Soybot (Search&Destroy)

[Brendan DJ Murphy]

Every once in a while, I like to completely start my system again from
scratch.
(remembering of course to do a backup first!!!!)

I have just reformatted my C:\ drive and re-installed Windows XP
I also re-installed SP2 and a Kerio firewall(with very strict filtering
rules) and Mcafee.

(I enjoy doing this and its good to keep up the practice. I equate this
procedure with a full car service. Its nice to renew the oil and water to
get rid of the all crap)

I then re-installed all my applications from CD.

Everything nice and clean and tidy. right? .....wrong!

I ran Spybot 1.3 hoping to find a squeeky-clean system.

7 problems were identified...
Avenue A, Inc.
BFast
DoubleClick
DSO Exploit
Hitbox
MediaPlex
Web Trends Live

How on earth did they get there so quickly?

Brendan

 

[Buffalo]

Every once in a while, I like to completely start my system again from
scratch.
(remembering of course to do a backup first!!!!)

I have just reformatted my C:\ drive and re-installed Windows XP
I also re-installed SP2 and a Kerio firewall(with very strict filtering
rules) and Mcafee.

(I enjoy doing this and its good to keep up the practice. I equate this
procedure with a full car service. Its nice to renew the oil and water to
get rid of the all crap)

I then re-installed all my applications from CD.

Everything nice and clean and tidy. right? .....wrong!

I ran Spybot 1.3 hoping to find a squeeky-clean system.

7 problems were identified...
Avenue A, Inc.
BFast
DoubleClick
DSO Exploit
Hitbox
MediaPlex
Web Trends Live

How on earth did they get there so quickly?

Brendan

Sounds like very minor items.
Most sound like cookies.
Install, update and use SpywareBlaster (free program that prevents
most spyware from even getting on your computer).
Next time empty out your cookies and TIFs before running SpyBot.
I have never done a clean install since the orginal.
I am running Win98SE now.
Perhaps, one day I will do it just for an experiment.

 

[Wattsville Blues]

Every once in a while, I like to completely start my system again from
scratch.
(remembering of course to do a backup first!!!!)

I have just reformatted my C:\ drive and re-installed Windows XP
I also re-installed SP2 and a Kerio firewall(with very strict filtering
rules) and Mcafee.

(I enjoy doing this and its good to keep up the practice. I equate this
procedure with a full car service. Its nice to renew the oil and water to
get rid of the all crap)

I then re-installed all my applications from CD.

Everything nice and clean and tidy. right? .....wrong!

I ran Spybot 1.3 hoping to find a squeeky-clean system.

7 problems were identified...
Avenue A, Inc.
BFast
DoubleClick
DSO Exploit
Hitbox
MediaPlex
Web Trends Live

How on earth did they get there so quickly?

Brendan

Enable the resident "Tea Timer" in Spybot and immunise your system.
That, along with Spyware Blaster (detailed by another poster) keeps me
footloose and fancy free.

 

[NonDisputandum.com]

Every once in a while, I like to completely start my system again from
scratch.
(remembering of course to do a backup first!!!!)

I have just reformatted my C:\ drive and re-installed Windows XP
I also re-installed SP2 and a Kerio firewall(with very strict filtering
rules) and Mcafee.

(I enjoy doing this and its good to keep up the practice. I equate this
procedure with a full car service. Its nice to renew the oil and water to
get rid of the all crap)

I then re-installed all my applications from CD.

Everything nice and clean and tidy. right? .....wrong!

I ran Spybot 1.3 hoping to find a squeeky-clean system.

7 problems were identified...
Avenue A, Inc.
BFast
DoubleClick
DSO Exploit
Hitbox
MediaPlex
Web Trends Live

How on earth did they get there so quickly?

Brendan

simple surfing,.. 30 minutes is enough

 

[Brendan DJ Murphy]

That, along with Spyware Blaster (detailed by another poster) keeps me

footloose and fancy free.

Thanks.

Following the helpful advice, I have installed Spyware Blaster and re-ran
Spybot.
Now I get a ...

"CONGRATULATIONS !
No immediate threats were found."
message.

Thats nice. Thanks all

Brendan

 

[xmp]

7 problems were identified...
Avenue A, Inc.
BFast
DoubleClick
DSO Exploit
Hitbox
MediaPlex
Web Trends Live

Let's make a distinction between spyware and tracking cookies. Trojan
downloaders are probably the most malicious of the spyware stuff.
Several things listed above appear to be tracking cookies. The DSO
exploit is a false positive IIRC, especially if that's already been
patched via Windows Update.

A big hosts file would probably knock out most of the tracking cookies
and spyware.

michael