Spyware

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Alan-LaCala
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Spyware

Postby Alan-LaCala » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:54 pm

My mate has got 3 pornographic pictures appear on his computer, when connected to the internet, which he cannot get rid of. A message appears saying click here to get Spyware to get rid of things like this.

Anyone know how he gets rid of the pictures, as there does not seem to be a way of deleting them?

Alan
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kal111
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Postby kal111 » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:10 pm

Hi Alan
Has he got a pop up blocker, this should stop ads like this, or he could try down loading 'ad aware personal'
Downloads for both of these can be found on download.com , I use the google searchbar to stop pop ups.

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Postby Beachcomber » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:54 pm

Don't click on the link to the alleged Spyware programme because this will just lead to more suff being downloaded.

In addition to Adware and my normal antivirus programme I also use Spybot and Spyware Blaster. These are also free from download.com

Your friend could also try clearing out his temporary internet files but this is unlikley to work because something will probably have been added to his start up folder to make it run each time.

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Postby frank » Sat Dec 03, 2005 6:43 pm

Agree with Beachcomber, I use both those two, plus I pay for Spyware Detector. Given that it's on his machine, he could try EasyCleaner, it's free. It will clean out all sorts of rubbish,plus you can see what's in your start up menu and easily delete what you don't want. It will also check the registry.
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm
Regards, Frank

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JJ
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Postby JJ » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:32 pm

We had this all the time in UK and it's not funny. We now use Ad-aware, which is a free programme which sorts this out. You can also run it to delete cookies etc. I think the webiste is Ad-aware.com. Hope this helps.

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Kitesurfer.
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Postby Kitesurfer. » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:16 pm

Why when Norton is only £25 a year don't you have this installed?

It amazes me that people would spend £25 on a meal but not on protecting their home library and comunication centre?

Jeeeeesh...........

KS
When running out of fuel altitude and speed....never run out of ideas...
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frank
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Postby frank » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:25 pm

I agree. I run most of the free ones, but also pay for AVG Professional and Spyware Detector. Money well spent! A friend of mine that was on dial up, had one of those rogue dialers install itself on his machine and it ran up a bill of over £400 before he realised. My Spyware Detector has picked up 3 worms in last 2 days. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Norton, it's so memory hungry, and seems to cause as many problems as it fixes. I had the paid version, but got rid of it.
Regards, Frank

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Kitesurfer.
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Postby Kitesurfer. » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:49 pm

I agree about Nortons past Frank, but on good word I heard flaws were sorted for this years. I've only had it once before in 1999 and it was a joke then. Not sure about he memory but I run Adobe suits which need bags so perhaps that's why I don't have conflicts? Anyway, I though AGV took up more?

AGV is the best out there for free and I ran it the last two years previous. Good software and a good company ethos. Charge the trade and use personal users for research and front line virus detection/identification.

I bet people who have these images pop up deny ever having had looked at *beep* :lol: I'm not talking web pop ups,Im talking on start up.....

KS
When running out of fuel altitude and speed....never run out of ideas...
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Alan-LaCala
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Postby Alan-LaCala » Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:17 am

Thanks for all the advice folks. It seems to have been sorted with Spybot, and changing the home page back to default.
Oh, and by the way, he does have anti virus software.

Alan
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frank
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Postby frank » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:19 am

Kitesurfer. wrote:I agree about Nortons past Frank, but on good word I heard flaws were sorted for this years. I've only had it once before in 1999 and it was a joke then. Not sure about he memory but I run Adobe suits which need bags so perhaps that's why I don't have conflicts? Anyway, I though AGV took up more?

KS
I'm no expert, KS, but I'm fairly sure that NAV is by far the hungrier of the two. According to some reports I read from some "Techies", they reckon the NAV accounted for more problems than anything else on machines brought in for repairs. In another forum there were loads of people now complaing about getting through to their help desk, which is now operated from India. I've never used it, but Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 is getting a lot of good press, is recommended by many experts,
This below is from e security site.

Norton AntiVirus 2005
My annual complaints about Norton AntiVirus, the industry leader, are as follows: Symantec's telephone technical support is very expensive ($2.95 per minute or $29.95 per call for live support), and Norton AntiVirus traditionally slows all but the fastest PCs. And what's really new about it? I'm sorry to report that nothing has changed this year. In fact, Norton has been coasting on old code for several years, simply dressing it up with an occasional new feature here and there.

When I see the annual updates for their antivirus apps, I'm always quick to ask: So why should anyone update?

This year, Norton AntiVirus 2005 adds a limited firewall designed to block incoming worm code. I say, why not give us a full firewall instead? No, for that, you'll need to cough up another $50 for Norton Personal Firewall or go whole hog and get the $70 Norton Internet Security suite. Norton AntiVirus 2005 produces a perceptible resource drain--you'd think they'd have fixed that by now. Worse, in order to completely remove Norton AntiVirus from your PC, you'll need to download a free tool from Symantec
Regards, Frank

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Kitesurfer.
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Postby Kitesurfer. » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:31 am

Fair comment Frank. Seems like the complaints of old going on there but I do think even a low level of PC savvy helps with keeping your PC ticking over.
You can't sit back and think Norton or any otherv software is your army against all. Programmes like 'Hijack This' are invaluble on a PC in my virew and should be a monthly practice at least.

You know how it is Frank. If you don't service a car it'll complain yet some think PCs will run forever on the same oil.

KS.
When running out of fuel altitude and speed....never run out of ideas...
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Postby Beachcomber » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:57 am

I use NAV on my three computers and I only continue with it because it is so difficult to remove all traces of it. (A bit like the viruses it's supposed to protect against).

I have NAV 2003 but now they are telling me that they no longer support it (although they continue to supply updates) and that I will have to buy 2005. No longer support it?? What the hell, it's only two years old. So instead of having to pay for three subscription renewals I shall have to pay for three new programs.

Is that a scam or what?

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Kitesurfer.
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Postby Kitesurfer. » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:04 pm

Not really. It's like going to a petrol station and asking for a top up? How far do you expect to go on one payment?

I'm not saying it's right to not support it, but if everyone payed a one off fee and had free updates forever they'd go bust and we'd be left with unsupported software.
I ran with free AVS for years but that was when I could be bothered to wash my PC on a regular basis. Losing two hard drives in a year made me wake up and let others do the work for me.

I suppose it's up to the individual but we have it on 3 PCs without a problem and for 8 months now. I'd hate to think what troubles I'd have encountered without it.

KS.
When running out of fuel altitude and speed....never run out of ideas...
---------------------

frank
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Postby frank » Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:59 pm

Kitesurfer. wrote:You can't sit back and think Norton or any otherv software is your army against all. Programmes like 'Hijack This' are invaluble on a PC in my virew and should be a monthly practice at least.

Yes, I use it as well. I could be accused of being over protected, but not underprotected! :D

You know how it is Frank. If you don't service a car it'll complain yet some think PCs will run forever on the same oil.

I take this protection thing very seriously, and don't mind paying for the privilege. But agree with Beachcomber that support for a product should last more than 2 years. I paid for 2 years with AVG, and have recently renewed for another 2 years
KS.
Regards, Frank

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Beachcomber
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Postby Beachcomber » Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:23 pm

No, the annual subscription renewals are the top-ups. Having to buy a complete new program is like having to buy a new car when the fuel runs out.


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