unauthorized changing of homepage

[jordan]

Every time I reboot my computer, my Internet explorer
homepage is changed to some search page I've never heard
of. There are also links to several web pages put on my
desktop that keep coming back every time I reboot even
though I delete them.
Any ideas?

-Jordan

 

[BobC]

Every time I reboot my computer, my Internet explorer
homepage is changed to some search page I've never heard
of. There are also links to several web pages put on my
desktop that keep coming back every time I reboot even
though I delete them.
Any ideas?

-Jordan

Check for virus, check for spyware.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
http://www.safer-networking.org/

 

[Chuck]

Every time I reboot my computer, my Internet explorer
homepage is changed to some search page I've never heard
of. There are also links to several web pages put on my
desktop that keep coming back every time I reboot even
though I delete them.
Any ideas?

-Jordan

Jordan,

How current is your virus protection? Try these free online virus scans:
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

First, download LSP-Fix from <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>, and CWShredder
from <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>. Both free.

Next, run CWShredder. Have it fix all variants.

Now check for, and remove, spyware. Get HijackThis
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155> and Spybot S&D
<http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download>. Both free.
1) Install and run Spybot. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a
scan ("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and make all recommended deletions.
2) Install and run HijackThis. Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
3) Have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the following
forums (and post it here):
<http://forums.net-integration.net/>
<http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/>
<http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

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.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.