, I have the same exact problem as krylo.

And I have been using FF for quite some time. Plus I run AA and Spybot daily.

But I still get IE popups, for reasons I can't quite understand.

[Lycanthrope]

I do say that spyware may well be the purest manifestation of evil on the internet. The people who send these things are not designing these programs for optimum advertisement so much as to be the most annoying and agrovating they can possibly be, to be unerraticateable, and to ruin computers. The kicker that makes this far worse than any virus or hacker: They get payed, fricken PAYED to do this. This comes dirrectly from satan. Dirrectly.