Just spent an hour getting rid of malicious spyware, ask me anything

[Endangered Specie]

The powers that be must be trying to test my non-capital punishment resolve. :argh:

2 days I have my new computer and I get this crap, it attacks before I have time to install software to fight it :argh:


</rant>

[Trajan]

1. Specie ....

New Computers are SOLD with that CRAP embedded within ....

I have learned to live with 'backweb-194957' and 'cfd.exe' since I bought this damned thing: ...

Have I mentioned that messenger is a freekin PAIN in the arse too ? ..

They dont love their customers: they HATE us: they only love our money ....

[Endangered Specie]

4. I was hunting down CoolWebSearch Trojan/IE hook...

I knew when I got it when DU was no longer my homepage.

I actaully spent FOUR hours yesterday removing what you are talking about, all that factory installed crap, not to mention AOhelL...

One of the first things I did was render this thing sans Messanger.

[TrogL]

2. So how long do you think that's gonna last?

[Endangered Specie]

7. I run adaware almost everyday.

And I just put the firewall up, so hopefully, Ill only get 5-10 a day. :shrug:

[Wickerman]

3. What software did you use?

adaware?

[Endangered Specie]

5. Adaware and Cybot S&D I usually use BUT...

this one was immune to it... after Adaware deleted it, it popped iteslf up again (CoolWebSearch), to get rid of... you have to use a program specifically designed to get rid of it (CWShredder).

[TroubleMan]

6. Best anti-spyware software is here:

http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/index.html?source=appvisit

It blows my ad-aware away.

However, you have to manually remove the bad stuff. But it does catch everything.

[Endangered Specie]

8. Thanks... I just might add that one too...

lets see thats 3 ware killers, 1 firewall and 1 anti-virus, 2 pop-up blockers,... now for a spam filter.

[TroubleMan]

11. You should run Adaware and Cybot first, then that

It will catch everything they missed, but again you'll have to do it manually.

[Wwagsthedog]

13. Followed your link to download. com...

...which said that bazooka is not available there. Any idea where it can be acquired?

[TroubleMan]

14. I just redownloaded it using those links...hmm

try it again...

if it doesn't work PM me with your email and I'll email it to you (it's 718kb)

[bluestateguy]

9. Yep

I had my new HP for three days before I installed Ad-Aware and when I ran it for the first time it found my hard drive to be dirtier than a 3$ whore. Registry keys, registry values, files, folders all numbered in the hundreds.

[DS1]

10. Oh, the things I've thought about cleaning up spyware

Such horrible, horrible sights. Dante would have needed to go into triple digits to get down to my level.

[rumguy]

12. Does a Mac every get spyware/adware?

And once a computer gets it, like how closely do they track you?

[Endangered Specie]

15. They do all sorts of things...

they can collect anything from what you surf to whats on your disk, as well as personal information, system settings and info. Each piece of ware does a specific thing. Aside from collecting/watching they can alter your system settings, IE is a preferred target.

Im sure Macs get this crap too, but Windows and IE are the easist to hack apparently.

[rumguy]

16. why do they care what you surf?

of what value is it?

[TroubleMan]

17. they send you ads or pop ups based on where you surf

It's like "target advertising."

[MsUnderstood]

18. Did you throw your arms up in victory

And yell out "I am the GOD(DESS) of MY DOMAIN"

I have worked on a computer every weekend for the last four weeks. Spyway is getting more bold and more bad.

I used ad aware most successfully.

I tried pest patrol but the default configurations thought EVERYTHING in the KAZAA folder (shared music, text files) was spyware and removed KAZAA incorrectly which then corrupted my TCP/IP stack.

I was inches from reformatting when I found a fix for the problem.