HOW TO REMOVE AD/SPYWARE

[sc]

some ad ware and spyware got installed onto my PC, and is
affecting how my IE is running, there are these 5 buttons
that show up on the toolbar if anyone knows how to remove
them please help it seems to redirect me to a this site
auto.coolsearch.com, and also when you enter a web address
it always makes you search instead of going to the site
which is very annoying if anyone can help please help me
out

 

[PA Bear]

CoolWebSearch Chronicles & CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip (download)

Dealing with Hijackware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm#tshoot
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

You *must* seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each and every
use, even "right out of the box". But even then, they can't catch
everything. HijackThis (http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip; [new
URL] ) is the preferred tool to use these days. It will help to both
identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. **Post your files to
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ for expert analysis, not here.**

Also update your virus definitions and then run a full system scan. From
now on, do both daily.
--
HTH...Please post back to this thread

~Robear Dyer (aka PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp

 

[mike]

Do a web search for spybot. It is free software designed
to remove ad ware and spyware. The author puts out
updated definition files every few weeks. It has worked
very well for me.

 

[Gordon Fecyk]

Also update your virus definitions and then run a full system scan. From

now on, do both daily.

So now we have an Addictive Update Model for spyware removers too?

We need to deal with this garbage Before The Fact. Here's how I do it:

* Run as a restricted user. If you don't have Win2K or XP, upgrade. Then
create a regular user account for yourself and use that to do your daily
stuff. You do this, and a spyware installer will fail because installers
need Administrator privilege.

* Replace programs that don't run as a restricted user with ones that do.
Programmers: Do more damned testing.

* Visit Windows Update. At least they don't publish updates daily.
Remember you need to do this with Administrator privilege, so switch users,
install updates and switch back.

* Turn scripting off for the Internet Zone and add domains to your Trusted
Sites zone as needed. IE6 supports wildcards so "*.microsoft.com" works.
Turn off "Require HTTPS" so you can type just "*.whatever.dom" without
specifying a protocol, so you don't need to put in each entry twice. Each
user must do this as these are saved per user.

To use Hotmail, add *.msn.com *.passport.com *.hotmail.com *.passport.net to
trusted sites.

Even if you add a bad site to Trusted Sites by accident, a spyware installer
will still fail if you run as a restricted user.

 

[ssanders]

Ad-Aware from LavaSoft is free download from PCWorld
magazine- will locate & prompt removal of
suspected 'spyware' from your PC.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,742
3,00.asp

Also, you can check from IE settings: Tools - Internet
Options - Advanced (tab)
Navigate near bottom of selections to "Search from the
Address bar" and click radio button for "Do not search
from the Address bar"