SEARCH ENGINE PROBLEM - SOLUTION

  • Thread starter Thread starter medgirl
  • Start date Start date
M

medgirl

Many have been writing in about not being able to use their search engines.
There have been several responses today explaining how to fix this. It's
likely a trojan program hijacking the search engine. I fixed it by
following the instructions at this site:
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/answers4.htm#search_engine Others have
posted today with other websites and explanations as to how to fix it.
 
medgirl said:
Many have been writing in about not being able to use their search engines.
There have been several responses today explaining how to fix this. It's
likely a trojan program hijacking the search engine. I fixed it by
following the instructions at this site:
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/answers4.htm#search_engine Others have
posted today with other websites and explanations as to how to fix it.
Click to expand...
These trojans are often referred to as "Spyware".

"Spyware Defined: Silent background use of an Internet "backchannel" connection MUST BE PRECEDED by a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, informed, consent for such use. Any software communicating across the Internet absent of these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware"

Another terrific site for information on how to cure and prevent Spyware hijacks, here:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

HTH


--

siljaline MS MVP IE/OE


"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_
 
These trojans are often referred to as "Spyware".

"Spyware Defined: Silent background use of an Internet "backchannel"
Click to expand...
connection MUST BE PRECEDED >by a complete and truthful disclosure of
proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, >informed,
consent for such use. Any software communicating across the Internet absent
of these elements is >guilty of information theft and is properly and
rightfully termed: Spyware"
Another terrific site for information on how to cure and prevent Spyware hijacks, here:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Click to expand...

Good link - thanks!

Unfortunately, my always reliable Spybot S+D couldn't fix this problem - it
identified that there was a hijacker, seemed to try to fix it since there
was a new file made with spybot, but it didn't work. I had to address the
hosts files directly.

Maybe now I should do as this site says and make a hosts file to defend my
computer (as opposed to letting some malicious code mess it up).

m
 
What about this trojan.

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/delude.shtml

NAME: Delude
ALIAS: Trojan.BAT.Startpage.a
Delude is a trojan that is available on a web page. The web page contains a
code that uses a vulnerability in the Internet Explorer (MS03-032) to
execute.
More information about the vulnerability, including a fix, is available from
Microsoft at:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-032.asp
VARIANT: Delude.A
The HTA code available on a web page downloads a file "partyboy.exe" from an
ftp site and runs it. This file is is packed with UPX. It is a batch file
which was compiled to executable binary (".exe") using a BatToExe tool.
When executed, it changes the Internet Explorer start page to find-now.info.
It prevents access to the most major search engines such as Google, Yahoo,
Lycos, MSN and AltaVista. To do this it replaces the following file:
 
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