Shenique said:
Every time i open my IE browser, i have explicit ads at
the top and bottom of my page. Another problem is that my
hom page keeps changing. Any suggestions please? It's
urgent
If it was urgent then you should have read the many many answers that have
already answered the solution to your problem.
http://217.115.153.73/parasite/
Answers to the Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions in microsoft.public
newsgroups.
Read Q3.
Read Q11 as well.
====================
Q1) I got an email from Microsoft about a security update. Should I run
the attachment?
A1) No. Microsoft NEVER sends emails with security update attachments.
You can subscribe to mailing lists to receive Microsoft security
bulletins or read Microsoft security bulletins on the web. These
bulletins NEVER contain executable attachments, only references to web
pages where you can access Windows Update, download patches, or request
to receive patches from Microsoft Product Support Services. You should
never use any tool other than Automatic Updates, the Windows Update web
site, or a response to your request to Microsoft Product Support
Services to install Windows security updates or hotfixes.
See
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/news/patch_hoax.asp for an
explanation from Microsoft about these hoax email messages.
===================
Q2) I got an email telling me I should remove the
Teddy Bear virus that is contained in a file named jdbgmgr.exe.
Should I follow these instructions?
A2) No. This file is a Microsoft java debugger file. Do not remove it.
If you do remove it, you needn't bother to restore it, since it is
likely you won't ever need it.
In general, DO NOT follow instructions in unsolicited emails from
sources you do not know and should not trust.
Hoax Warning
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q322993
http://www.europe.f-secure.com/hoaxes/jdbgmgr.shtml
===================
Q3) How can I tell if I have spyware or other malicious software on my
system and how can I get rid of it if I have it?
A3) Spyware, trojans, viruses, snoopers, and other types of malicious
software are often hard to detect when present. Your computer may slow
down, ad or porno pop ups appear, Windows Explorer may crash frequently,
your Internet access may be slow or unavailable, and you may get
unexpected error messages when trying to open programs. Viruses,
trojans, and worms are software that install themselves secretly and
without your permission and replicate themselves from your system to
other systems. Spyware is software that install themselves without your
often unknowing but explicit permission.
They do not usually replicate themselves.
There are two types of tools to remove viruses and spyware.
An anti-virus tool protects your system from viruses, worms, and trojans
that infect your system without your permission and replicate themselves
to your unfortunate friends and associates and embarrass you in the
process. These malicious uninvited programs are sometimes quite
dangerous, if not to you, then to others you may infect or unknowingly
attack. Some viruses will install attack software on your system, making
your computer an unwitting accomplice in a malicious and damaging attack
against someone else, as directed by the virus distributor. You have a
responsibility to protect your system against these threats in order to
protect your friends, other Internet users, and valuable web sites on
the Internet against coordinated, massive denial-of-service attacks from
virus-infected machines. You are particularly vulnerable to these
infections if you have a broadband Internet connection. Norton/Symantec,
McAfee, and Trend Micro make good anti-virus products for sale.
AVG by Grisoft is free for personal use.
An anti-virus scanner cannot protect your system from spyware that you
deliberately, but unknowingly, install on your computer when you or
someone who uses your computer downloads and installs free software from
the Internet. Therefore, you need a spyware scanner to remove these
mildly malicious programs that spy on your Internet behavior, pop-up
unwanted and intrusive ads when you browse the Internet, hijack your
home page, hijack web sites, and slow down and crash your system. Note
that removal of spyware will sometimes disable the free software from
which the spyware originated. The license agreement you failed to read
usually explains what software is being installed and whether it is
necessary to use the free program that you really want. There are
sometimes versions of free software available without the spyware.
The best spyware removal tools are Ad-Aware available from
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ or
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ and SpyBot available from
http://tomcoyote.org/SPYBOT/ and update the reference files
through their Online update function. Run them and select all items and
remove.
You may have to reboot and rerun a couple of times to completely remove it.
Also run the Immunize function to
prevent these nasties from installing again.
Install a good HOSTS file.
Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File.
Download the hosts.zip file.
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
SpywareBlaster
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Update the reference file through the online update function.
554 items checked as of July 16th.
See also Q6)
===================
Q4) What is the best way to stay up-to-date with Microsoft security
updates?
A4) In Windows XP, open your System control panel to the Automatic
Updates tab. You can enable download and install separately, according
to your preferences.
You may also subscribe to Microsoft Security bulletins which will arrive
in your email at about the same time as AU notifies you of available
updates. Sign up to receive the security bulletins in email at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/decision.asp.
Before installing any Windows patch/hotfix/update, you should read the
bulletin, either in your email or on the web at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/archive.asp. If you
have any doubts about the necessity or safety of the update after
reading the bulletin, delay the install and read the security newsgroups
over the next couple of days to see if there are any problems with the
recent update. There is always a thread, usually with the KB article
number (a six digit number, sometimes preceded by a Q) in the subject
line, discussing any problems with the most recent updates.
You should also visit Windows Update regularly. There is a Windows
Update item in Internet Explorer under Tools and you can often find a
shortcut at the top of the Start Menu or go to
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp. Windows Update
provides the same security updates and provides additional recommended
updates that are not offered by Automatic Update.
If you are an enterprise, you may also use the new Microsoft Software
Update Services server software to provide updates within your
organization. You can find additional infomation regarding Microsoft
Software Update Services (SUS) at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/windowsupdate/sus/default.asp
===================
Q5) How can I know if my system is secure? How do I know if I have all
the right patches from Microsoft installed? Can I test my system
security?
A5) You cannot really know how secure your system is, except that you
watch for reports of vulnerabilities in the news or in Microsoft
bulletins and keep up-to-date on your critical updates to Windows.
There are two tools that you can use to test whether your system is
up-to-date with Microsoft security updates. These are the Microsoft
Baseline Security Analyzer and the Microsoft/Shavlik hotfix checker.
Learn about the MBSA tool at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/tools/Tools/MBSAhome.asp
The MS hotfix checker can be downloaded at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/tools/tools/hfnetchk.asp
Note that these security checkers are unable to verify non-security
related updates. The most common result is a note that states that a
file version number is greater than expected. This note is normal and
results from other Microsoft recommended updates that update these files
to newer versions. See
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=306460 for more
information on hotfix checker notes. Also note that
hotfix means the same thing as security update.
Another aspect of system security is how well your Windows is configured
for on-line security. Your system may be vulnerable to attacks via
services that you don't actually need to run that leave unnecessary
ports open. You may scan your system for online vulnerabilities using a
non-Microsoft service from a third-party web site. Go to
http://www.grc.com/ and find the free tool called Shields Up at
https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2. Also see
http://security2.norton.com/
for another port scanner that will test your Internet security.
====================
Q6) I keep getting windows popping up on my system, even when I am not
using Internet Explorer, that tell me my system is vulnerable and I need
to buy some software. Some of the windows are other sorts of
advertisements. How can I stop these pop-ups?
A6) These windows are sent to your system using the Messenger service.
You should use a firewall to block your file/printer sharing
ports (TCP/UDP ports 135, 137, 138, 139, and 445) from the Internet.
Or you can disable the Messenger service (not Windows or MSN instant
Messenger)
using services.msc on Windows 2000 or XP but this still leaves your system
visable on the Internet.
http://www.firewallguide.com/
====================
Q7) Windows Update has a problem. How do I fix it?
A7) Go to
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/ to find
solutions to common Windows Update problems.
====================
Q8) How can I read an attachment which I know is safe, but Outlook
Express 6 has denied access to me?
A8) Go to Tool, Options, Security tab and uncheck the box labeled
Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a
virus. Attachments that you could not save or open will now be
available. This is a new feature of OE6SP1. Be careful. Some attachments
really are dangerous and they may come from someone you know, if that
friend has a virus that sends dangerous email attachments. You should
save the attachment and then manually scan it with an anti-virus tool
before opening it. See the Microsoft article at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329570 for more information on this
subject.
====================
Q9) I read a newspaper article some time ago and followed a link from
the article and found myself here. How do I get help here? What is this
place?
A9) You are in what is known as a Microsoft community or a
Usenet newsgroup, or simply netnews.
Go to
http://communities.microsoft.com/home/newscat.asp to see all the
Microsoft newsgroups available on the Microsoft news servers at
msnews.microsoft.com. Also read about which newsreaders you can use at
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/guide/newsgroups.mspx. I recommend
using Outlook Express because you can be notified of new newsgroups when
they are added by Microsoft, you can watch your posts and see your
responses highlighted, and you can more easily create posts.
You should read about proper posting etiquette at
. Before you post a question to a
Microsoft.public.*.security newsgroup, you should read the following
collection of answers to common questions:
http://securityadmin.info/faq.htm
====================
Q10) Does Windows have a firewall or an anti-virus scanner? If so, how
do I turn them on. If not, do I need these tools and where can I find
some free ones?
A10) Windows XP is the first version of Windows to provide a firewall,
called the Internet Connection Firewall or ICF. You can enable ICF from
the connection properties on the Advanced tab. You cannot configure or
tweak the built-in firewall, it is either on or off. ICF blocks many
incoming port scans as well as Microsoft file and printer sharing, so
you shouldn't use it on a network behind a NAT router or other firewall,
as you will be unable to share files and printers in a workgroup if ICF
is enabled.
ICF does not monitor outbound originating traffic. If you want to
monitor outbound traffic for spyware activity, you need a third-party
product like ZoneAlarm available from
http://www.zonelabs.com/, SyGate
Personal Firewall from
http://soho.sygate.com/products/shield_ov.htm, or
Kerio WinRoute Firewall at
http://www.kerio.com/kwf_home.html. You can
do a simple one-time web anti-virus scan at
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/. But remember that whatever tool you
get, to be able to use it effectively, you must keep the virus
definitions database up-to-date.
Windows does not provide any anti-virus tool, but your system may have
an anti-virus scanner installed by your computer maker. There are many
anti-virus tools available. One free anti-virus scanner is AVG available
from
http://www.grisoft.com/. Anti-virus tools are useless without
frequent updates, so be sure to check the date on your anti-virus data
file and update at least once a month or whenever you run a full scan.
Note that there are problems with some versions of Windows and Outlook
Express and some anti-virus background and email scanners, so be advised
that if you enable automatic anti-virus protection and experience
problems, you will need to seek help here to resolve those issues. This
is not a recommendation to avoid automatic anti-virus protection, simply
a warning that there are problems with several anti-virus tools in this
respect.
====================
Q11) I have a question that you haven't covered in this list. How do I
find an answer? Must I create a post in the newsgroup?
A11) No, you shouldn't post until you have searched a few well-known
sites for answers to your question.
Go to
http://securityadmin.info/faq.asp#2
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search and
http://www.microsoft.com/support/ to input your questions.
