What's this? Is it malware perhaps?

[James Silverton]

Hello All!

A pop-up just appeared from
media.fastclick.net/w/pc.cgi?mid=420125&sid=53967
(I have dropped the initial "http://" in an attempt to avoid accidental
connection.)

This urged me to update to Internet Explorer 8, something I did long
ago. Is this some new sort of malware or other scam?

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Jose]

Hello All!

A pop-up just appeared from
media.fastclick.net/w/pc.cgi?mid=420125&sid=53967
(I have dropped the initial "http://"  in an attempt to avoid accidental
connection.)

This urged me to update to Internet Explorer 8, something I did long
ago. Is this some new sort of malware or other scam?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Do this and find out:

Perform some scans for malicious software, then fix any remaining
issues:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

 

[James Silverton]

Jose wrote on Sat, 22 May 2010 06:21:00 -0700 (PDT):

Do this and find out:

Perform some scans for malicious software, then fix any
remaining issues:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free
malware detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

Thanks,

I have the MacAfee Security Suite and do a full scan weekly and
tonight's the night anyway.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bob Lucas]

Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware have an excellent reputation
for finding and cleaning infections, that have been missed by
other security utilities.

I am not a fan of McAfee (or Norton for that matter) and would
not want to use McAfee on any of my computers. However, I
suppose it is better than nothing. (That is my personal
preference.) Nevertheless, no security protection can ever be
100% effective - so if there is the faintest possibility that you
might have acquired a virus or trojan, it is always sensible to
run other utilities (in addition to your primary security
protection).

 

[John E. Carty]

Hello All!

A pop-up just appeared from
media.fastclick.net/w/pc.cgi?mid=420125&sid=53967
(I have dropped the initial "http://" in an attempt to avoid accidental
connection.)

This urged me to update to Internet Explorer 8, something I did long ago.
Is this some new sort of malware or other scam?

It's a link for a Yahoo optimized version of Internet Explorer 8

 

[Jose]

 Jose  wrote  on Sat, 22 May 2010 06:21:00 -0700 (PDT):






Thanks,

I have the MacAfee Security Suite and  do a full scan weekly and
tonight's the night anyway.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

I see... well in that case you probably also have poor system
performance issues to go along with your mysterious message, which is
suspicious because is says:

Now available!
Internet Explore

They say the have an optimized IE for Yahoo! in another place it is
optimized for Bing and in another optimized for MSN. These Microsoft
people have an answer for everything!

McAfee doesn't know everything, neither does Norton, Avast, Avira,
AVG, Spybot, MBAM or SAS, etc.

Putting all your malicious software scanning eggs into one basket is
short sighted in today's world.

While you at it, get a decent popup blocker (free) and you won't see
such things.

 

[Db]

it might be an indication
that the browser is hijacked.

though it urges you to
update the browser,

it may be trying to hijack
your browser to a site
spoofed as microsoft
then lead you to install
an infected browser.

perhaps, I am wrong.

however, you might try
running a program called
hijackthis.

it will provide a listing
of processes that occur
after a program is started,
most being legit.

but see if you find a line
that is similar to the link
you noted.

if it appears on the listing,
then you can check it off
and select fix to remove
that hijacker.

--
--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

DatabaseBen, Retired Professional

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This NNTP newsgroup is evolving to:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

 

[Peter Foldes]

Jarness

You have one of the worst Security suite (MacAfee Security Suite) which along with
Norton and Trend cause problems and does not catch what is needed. Use the ones Jose
posted. They are 2 of the very best

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[James Silverton]

Peter wrote on Sun, 23 May 2010 00:47:21 -0400:

You have one of the worst Security suite (MacAfee Security
Suite) which along with Norton and Trend cause problems and
does not catch what is needed. Use the ones Jose posted. They are 2 of
the very best

Thanks for the advice! Why do people dislike commercial Security Suites?
I know Consumer Reports was not too fond of MacAfee but it caught and
removed the virus last night.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Leythos]

Peter wrote on Sun, 23 May 2010 00:47:21 -0400:


Thanks for the advice! Why do people dislike commercial Security Suites?
I know Consumer Reports was not too fond of MacAfee but it caught and
removed the virus last night.

It's not "commercial" that people don't like, it's ones that are crappy
that people don't like.

 

[James Silverton]

Leythos wrote on Sun, 23 May 2010 08:37:43 -0400:

It's not "commercial" that people don't like, it's ones that
are crappy that people don't like.

MacAfee posts updates at least daily. How often are the free checkers
updated?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Jose]

 Peter  wrote  on Sun, 23 May 2010 00:47:21 -0400:


Thanks for the advice! Why do people dislike commercial Security Suites?
I know Consumer Reports was not too fond of MacAfee but it caught and
removed the virus last night.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

It will also do this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2025695

 

[Bob Lucas]

Leythos wrote on Sun, 23 May 2010 08:37:43 -0400:



MacAfee posts updates at least daily. How often are the free
checkers updated?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Win XP Professional SP3, with IE8.
Intel T2300 dual core processor, running at 1.66GHz
1Gb of RAM

I previously used a McAfee security suite. However, McAfee had
become so bloated that even though both of my computers have dual
core processors and sufficient RAM, my computers became very
sluggish.

Several years ago, I switched to Avast! free anti-virus - plus
the Zone Alarm free firewall. I have also installed Spybot
Search & Destroy and Windows Defender. The primary reason for
the change was to enhance performance - and I have noticed a
significant improvement in responsiveness.

I receive automatic updates from Avast!, usually several times
per day. Avast! has prevented several infections (from
legitimate websites). I have no way of knowing whether McAfee
would have prevented the same infections. I also scan my
computers regularly with Malwarebytes and SuperAntispyware.

Although I have no proof that Avast! provides superior
protection, I am perfectly happy with the way it performs. I am
also happy with the frequency of the automatic definition
updates.

 

[Jose]

message

Leythos  wrote  on Sun, 23 May 2010 08:37:43 -0400:

Win XP Professional SP3, with IE8.
Intel T2300 dual core processor, running at 1.66GHz
1Gb of RAM

I previously used a McAfee security suite.  However, McAfee had
become so bloated that even though both of my computers have dual
core processors and sufficient RAM, my computers became very
sluggish.

Several years ago, I switched to Avast! free anti-virus - plus
the Zone Alarm free firewall.  I have also installed Spybot
Search & Destroy and Windows Defender.  The primary reason for
the change was to enhance performance - and I have noticed a
significant improvement in responsiveness.

I receive automatic updates from Avast!, usually several times
per day.  Avast! has prevented several infections (from
legitimate websites).  I have no way of knowing whether McAfee
would have prevented the same infections.  I also scan my
computers regularly with Malwarebytes and SuperAntispyware.

Although I have no proof that Avast! provides superior
protection, I am perfectly happy with the way it performs.  I am
also happy with the frequency of the automatic definition
updates.

I like to get my computer infected on purpose so I can learn how to
recognize and remove the infections without trial and error
techniques.

If I help somebody that is infected and it is not something I am
familiar with, I will find out how they got that way and inflict it
upon myself repeatedly until I can recognize, understand and fix it.
So far, I have never used a Restore Point, repaired or reinstalled XP,
slaved a drive or used any kind of PE CD (don't even own one).

Since you mention that Avast! has prevented several infections from
legitimate websites, I would like to know where those legitimate
websites are so I can get infected from them on purpose and further
test my methods. I don't use Avast!, so it should be easy I hope.

Will you please advise of legitimate websites that will infect my
computer.

 

[Leythos]

Will you please advise of legitimate websites that will infect my
computer.

do a google image search for the new MISS USA images, click on the sites
and sooner or later you will find one that has malware on it.

 

[Jose]

do a google image search for the new MISS USA images, click on the sites
and sooner or later you will find one that has malware on it.

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.  
Trust yourself.
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

So I use Google to search for:

the new MISS USA images

or just

MISS USA

or

MISS USA images

Sounds easy enough - which is the fastest way?

Any particular browser? What is the most likely?

I do not run any real time protection for these kinds of tests, so how
will I know when I have the malware? What will I see, what are the
symptoms, etc.

This is like opening a safe for me... How long will it take to crack
it.

 

[Bob Lucas]

Jose likes to get his computer infected on purpose ... !

Some people find pleasure in the strangest things !!

It is difficult to supply current details of legitimate websites
that might damage your computer, because responsible site owners
will remove the infection, as soon as they become aware there
might be a problem.

However, you could try www dot demkowicz dot com. (I have munged
the URL to protect other readers, in case they click on the link
accidentally.)

You will find further details of the infection at
http://safebrowsing.clients.google....irefox&hl=en-GB&site=http://www.demkowicz.com

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Peter wrote on Sun, 23 May 2010 00:47:21 -0400:


Thanks for the advice! Why do people dislike commercial Security Suites?

I second Peter's advice. It's not *commercial* security suites that
are bad, it's those particular ones--Norton and McAfee.

In my view, eSET NOD32, a commercial product, is the best anti-virus
product out there.

I know Consumer Reports was not too fond of MacAfee but it caught and
removed the virus last night.

No product on the market is so bad that it always fails. The
difference is that the better ones fail less often.

 

[Jose]

Jose likes to get his computer infected on purpose ... !

Some people find pleasure in the strangest things !!

It is difficult to supply current details of legitimate websites
that might damage your computer, because responsible site owners
will remove the infection, as soon as they become aware there
might be a problem.

However, you could try www dot demkowicz dot com.  (I have munged
the URL to protect other readers, in case they click on the link
accidentally.)

You will find further details of the infection athttp://safebrowsing.clients.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?client...

I know places I can go to get infected on purpose (maybe my question
was not quite right).

I need to find the infections that I just cannot fix that will make
me: lose important data (other than a loss from my own hand) convince
me that the only resolution is to reformat and reinstall XP, perform a
repair install of XP, conduct some parallel installation of XP to fix
the original one, use a Restore Point, move my HDD to another machine
or use some Linux PE CD to fix it.

 

[Bob Lucas]

I know places I can go to get infected on purpose (maybe my
question
was not quite right).

I need to find the infections that I just cannot fix that will
make
me: lose important data (other than a loss from my own hand)
convince
me that the only resolution is to reformat and reinstall XP,
perform a
repair install of XP, conduct some parallel installation of XP
to fix
the original one, use a Restore Point, move my HDD to another
machine
or use some Linux PE CD to fix it.

Masochist !

Sorry, but I don't have that sort of information.