Hi tmb - If you want to take steps to defend your machine, I would
suggest the following:
The best way to start is to get Ad-Aware 6.0, Build 162 or later, here:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/. Update and run this
regularly to get rid of most "spyware/hijackware" on your machine.
Another excellent program for this purpose is SpyBot Search and Destroy
available here:
http://security.kolla.de/ SpyBot Support Forum here:
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi. I
recommend using both normally. After fixing things with SpyBot S&D, be
sure to re-boot and rerun SpyBot again and repeat this cycle until you
get a clean "no red" scan.
Next, courtesy of Mike Burgess:
--Recommended Minimum Security Settings--
Close all instances of IE and OE
Control Panel | Internet Options
Click on the "Security" tab
Highlight the "Internet" icon, click "Custom Level"
1) "Download signed ActiveX scripts" = Prompt
2) "Download unsigned ActiveX scripts = Disable
3) "Initialize and script ActiveX not marked as safe" = Disable
4) "Installation of Desktop items" = Prompt
5) "Launching programs and files in a IFRAME" = Prompt
Click on the "Content" tab
Click the "Publishers" button
Highlight and click "Remove" any unknowns, click Ok
Click on the "Advanced" tab
Uncheck: "Install on demand (other)", click Apply\Ok
Prevent your "HomePage" setting from being Hijacked
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/ietips.htm
_____________________________
Mike Burgess
Information isn't free if you can't find it!
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Then, from me:
You might want to consider installing the Browser Hijack Blaster,
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard here to help prevent this kind of thing
from happening in the future:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/bhblaster.html (Prevents malware BHO's)
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/spywareblaster.html (Prevents malware
Active X installs) (BTW, SpyWare Blaster is not memory resident ... no
CPU or memory load - but keep it updated) The latest version as of this
writing will prevent installation or prevent the malware from running
(554 parasites as of this date) if it is already installed, and it
provides information and fixit-links for a variety of parasites.
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html (Monitors for attempts
to install malware) All three Very Highly Recommended.
See if any of this helps
--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
Please respond in original thread in Newsgroup.
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[email protected], tmb typed:
