Somehow I have gotten some kind of redirect bug. The browser works fine, but when I click on my e mail, the e mail page pops up for a second then redirects to a page with an address "about: blank". The page is a huge list of links of various topics.
Spybot does not even see the problem. Adaware finds it, but when I remove the items and run Adaware again, they're back. This malware is setting a default home page as "about: blank" in IE. In my Yahoo browser, my normal home page launches at start up. It only redirects to the link page when going into e mail.
I went into settings in IE and about blank is listed as the default. I can change it, hit apply and OK. Go back into tools and "about blank" is again listed as the default. In the Yahoo browser, "about blank" is also listed as the home page, but everything is dimmed and cannot be changed.
I need help fast! I have been unable to access my e mail for 4 days now.
Posted by Marty Engel (Member # 3483) on :
Hi Dave,
Cant offer much help other than to dump IE and download Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org/
under IE tools/internet options / programs/ hit the tab "reset web settings"
that might get you back.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
I was told that most all viruses were written for IE and me not being much of a computer person, I downloaded FireFox from Mozilla some weeks ago. Get rid of that crap and install Mozilla and get happy Posted by John Thomas (Member # 2854) on :
Dave If you run Ad-aware make sure you Quarantined the object then delete it from Quarantined items. You also may want to download a program called stinger I will have to find the site later, going to be out of the shop till later. It will look for trojans and others and delete them. Also what OS are you on?
Just to let ppl know that dont you need a good Anti-Virus program running all the time and need to keep it up todate. The virus/trojans that are out now will get any any pc or Mac they have made them for all now not just the pc's/IBM clones.
I will send the board some more info when I get back in the shop tonight or in the am.
Have a good day all.
Posted by Steve Aycock (Member # 3612) on :
Just like was mentioned above... Keep running adaware. Get spybot. Each will catch things the other doesn't. Definitely move to firefox. It's a nicer browser anyway.
Also, get the free edition of AVG antivirus. It can be had at grisoft
If you find out specifically what proggy hijacked you, Google it's name. There may be a removal program or at least manual removal instructions.
There are many different ways to keep that junk off of your computer. For those with broadband. Get a hardware firewall (cable / DSL router). A good Linksys or D-link will help keep you virus and syp/malware free. For gods sakes be careful what you clik on.
Steve
Posted by JDuckett (Member # 4505) on :
The same thing happened to me. I did like Curtis said. After that I cleared my internet history (cleared all the sites I've visited) and it cleared up mine
Posted by Ron Wakefield (Member # 4816) on :
Hi Dave. Running Ad-Aware and SpyBot is a start and most of the time will solve the type of problem you're having. Sometimes however you have to go into Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and uninstall search related programs. These programs are installed in the same sneaky way as the other agents. Remove anything that looks suspicious or might be search related. Assuming you know your PC and what's been installed, most should be obvious. Some are disguised to confuse the person trying to remove stuff. ex: Windows SR2. Other ones have names like Websearch, Search ToolBar, etc. You get the idea. Try this: 1. Go the Add/Remove programs route 2. Run Ad-Aware and Spybot again 3. Open your browser and go to the default URL of choice. Then make it permanent. For Internet Explorer: Tools->Internet Options then click Use Default. Hope this helps. -Ron
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Spybot adaware type programs will never reset preferences to default in IE. Anti virus never resets IE in any way. You must do that manually like I explained above.
Changing the default page happens all the time. Yahoo is notorius for it and so is AOLhell as the most common ones.
They only way to get back is to reset your search defaults in IE. You cannto get it back with any other settings.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
Well I am the proud owner of a new router and Norton antivirus. (I deleted Zone Alarm and the antivirus that came with it.) I had 3 Trojans and 40 malwares. I noticed that Ad-aware was on quick scan. I switched it back to custom and did a full scan and it found and deleted all the malware that was redirecting my homepage. I suspect that the deep scan found the source. The quick scan was only finding part of the components so the main piece of malware was not being deleted.
Thanks for the help. Everything is running fine now.
Posted by Ron Wakefield (Member # 4816) on :
Glad you're all fixed. Just a correction to my post anyway: I meant Use Current not Use Defaults.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
By the next day I'm right back where I started from. Email jumps to the same browser page. I've had it whith the net
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