Hello!
I can't reach some websites. Mozilla says:
www.google.co.hu could not be
found. Please check the name and try again. I.E.6 redirects me to
search.msn.com, which gives me
www.www.google.com.org (so it can't find it,
either.)
I had this problem before, also with symantec.com (so no virus definition
update), zonelabs.com (no firewall update), and some other regulary visited
sites.
I reinstalled WinXP, for a week everything was OK, now it's starting all
over again!
(I can't ping
www.google.co.hu, either. However, I do can reach
www.google.com, but it automatically redirects me to google.co.hu.)
My hosts file contains only this line: 127.0.0.1 localhost
Erasing it won't help (why would it, anyway...).
I'm using DLS, and I'm connected through a DrayTek router (Vigor 2104p),
using a Dialcom 1600 ADSL bridge.
Tried NBTSTAT -R , but it didn't work.
Any suggestions? Maybe somewhere this shit stores some wrong IP information?
Oh, and different computer, same router, does find it.
So, what should I do?
Thanks!
vacip
Sounds like a DNS or hosts hijack / corruption.
DNS resolution is affected by the LSP / Winsock subsystem.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=318584
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811259
Give LSP-Fix and WinsockXPFix <
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>, or WinsockFix
<
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=257> a shot.
If XP SP2, Start - Run - "cmd". Type "netsh winsock reset catalog" into the
command window.
Search your entire system drive, including hidden and system folders, for file
"hosts". There is one legit copy, in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\ (for
Windows NT/2000/XP, for instance). The others are possibly bogus, and part (but
just part) of the problem.
Examine the contents of each copy of "hosts" found, using Notepad. Scroll to the
end of each Hosts file, by hitting Ctrl-End, then back up to the top, page by
page, before deciding that any "hosts" file is empty. Look out for blank lines
at the beginning and end of the file, after localhost, placed there by an
exploit!
How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>
Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional problems - adware,
crapware, spyware.
Start by downloading each of the following additional free tools:
AdAware <
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearch (v1/v2) MiniRemoval
<
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4113.html>
HijackThis <
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix and WinsockXPFix <
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
Spybot S&D <
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>
Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. AdAware and Spybot S&D have install routines - run them.
The other downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient
folder.
First, run Stinger. Have it remove any problems found.
Next, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and run
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearchMiniRemoval, then CWShredder. Have the latter fix all
problems found.
Next, run AdAware. First update it ("Check for updates now"), configure for
full scan (<
http://forum.aumha.org/viewtopic.php?t=5877>), then scan. When
scanning finishes, remove all Critical Objects found.
Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a scan
("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and delete everything ("Fix Problems")
that is displayed in Red.
Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>
<
http://www1.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/prevent.php>
Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and please post a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <
http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <
http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <
http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.
Finally, improve your chances for the future.
Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/
Block Internet Explorer ActiveX scripting from hostile websites (Restricted
Zone).
<
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/main.htm> (IE-SpyAd)
Block known dangerous scripts from installing.
<
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html>
Block known spyware from installing.
<
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html>
Make sure that the spyware detection / protection products that you use are
reliable:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly for security updates.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).
Maintain your Hosts file (merge / eliminate duplicate entries) with:
eDexter <
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <
http://accs-net.com/hostess/>
Secure your operating system, and applications. Don't use, or leave activated,
any accounts with names or passwords with trivial (guessable) values. Don't use
an account with administrative authority, except when you're intentionally doing
administrative tasks.
Use common sense. Yours. Don't install software based upon advice from unknown
sources. Don't install free software, without researching it carefully. Don't
open email unless you know who it's from, and how and why it was sent.
Educate yourself. Know what the risks are. Stay informed. Read Usenet, and
various web pages that discuss security problems. Check the logs from the
security products that you use regularly, look for things that don't belong, and
take action when necessary.
How did I get infected in the first place?
http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=3051
Essential tips for infection prevention
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=24339
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
