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Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 3:44 pm
by Saitek
Hi

Can anyone help with a firefox problem?

For some weeks now I've been bothered by some sort of bug/tracking device that has infiltrated my firefox web browser.

It doesn't do it everytime I start up firefox, just sometimes. It opens up one or two new browser windows along with the one that I have just opened and tells me where to find vodafones or some other product I'm not interested in.

I have read up on this on web pages and have used spybot search and destroy, ewido anti-spyware and some other devices but these programs can't locate it.

I've been advised to empty my temp. files, but I'm a bit reluctant to do this as there may be things in there that are keeping other things going and there seem to be lots of temp files on my pc anyway.

Any suggestions?

Ben's Dad

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:08 pm
by cheesegrater
Download both of these and scan your computer. The reason I say both because there are some things that one program doesn't detect, but the other one does. Also, before you scan, run the auto-update feature in both programs to get up to date definitions. The auto-update in Spybot is a little buggy though. Scan with Ad-Aware first.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Per ... l&tag=top5

http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-D ... ag=lst-0-1

You should delete temp files. They are a waste of hard drive space. They are usually leftover installation files, that have no use anymore. You can delete them manually, but this is a pretty cool utility for deleting temp files and cleaning up your browser.

http://www.download.com/IE-Privacy-Keep ... ag=lst-0-1

BTW I would post this in software forum.

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 10:45 am
by Saitek
Thanks cheesegrater,

I have done as you suggested and more! I have used: Ad-aware, Ewido, Search and destroy, IE privacy keeper (and used this to remove all of my temp. files, as you said).

Here is a screen shot of what I still keep getting when I open Firefox:
http://www.ms.eclipse.co.uk/untitled.bmp

This is very frustrating, have you any further help, or do I give up Firefox?

Many thanks

Ben's Dad

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 12:28 pm
by MWISimmer
Well, Ben & Dad, this may help (typed word for word from this weeks Micro Mart magazine).

[quote]TROJAN POSES AS FIREFOX EXTENSION
According to McAfee, the ID-stealing FormSpy Trojan has been attacking computers already infected with the Downloader-AXM Trojan.
Installing itself as a component of Firefox, it then proceeds to sniff out information such as passwwords and credit card numbers, which are then forwarded to malicious websites.
McAfee is classifying this Trojan as low risk, however, as most people have already dealt with the Downloader-AXM Trojan it needs in order to execute.
copyright micromart magazine, issue 914, page 82

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:12 pm
by Fozzer
Hi Ben...!

I have installed this program "Adblock" into my Firefox Browser extensions*...>>>

http://adblock.mozdev.org/

Stops all the annoying pop-up ads, etc...

...(and you can switch it on and off for certain sites which insists on Ads being present).

Works a treat for me... ;D...!

Paul...8)...!

* ...but not my "private" extension....;)...!

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:36 pm
by cheesegrater
Some more things you can do:

Do you have Anti-Virus software? Update definitions and scan your computer. If you don't, here is a free Anti-Virus program. That should get rid of it.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5

If it doesn't, Ctrl+Alt+Delete to see what is running on your system. If you see the virus exe end the task. Then, open Spybot Search and Destroy, in the top bar click on mode and switch to advanced, then go to tools and system startup and it will give you a list off the programs that start up when windows start up. You can disable the virus/trojan from booting there.

If Ctrl+Alt+Delete is confusing and don't know which programs are supposed to be there look them up in the Process Library.

http://www.processlibrary.com/

You can use Process Explorer instead of Ctrl+Alt+Delete. I find it more organized and it gives you descriptions of programs that are running on your memory.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/P ... lorer.html

You might have to re-install firefox. I have personally never been hijacked or infected on firefox.

If all this doesn't work go to this web site and ask for help. People there are much more knowledgable than here and will help you.

http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:56 am
by Saitek
Okay thanks for the advice, but nothing seems to work. I think I better go to the firefox website.

Many thanks

Ben's Dad

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:19 pm
by Woodlouse2002
I'm going to say this only once Ben.





USE IE

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:42 pm
by Saitek
Never never never!

Image

It's actually my Dad running this thread. This is my first input. I think he could do with an account here for his hardware/software issues. ;)

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 1:05 pm
by NicksFXHouse
I'm going to say this only once Ben.





USE IE



HA HA HA HA HA!!!


SP2 with IE6 or 7 and the RIGHT security settings will NEVER LET YOU DOWN

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 6:30 pm
by hberger
Hi,

Try this s/w http://www.prevx.com/. Had the same problem as you, nothing worked. You can install it and use it for free for 30 days. It did the job for me.


Helmut

Re: Firefox and spyware- help needed please

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:27 am
by Saitek
Okay I'll try that program Helmut, thanks.