IMPORTANT!!!! - Members/visitors please read... - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

u2sarajevo · 06-10-2004, 11:42 AM

If you regularly come to this site and are not running virus detection software that is updated regularly it is quite possible your computer is infected with a keylogger due to the counter at the bottom of the page. I would highly recommend EVERYONE to go to one of the following locations and downloading one of these free scanning software packages to make sure your computer is clean. Also, it is a good idea to get virus software and make sure it is updated.

Lavasoft's Ad-aware

SpyBot - Search & Destroy

Spybot is much more thorough with all it's different tools, however Ad-aware updates alot more frequently. I use both. PM me with any questions....

u2sarajevo · 06-10-2004, 11:53 AM

For information on the Trojan that tries to get installed, click here

ddh33 · 06-10-2004, 01:04 PM

I'll just tell my story. Hopefully, someone can explain to me what's going on since I'm computer illiterate.

A few days ago, I was on this site. A message popped up every time I clicked on a new thread or moved around this site in any way. The pop-up said something along the lines that I couldn't view this page without downloading some kind of Flash or something (can't exactly recall). Well, I just continued to ignore it because I was able to read the threads just fine. But I was getting tired of this pop-up every single time I did anything. So, I clicked on more information. It essentially said that this download was safe. So, I downloaded it. It only took a few seconds and I never got that pop-up agian - thankfully.

But it seems that ever since that happened, I have been bombarded by pop-ups everywhere else on the internet. My computer looks like it now has things like Bargain Buddy, Optimizer, and a bunch of other things I don't even remember.

Did I do something wrong, or this involved in what U2 is talking about? I would appreciate any help.

kg_veteran · 06-10-2004, 02:09 PM

Yeah, basically, you need to download SpyBot and remove that crap from your computer.

jacktruth · 06-10-2004, 02:27 PM

This may be a silly question, but if the counter is implanting viruses, shouldn't somebody consider how important the counter is? It's interesting information alright, but I've been using this site since 2001 and never felt the need to know these stats? At what cost? Just a thought.

u2sarajevo · 06-10-2004, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: ddh33
I'll just tell my story. Hopefully, someone can explain to me what's going on since I'm computer illiterate.

A few days ago, I was on this site. A message popped up every time I clicked on a new thread or moved around this site in any way. The pop-up said something along the lines that I couldn't view this page without downloading some kind of Flash or something (can't exactly recall). Well, I just continued to ignore it because I was able to read the threads just fine. But I was getting tired of this pop-up every single time I did anything. So, I clicked on more information. It essentially said that this download was safe. So, I downloaded it. It only took a few seconds and I never got that pop-up agian - thankfully.

But it seems that ever since that happened, I have been bombarded by pop-ups everywhere else on the internet. My computer looks like it now has things like Bargain Buddy, Optimizer, and a bunch of other things I don't even remember.

Did I do something wrong, or this involved in what U2 is talking about? I would appreciate any help.

You just described a classic case of browser hi-jacking.

as kg said, download spybot and get rid of it. also, in spybot use the immunize feature.

ddh33 · 06-10-2004, 05:06 PM

Thank you all for your help. I did, in fact, have several problems with my computer. The SpyBot software identified and fixed them, so I would recommend everyone check in to this.

djb · 06-10-2004, 05:42 PM

The counter should be fine now. The only reason that trojan came about was bc someone had hacked the counter's (Flash-Gear.com) web server.

EricaLubarsky · 06-10-2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: djbacklash
The counter should be fine now. The only reason that trojan came about was bc someone had hacked the counter's (Flash-Gear.com) web server.

Appreciate the update. It's still good to have those programs and no matter how many people I tell to use those programs, the majority of the people on the net do not. It's silly. When I got my mother the spybot programs she had 200+ spybots. A few of them were dialers and keyloggers.

sike · 06-11-2004, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: djbacklash
The counter should be fine now. The only reason that trojan came about was bc someone had hacked the counter's (Flash-Gear.com) web server.

what is there to keep this from happening again and again and again?

EricaLubarsky · 06-11-2004, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: sike

Quote:

Originally posted by: djbacklash
The counter should be fine now. The only reason that trojan came about was bc someone had hacked the counter's (Flash-Gear.com) web server.

what is there to keep this from happening again and again and again?

Answer

Drbio · 06-11-2004, 10:56 AM

LOL @ EL......

I agree with reconsidering the utility of the counter.

kg_veteran · 06-11-2004, 12:40 PM

Quote:

what is there to keep this from happening again and again and again?

The most recent version of SpyBoy has something called TeaTimer that comes with it. It pretty much runs actively and detects any attempts to change the registry. It's a really nice tool to have. I have it at work, and since I started using it I don't have all that much to clean off when I run SpyBot or AdAware.

Jeremiah · 06-11-2004, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: ddh33
I'll just tell my story. Hopefully, someone can explain to me what's going on since I'm computer illiterate.

A few days ago, I was on this site. A message popped up every time I clicked on a new thread or moved around this site in any way. The pop-up said something along the lines that I couldn't view this page without downloading some kind of Flash or something (can't exactly recall). Well, I just continued to ignore it because I was able to read the threads just fine. But I was getting tired of this pop-up every single time I did anything. So, I clicked on more information. It essentially said that this download was safe. So, I downloaded it. It only took a few seconds and I never got that pop-up agian - thankfully.

But it seems that ever since that happened, I have been bombarded by pop-ups everywhere else on the internet. My computer looks like it now has things like Bargain Buddy, Optimizer, and a bunch of other things I don't even remember.

Did I do something wrong, or this involved in what U2 is talking about? I would appreciate any help.

Jeremiah · 06-11-2004, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: ddh33
I'll just tell my story. Hopefully, someone can explain to me what's going on since I'm computer illiterate.

A few days ago, I was on this site. A message popped up every time I clicked on a new thread or moved around this site in any way. The pop-up said something along the lines that I couldn't view this page without downloading some kind of Flash or something (can't exactly recall). Well, I just continued to ignore it because I was able to read the threads just fine. But I was getting tired of this pop-up every single time I did anything. So, I clicked on more information. It essentially said that this download was safe. So, I downloaded it. It only took a few seconds and I never got that pop-up agian - thankfully.

But it seems that ever since that happened, I have been bombarded by pop-ups everywhere else on the internet. My computer looks like it now has things like Bargain Buddy, Optimizer, and a bunch of other things I don't even remember.

Did I do something wrong, or this involved in what U2 is talking about? I would appreciate any help.

Same thing happened to me, only more than a few days ago. I also can't seem to download SpyBot, but can download anything else. U2, would you mind saving the program and emailing it to me? I'd pm you, but I can't seem to locate the function for that. If you'll send me a pm, I'll reply with my email address. Or anyone for that matter. Thx.

bernardos70 · 06-11-2004, 09:35 PM

oooOO, keylogger? That's nasty. I don't see any ads at all. Combination of Opera and Norton Internet Security does it for me. But the thing installs a keylogger? Woah, that's particularly nasty.

u2sarajevo · 06-12-2004, 12:22 AM

By the way people, it was gone as dj described above, but it's back tonight.... and this time on every page load.

This thing is nasty.

u2sarajevo · 06-12-2004, 12:47 AM

And now it's gone.

The counter appears to be gone too.

Richard · 06-15-2004, 10:21 AM

Hey, while we are talking about computer stuff, I had a similar problem. My wife clicked on something, now we have a program that "hijacks" my computer. It puts its own search bar at top, it keeps re-installing its search home page as my start up page and it keeps rearranging and adding stuff to my favorites. I can't find it to uninstall it. I got and ran the latest version of spybot. Spybot "fixed" some problems it found but the hijacking program lives on. HELP.

u2sarajevo · 06-15-2004, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Richard
Hey, while we are talking about computer stuff, I had a similar problem. My wife clicked on something, now we have a program that "hijacks" my computer. It puts its own search bar at top, it keeps re-installing its search home page as my start up page and it keeps rearranging and adding stuff to my favorites. I can't find it to uninstall it. I got and ran the latest version of spybot. Spybot "fixed" some problems it found but the hijacking program lives on. HELP.

You don't have PM's enabled so I have to communicate with you here. Some important things to do:
1. Make sure you always check for updates for Spybot before running a scan (click on the Search for Updates button).

2. Immunize your computer, using the Immunize feature of Spybot.

3. Under Tools, then Resident, make sure both the check boxes for "SDHelper" and "TeaTimer" are checked.

4. Under Tools, then IE tweaks, make sure the 'Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers.' is checked.

If your HOSTS file is already compromised, you will want to recreate it... or simply delete it if you don't use it for anything. If you are unsure what to do about that, if you turn on your PMs I will discuss this further with you.

I would be surprised to see your HOSTS file compromised and Spybot not detect that....

Richard · 06-15-2004, 08:30 PM

Many thanks Sarajevo. I followed your instructions. I'm supposed to "deny changes" when that box comes up, right?!

I had one problem I need to re-start to try to fix. I enabled pm's.

Thanks again.

Richard · 06-15-2004, 09:25 PM

Can't seem to get rid of "Adtomi.YahooStocks" and "unknown" by running Spybot "fix".

Any ideas?

EricaLubarsky · 06-16-2004, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Richard
Can't seem to get rid of "Adtomi.YahooStocks" and "unknown" by running Spybot "fix".

Any ideas?

install and use Spybot S&D, virus software and AdAware
update all of them.
Use them to search your computer.
document the name each one gives you
search google. There are viruses/trojans/adware that need to be removed manually. Most times network admins have run into those before as well and many times will have written programs to remove them. If not there will be instructions on how to manually remove them.

P.S. have you tried going to the control panel->Uninstall software and looked for Yahoo? If you installed the program yourself (even if it was attached to something else, you wont be able to remove it many times. I installed a program called Cain and Abel and my virus protection couldnt remove the poisoning from it because I had installed it. Also many times you are unable to uninstall spyware if it comes with a program. AIM used to come with spyware that needed to be there for the program to work. Different programs did different things: some would delete it and AIM would die and some programs would refuse to delete it.

Richard · 06-16-2004, 10:43 PM

Thanks for the help on this thread, especially Erica and U2sarajevo. With their help I think I about have the blood suckers beat back for the moment. yea.