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Thread: jack in the black: spy software

  1. #1
    jack in the black
    Guest

    jack in the black: spy software

    Everytime I start my pc a window appears with with heading Starr pc & internet monitor v3.8 - trial version. I did not download this software, it runs invisibly on the pc (can't even locate the program) and emails all activity to an address. Is it possible that it has been downloaded with something else and someone is using it to spy on my computer. What should I do?

  2. #2
    Parker
    Guest

    Parker: Spyware busters


    > Everytime I start my pc a window appears
    > with with heading Starr pc & internet
    > monitor v3.8 - trial version. I did not
    > download this software, it runs invisibly on
    > the pc (can't even locate the program) and
    > emails all activity to an address. Is it
    > possible that it has been downloaded with
    > something else and someone is using it to
    > spy on my computer. What should I do?

    Surf, don't walk, to the link below and download and install Ad-Aware. Then run it. You don't need the professional or the "Plus" version, the basic free version should do the trick.

    You may be somewhat shocked at the amount of junk that this program will find on your computer. Go ahead and delete all of it. The program will do that for you.

    In the unlikely event that Ad-Aware does not get rid of the program, or of you just want to be thorough, download and and install another program called Spybot - Search & Destroy." It is also free, and can be downloaded from this link:

    http://www.safer-networking.org/

    Spybot - S&D has the additional feature of not only removing spyware, but also "immunizing" your computer against such programs installing themselves in the future.

    You should check their respective databases for updates and run these programs on a weekly basis.

    As long as we're making your computer more secure, consider installing a firewall. You can get a free version of Zone Alarm from this link:

    http://www.zonelabs.com

    This firewall not only protects your computer, it will also notify you when any program is trying to connect to the Internet, and you can then decide if you wish to allow the connection.

    I use all three of these programs on my Windows systems and highly recommend them.



  3. #3
    bfbagain
    Guest

    bfbagain: Beware of Lavasoft......

    It too, likes to "phone home."

    For a quick and easy fix, try this..
    http://www.noadware.net/purchase2/noadware.exe

    install, run the scan, and manually delete the entries and registry entries. Unfortunately, one of the only sure ways to remove this crap is to edit the registry, and even then...providing you know what you're doing, is risky, so tread with caution. Still, it's the best method in the end, and when this scan shows nothing, uninstall it.

    cheers
    bfb

  4. #4
    bfbagain
    Guest

    bfbagain: And use Mozilla! *NM*


  5. #5
    Parker
    Guest

    Parker: Disagree

    > It too, likes to "phone home."

    > For a quick and easy fix, try this..
    >
    > http://www.noadware.net/purchase2/noadware.exe

    > install, run the scan, and manually delete
    > the entries and registry entries.
    > Unfortunately, one of the only sure ways to
    > remove this crap is to edit the registry,
    > and even then...providing you know what
    > you're doing, is risky, so tread with
    > caution. Still, it's the best method in the
    > end, and when this scan shows nothing,
    > uninstall it.

    > cheers
    > bfb

    Sorry, but "quick and easy" and manually editing the registry are mutually exclusive. I know what I'm doing (mostly) and I don't really care if I hose my Windows box (I only use it to run blackjack software), but editing the registry still scares me to death.

    I honestly believe that the only thing Ad-Aware is doing online is checking for revisions. This does not worry me.

    Besides, with Zone Alarm properly configured, no data leaves my system without my knowing about it.

    I run Ad-Aware, Spybot-Search & Destroy, and another one called Spywareblaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html). Spywareblaster does not remove adware/spyware - it prevents your computer from getting it in the first place.

    I also run the aforementioned Zone Alarm, Avast! anti-virus software (updated weekly), and I check Microsoft for critical updates at least once a week.

    Of course, on my Linux systems that I use for 95% of my computing, I don't have to mess with any of this crap. :-)

  6. #6
    Parker
    Guest

    Parker: Agree

    This we can agree on. And if you're happy with your e-mail client (and it's not Outlook/Outlook Express), you can use Mozilla Firefox, which impresses the hell out of me.

    I also use Opera a lot, simply because it has a couple of features that I find useful.

    For that matter, the new version of Konqueror that comes with KDE 3.2 is pretty cool, too.

    One thing all these browsers have in common is built-in pop-up blockers - something IE still is lacking (but is promised in the next service pack).

  7. #7
    bfbagain
    Guest

    bfbagain: IE Popups

    Popups are the biggest culprit in the spyware/adware invasion, as the the coders use a little trickery when people want to close or exit the windows. People should always close these windows by closing the windows using the "window close" command, i.e., the "X" in the upper right hand corner of the window. This won't always keep the little buggars from attempting to download and install crap from mischief web sites, but it helps a little.

    What is absolutley amazing, is "WHY" popups still are allowed in IE by MS. With Gates' "secure computing" initiative, one would have thought that would be a high priority, but Noooo, the advertising revenue dollar must have looked too inviting I guess.

    cheers
    bfb

  8. #8
    bfbagain
    Guest

    bfbagain: Re: Disagree

    My apologies, as I wasn't clear. The quick and easy referred to the installation and scanning, then the uninstalling of the noadware app.

    I agree that the registry editing is not. Quick and easy that is. However, once infected, you're just about toast unless you do edit the registry.

    Zone Alarm is fine, yet the same problem exists for users, in that they don't know what is supposed to access the network/internet or not. So there is still some required learning, which isn't a bad thing.

    Here's some real good recommendations for windows users....GET PANDA SOFTWARE! No, I'm not affiliated with them, they're just (at the moment) the premier antivirus provider in the world. They update virus definitions daily, have a built in firewall, and once setup, is pretty pain free for most normal users. Also, they have a free online virus scanner that is pretty cool.

    http:/www.pandasoftware.com

    Symantec's Norton Antivirus 2004 also has a built-in spyware/adware detecter, but I'm not sure how effective it is, as I've come across a few systems that have had real adware problems which also have had Norton installed.

    Caveat emptor... Spyware, adware, and the associated "remover" apps, have a bad track record with privacy, the same privacy that they are now trying to "protect." Real.com comes to mind.

    cheers
    bfb


  9. #9
    jack in the black
    Guest

    jack in the black: thanks guys

    Thanks for the recommendations, I downloaded and used most of them - Spybot found 82 instances of red 'problems', none of them got rid of the spyware though. In the end, my sister in law, visiting from Korea, cleared it up. Apparently it had been downloaded with some Korean software.

  10. #10
    Zenfighter
    Guest

    Zenfighter: Re: Thanks for the links, Parker :-) *NM*


  11. #11
    Fuzzy Math
    Guest

    Fuzzy Math: Re: Thanks for the links, Parker :-)

    So how exactly does Zone Alarm work -- as long as I don't idle for more than 3 minutes, it will let me surf the web? Otherwise I get the pleasure of shutting it down whenever I want to load a page...

  12. #12
    Parker
    Guest

    Parker: Firewalls

    > So how exactly does Zone Alarm work -- as
    > long as I don't idle for more than 3
    > minutes, it will let me surf the web?
    > Otherwise I get the pleasure of shutting it
    > down whenever I want to load a page...

    Not at all. After you install the firewall, the first time you try to look at web page you will get a message saying something like, "Internet Explorer (or whatever browser you are using) is attempting to access the Internet. Do you wish to allow this?" Of course, you click on "yes." You also click on the box to "remember" this. After that, ZA will leave your browser alone.

    Once you get it set for your browser, e-mail client, anti-virus software, and other programs that normally access the Internet, it becomes mostly transparent and you forget that it is even there.

    It is also monitoring for any attempts to access your computer from the Internet, and will block them and notify you if that happens.

    And of course it will also tell you when some program that you don't even remember installing on your computer is trying to access the Internet. :-)

    If you're using an "always on" connection to the Internet (cable modem or DSL), then at the very least you need a software firewall such as Zone Alarm, and you really should have a hardware firewall.

  13. #13
    Fuzzy Math
    Guest

    Fuzzy Math: Re: Firewalls

    > Not at all. After you install the firewall,
    > the first time you try to look at web page
    > you will get a message saying something
    > like, "Internet Explorer (or whatever
    > browser you are using) is attempting to
    > access the Internet. Do you wish to allow
    > this?" Of course, you click on
    > "yes." You also click on the box
    > to "remember" this. After that, ZA
    > will leave your browser alone.

    > Once you get it set for your browser, e-mail
    > client, anti-virus software, and other
    > programs that normally access the Internet,
    > it becomes mostly transparent and you forget
    > that it is even there.

    > It is also monitoring for any attempts to
    > access your computer from the Internet, and
    > will block them and notify you if that
    > happens.

    > And of course it will also tell you when
    > some program that you don't even remember
    > installing on your computer is trying to
    > access the Internet. :-)

    > If you're using an "always on"
    > connection to the Internet (cable modem or
    > DSL), then at the very least you need a
    > software firewall such as Zone Alarm, and
    > you really should have a hardware firewall.

    I told it to allow IE. Sometimes it does, most of the time it doesn't.

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