What is this in Restricted Sites ?

[Guest]

When I go into IE > Tools > Internet Options > Security Tab > Restricted
Sites ... then I click on the Sites Button and in that Restricted Sites Panel

Web Sites ... there's always an entry labeled: http://related.msn.com

What is this and why is it there, is this normal ? ... and if it's not, why
can't it be removed ?... because when I click it to Remove it, it always
returns ...
Any information or assistance would be greatly aprpreciated ...

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Fierce1" <[email protected]>

| When I go into IE > Tools > Internet Options > Security Tab > Restricted
| Sites ... then I click on the Sites Button and in that Restricted Sites Panel|
| What is this and why is it there, is this normal ? ... and if it's not, why
| can't it be removed ?... because when I click it to Remove it, it always
| returns ...
| Any information or assistance would be greatly aprpreciated ...

It is a MSN Search Engine.

Is that the only entry in the Restricted Zone ?

 

[Guest]

Yes this is the only entry, but I never put it there, I've never used IE's
Restricted Sites List and I can't remove it ... but if this is a legitimate
Search Engine why is it the Restricted Zone ?

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Fierce1" <[email protected]>

| Yes this is the only entry, but I never put it there, I've never used IE's
| Restricted Sites List and I can't remove it ... but if this is a legitimate
| Search Engine why is it the Restricted Zone ?

It sounds like you are infected with malware and it puts the URL in there and will protect
it.

Please download, install and update the following software...

Ad-aware SE v1.06
http://www.lavasoft.de/
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

SpyBot Search and Destroy v1.4
http://security.kolla.de/

After the software is updated, I suggest scanning the system in Safe Mode.

I also suggest downloading, installing and updating BHODemon for any Browser Helper Objects
that may be on the PC.

BHODemon
http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm

 

[Guest]

Hmmm, so this isn't a legitimate Search Engine for MSN ? ... and if it is
malware wouldn't it place itself or want to be in the Trusted Zone instead of
the Restricted Zone ?

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Fierce1" <[email protected]>

| Hmmm, so this isn't a legitimate Search Engine for MSN ? ... and if it is
| malware wouldn't it place itself or want to be in the Trusted Zone instead of
| the Restricted Zone ?

The malware deliberately wants to block access to the MSN.Com legitimate site. The malware
doesn't want you to go there thus putting the URL in the Restricted Zone. You are correct
that some malware will place bad web sites in the Trusted Zones.

 

[Guest]

So if it doesn't want me to go to this related.msn thing , then where does it
want me to go then ???... because if I enter for example the word CAT in IE's
Address Bar, I just go to the legitimate search.msn ... Could it be that
WinXPSP2 or IE6 deliberately adds this related.msn thing to the Restricted
Sites by default to keep me from going to this older Site or redirecting me
to the legit search.msn. that they want me to use instead ?

I'm just speculating and trying to look at this from all angles before I
make an attempt with some of your Malware Suggestions and fixes ... I just
never noticed this thing in there before and I already run Counterspy, MS
Anti-Spy and Spybot and I only run one in real time mode and the others in
on-demand scanning, because as you know there can be conflicts with all three
tea-timing and real-time scanning ... but this thing has me puzzled right now
....

 

[Sharon F]

So if it doesn't want me to go to this related.msn thing , then where does it
want me to go then ???... because if I enter for example the word CAT in IE's
Address Bar, I just go to the legitimate search.msn ...

Internet Explorer in XP has a "Related" feature. This feature uses a
component from Alexa to serve up "related links" when you click the
"related" button on the IE toolbar. Alexa has shown up in various spyware
in the past and because of this many anti-spyware programs peg the
"related" feature as "spyware" and disable it.

This is similar to some OEM's using the backweb component to push updates
to their systems. Backweb is used by some malware to push ads to a user's
system. Two different applications using the same "base" components with
very different results.

 

[Guest]

Hi Sharon F, ok I have IE 6.0 sp2, but I don't think this build of IE has
this related feature your referring to, because there's no button or I just
dont see it or have it ...
as I've mentioned in my past posts I get the normal search.msn, but why
can't I remove this related.msn url out of the Restricted Sites List and
again, is this a normal default entry of IE and Windows ? ... I've run
Spybot, Ad-aware and my others in Safe and Normal Mode and everything comes
up Clean ... from doing a lil' bit of research, I know IE and Alexis have
this affiliation with IE 6 sp1 and under, ex: IE 5.0, but this url returns if
I click to remove ... to be a lil' clearer did this build of IE and it's
patches automatically add this url to the Restricted Sites List ? ...

 

[Sharon F]

Hi Sharon F, ok I have IE 6.0 sp2, but I don't think this build of IE has
this related feature your referring to, because there's no button or I just
dont see it or have it ...

Your anti-spyware program removed it.

as I've mentioned in my past posts I get the normal search.msn, but why
can't I remove this related.msn url out of the Restricted Sites List and
again, is this a normal default entry of IE and Windows ?

Same reason - the anti-spyware program restricted the site. NOTE:
Spywareblaster does this but it's not the only one.

to be a lil' clearer did this build of IE and it's
patches automatically add this url to the Restricted Sites List ? ...

Can't say for sure but it's possible.