IE and Outlook Express hijacked by local VPN dialup service

[Arawak]

I have to use a VPN installed from CD to access my work schedule
(airline).
After running the program and rebooting, I tried to start IE 6.0 & OE
by clicking on their respective icons but regardless of which one I
choose, up pops a full screen welcoming me to the companies (3rd
party) signup page (aka AOL but actually a company called Flica).
The choices are to Connect via a 1-800# or to cancel. The problem is I
have no land line anymore just a broadband connection and there is no
option for that. If I hit cancel, I'm tols detup was unsuccessful and
that's that. No IE and no OE. I completely uninstalled the program
with it's VPN client but after rebooting, I am still getting that
Welcome screen.
I's the weekend and the tech support for Flightline (Flica) will be
closed until monday. Any suggestions or help appreciated.

TIA,
Arawak

 

[war17]

1. If you have Windows Messenger Service, disable it. The Messenger service
is typically not needed for home users.

Right-click My Computer and click Manage.
Click Services and Applications.
Click Services.
Scroll down to Messenger and right-click.
Stop the Service.
Choose Disable as the Startup Type.
Click OK

2. Use Popup Stopper to get rid of the popups from the Internet.

http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

3. Use the following scanners to find and remove the website.

SpyBot S&D searches your harddisk for so-called spy- or adbots;
http://security.kolla.de/
or
Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
or
CoolWebShredder
http://www.spychecker.com/program/coolwebshredder.html

4. Some porn websites redirects links to their websites using your HOSTS
file. Do a search for the HOSTS (without extension) file and remove the
entry.

5. If still no joy, download HijackThis from Spywareinfo download page

http://www.spywareinfo.com/program/hijackthis.html

Run the program and you will find many entries. Most are OK. Post the log. I
will find the problem for you.

6. For future preventive maintenance, make sure programs cannot just
download on your computer without your permission. From the Internet
Toolbar, go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced. Make sure "Enable
Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)" and "Enable Install On Demand
(Other)" are unchecked.

 

[Arawak]

Thanks for the reply but you misunderstood my problem. The problem is
internal not external from the web. I have already done all you
suggest from reading various magazines.
My problem is, when I click on the Outlook Express or Internet
Explorer icons, neither of the actual programs start. Instead they are
waited for this UNDETERMINABLE file which starts up the Flightline
welcome screen expecting a dialup connection to a 1-800 number for me
to sign-up or log-in to this account. I deleted the dial-up connection
and ialready uninstalled the program using XP's Add and Remove utility
but obviously some command is still there which ignores the fact that
I'm already connected via broadband and will not allow access to the
Microsoft programs, namely Outlook Express and Internet Explorer whose
properties dialog box show the correct target files as well as the
correct Start In directories.

 

[Terry Liu [MSFT]]

Hi Arawak,

Since the issue is resolved by Hijack this, I don't provide you with more
suggestions.

If you have any questions in the future, please feel free to post here!

Have a nice day!

Best regards,

Terry Liu
MCSE 2K MCSA MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Support Engineer

Get Secure! - <www.microsoft.com/security>
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60From: Arawak <[email protected]>
60Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser
60Subject: IE and Outlook Express hijacked by local VPN dialup service
60Organization: HBJXFYRD-FERUBREZ-5LLXVUYS-LPT5CHUW-QMV5KQRJ
60Reply-To: Arawak
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60Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2004 04:40:06 GMT
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60Xref: cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser:235879
60X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser
60
60I have to use a VPN installed from CD to access my work schedule
60(airline).
60After running the program and rebooting, I tried to start IE 6.0 & OE
60by clicking on their respective icons but regardless of which one I
60choose, up pops a full screen welcoming me to the companies (3rd
60party) signup page (aka AOL but actually a company called Flica).
60The choices are to Connect via a 1-800# or to cancel. The problem is I
60have no land line anymore just a broadband connection and there is no
60option for that. If I hit cancel, I'm tols detup was unsuccessful and
60that's that. No IE and no OE. I completely uninstalled the program
60with it's VPN client but after rebooting, I am still getting that
60Welcome screen.
60I's the weekend and the tech support for Flightline (Flica) will be
60closed until monday. Any suggestions or help appreciated.
60
60TIA,
60Arawak
60