Can't get rid of...

[Mark A. Sam]

This isn't relavant to this site, but the Access groups have the sharpest
people on the web, so I am hoping to find help with an Adware problem.

I am getting popups from 180Search Assistant. My Adware remover (Spy
Hunter) isn't eliminating it and Norton didn't protect against it and also
doesn't find it. I did a searchand found nothing about it to help.

Can anyone help me to get rid of this annoyance.

Thanks and God Bless,

Mark A. Sam

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

This isn't relavant to this site, but the Access groups have the
sharpest people on the web, so I am hoping to find help with an
Adware problem.

I am getting popups from 180Search Assistant. My Adware remover (Spy
Hunter) isn't eliminating it and Norton didn't protect against it and
also doesn't find it. I did a searchand found nothing about it to
help.

Can anyone help me to get rid of this annoyance.

As far as I can tell, most adware-scanners don't catch everything, so
you can try using a variety of them for more complete coverage. On that
I've heard is fairly comprehensive, if more technically oriented (read:
harder to understand) is Spybot Search and Destroy. I don't have a link
for it, but you can probably google for it.

I use Ad-Aware myself, but I gather it doesn't catch everything, either.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

This isn't relavant to this site, but the Access groups have the sharpest
people on the web, so I am hoping to find help with an Adware problem.

Well thanks, I couldn't agree more.


Your best place for help on this though is this NG:

microsoft.public.security.virus

I am getting popups from 180Search Assistant. My Adware remover (Spy
Hunter) isn't eliminating it and Norton didn't protect against it and also
doesn't find it. I did a search and found nothing about it to help.

Can anyone help me to get rid of this annoyance.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depening upon how you look at it) I have WAY too much experience
cleaning up other people's messes so I may be able to help a bit.

What is your Operating System?

Here is one link specifically on this subject:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.180search.html

There might be a listing in your Add/Remove Program list for this item.
You might check there first.

I do not have any experince with SpyHunter; I use Ad-Aware and Spy-Bot.
I would download, install, and then update each of these from the following sites:

http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-Aware

Read the help files before beginning. I would then run a full scan in Windows Safe Mode as this has
a greater chance of cleaning certain things. On the Ad-Aware scan make sure you select the Custom
Scan so it will scan the entire registry. If you are uncertain about what to remove then first ask
in the security NG I provided earlier. Those are the real experts in this area. You may be quite
shocked by the amount of junk these two programs will find. Although I would be surprised if you
beat the number of things I found on my brother's computer! <vbg>

The experts may also need you to create a HijackThis log file so they can see specific problem area
on your machine. The link is here I believe:

HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155> Create a separate folder for
HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the downloaded file there. Don't make any changes! Follow
the experts advice. They may have you post the results to one of these sites for close examination:

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/>
Wilders Security<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

(I found the SpywareInfo site extrememly helpful)

Here are some other links which also may be helpful now and in the future:
Software/Methods:
http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware
http://www.majorgeeks.com - good download site
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners

General:
http://forum.aumha.org/ - look under "Security" for various forums
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

After you have done all the spy-ware/mal-ware/ad-ware cleaning you should go to Windows Update and
Office Update and make sure you have all the updated security updates installed. Then update your
anti-virus software and run a full scan as well.

After you are finally all finshed and back in business wash your hands throughly.
;-)

Thanks and God Bless,

Thanks, and the same to you as well.

 

[Mark A. Sam]

Thanks Dick and Jeff.

I had checked the Add/Rmeove programs prior to my posting and didn't notice
that there was an uninstall program. I checked it again and found after
viewing Jeff's Symantic link.

God Bless,

Mark

 

[Jeff Conrad]

You're welcome Mark, glad to help.