search engines

[Angie]

My internet explorer wont allow me to use search engines,
it always comes up as an unavailable page. most other
sites work fine i am not working offline or anything dumb
like that... help please?
thanks!!

 

[obsolete]

I have posted a fix that I did about 5 times now, people
have posted fixes that didn't work for me and so far
people can't get mine to work for them. All systems are
affected differently, I suggest going back as many as 10-
15 pages and looking at fixes.

 

[Ernie]

I have the same problem. I tried other browsers(netscape
and opera) but I get the same thing. I don't know why the
search engines won't show. The only search engine I know
that will show up is www.dogpile.com. Please help. My e-
mail address is (e-mail address removed) if anyone has
an answer to this.

 

[Mike Burgess]

Angie,
Trojan Qhosts hijacks the HOSTS file, however unlike normal redirectors,
this one hides the HOSTS file in the "Windows\Help" folder. It then
creates entries that redirects *all* major search engines to a website.
Note: this website has now been removed, thus the DNS errors.
[more info]
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (bottom of page)

Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for this vulnerability:
Simply go to Windows Update [hotfix 828750]
[more info]
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-040.asp

[manual removal method]
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
Note: not all machines are affected by the same Registry changes
but the user needs to verify in any case.

You can detect "Qhosts" via a new beta version of HijackThis
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/beta/hijackthis.zip
[more info]
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=12127

For instruction on using HijackThis!
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
_______________________________________
Mike Burgess http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Spyware, Adware, Parasites, Hijackers, Trojans, with a HOSTS file
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [updated 9-30-03]
Please post replies to this Newsgroup, email address is invalid

 

[Mike Burgess]

Ernie,
Trojan Qhosts hijacks the HOSTS file, however unlike normal redirectors,
this one hides the HOSTS file in the "Windows\Help" folder. It then
creates entries that redirects *all* major search engines to a website.
Note: this website has now been removed, thus the DNS errors.
[more info]
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (bottom of page)

Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for this vulnerability:
Simply go to Windows Update [hotfix 828750]
[more info]
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-040.asp

[manual removal method]
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
Note: not all machines are affected by the same Registry changes
but the user needs to verify in any case.

You can detect "Qhosts" via a new beta version of HijackThis
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/beta/hijackthis.zip
[more info]
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=12127

For instruction on using HijackThis!
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
_______________________________________
Mike Burgess http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Spyware, Adware, Parasites, Hijackers, Trojans, with a HOSTS file
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [updated 9-30-03]
Please post replies to this Newsgroup, email address is invalid