I have Windows XP Home Edition with AOl dial-up as my ISP.
I have always used msn.com as my home page.Recently a
change took place unknown to me that made
www.searchportal.info/10032/ as the current home page.
When the "default" button is selected this entry
appears /isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=msnhome.
Nothing I've tried has been able to correct so I can
establish msn.com or any other ural as the home page. I
have uninstalled & reinstalled AOL which didn't solve the
problem. Whenever Internet Explorer is selected the
portal page appears & I feel this has become a route for
Spyware as programs are installing off the web on their
own.I delete them with Ad-Aware & it's not long & back
they come. I would immensely appreciate your help!!
Thanks: Patty Ann
Patty,
This is spyware. Spyware operates using many different techniques, so you have
to use a few different tools to identify and remove it.
Start by downloading each of the following additional free tools:
AdAware <
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.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 CWShredder. Have
it 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.
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
