Drudge Site Ripe with Computer Slowing Spyware

AdAware ^ | September 21, 2003 | BJungNan

[BJungNan]

Drudge Site Ripe with Computer Slowing Spyware

At the suggestion of another Freeper, I installed spyware that removes tracking programs loaded on my computer that I was told were slowing it down. I had mentioned that my computer seemed to be getting slower and slower.

Sure enough, once the little spy buggers were cleared out of my computer, the darn thing sped up to an acceptable speed – even for the dial-up connection that I use. But then it happened again.

I decided to have a look into the matter.

I cleared all the spyware again – twice to be sure I got it all - and then went on line to the home page that I use, gogov.com. I let the page fully load, then went off line and ran the spyware program again. Nothing. No spyware planted on my computer.

I signed on again and using my home page as a jumping off point, I went to one of the sites I regularly visit, eBay. I let that page load fully. Then I signed off and ran the spyware program. Nothing. No spyware loaded on my computer.

Using this same process, I visited several other sites: FreeRepublic, then shut down, nothing. A couple of company web pages, nothing. Then I visited The Drudge Report. Wow!

There was no need to shut down and run the spyware program before I knew there was a problem. I signed on – got the usual annoying pop up from Drudge – and then when I tried to go back to my home page it was slow, slow, slow. I shut down and ran the spyware.

Five spyware programs had been loaded on to my computer.

To test this, I repeated the process several times and even checked my home page site a couple of times to make sure it was not the culprit. Sure enough, Drudge was dropping spyware programs on my computer at varying rates every time I signed on to his site - it seemed to vary between 3 and 7 detected spyware programs loaded from The Drudge Report.

On the last trip to Drudge, I started to do some surfing after leaving his site. My online mail service was slow. Ebay was slow. FreeRepublic was slow. My computer was slower – agonizingly so.

One last time I cleared the spyware using the spyware program and went about surfing – I did this while the connection was still open. I had not signed off. I wanted to make sure it was not just a slow connection I had gotten. It was not. Everything speeded up quite noticeably.

Needless to say, I don’t visit Drudge. Perhaps those of you lucky to have DSL connections won’t notice the slowing. But for anyone with a dial-up connection, I have two recommendations. First, get a spyware removal program. I use Ad Aware by Lavasoft, a free download. Second, avoid Drudge and his computer slowing spyware ridden site.

[FrankOwens]

Sad but true!

[B Knotts]

I have never had a problem with Drudge. But I use Konqueror on Linux, with the popup setting on smart.

I didn't even know Drudge had popups until I heard someone mention it.

[Lunatic Fringe]

First of all, nothing can be INSTALLED on your computer unless you say yes to something. Granted, some of these are tricky, like Gator. Whether you click yes or no, it installes. The best way to avoid Gator is to click the "X" on the window, and not answer the question it shows.

Second, ADAWARE will flag cookies as spyware. Can you tell us what ADAWARE flagged?

[1rudeboy]

I've tried to install Spybot and AdAware, and all I get is an error message saying that a WS2_32.DLL file cannot be found. Anyone know a way around this?

[Lunatic Fringe]

I agree- I use Spybot.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I've tried to install Spybot and AdAware, and all I get is an error message saying that a WS2_32.DLL file cannot be found. Anyone know a way around this?

Yes, create a bogus file with that name in your System32 directory... the program is going to overwrite it anyways.

[Lunatic Fringe]

BTW, I reset Mozilla to warn me about privacy settings on web pages, and the only thing that popped up on Drudge Report was a session cookie.

[sweetliberty]

Do you have a link?

[agitator]

I never understood what the point of going to Drudge's lame site was in the first place.

[pageonetoo]

methinks the problem is with sites visited from Drudge... links, etc...
get a Mac, don't suffer!

[Princess G]

I have this problem myself when I tried to download Spybot...No trouble with AdAware...Please advise what is System 32 directory where you advised to create a bogus file.

[backhoe]

FREE PC PROTECTION:

• Spybot S&D: Removes lurking spyware.
• AdAware: Removes lurking spyware.
• Bayden Systems Popup Popper: Blocks popup ads well in MSIE
• MailWasher: Good for pre-screening & bouncing SPAM
• AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: Free anti-viral protection
• Windows Update: At least install the critical ones
• ZoneAlarm: Excellent Firewall
• SpywareBlaster - Prevent spyware from ever being installed!

 

Credit- Martin Fierro

[AppyPappy]

I seriously doubt this is the case.

[LasVegasMac]

First of all, nothing can be INSTALLED on your computer unless you say yes to something.

Ah, to be young (old ?) and naive again. You are, of course, mistaken in that bold statement.

Lots of stuff gets installed, if you are not careful.

LVM

[OXENinFLA]

ref. bump

[BiffWondercat]

Check into Proxomitron. I love the crap outta that program.

[Cold Heat]

Yup! I discovered this a while back.

A popup blocker is of much help with most of the critters. AdAware cleans them up nicely however.

[aruanan]

Drudge Site Ripe with Computer Slowing Spyware

Drudge Site RIFE with Computer Slowing Spyware


Main Entry: rife
Pronunciation: 'rIf
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English ryfe, from Old English ryfe; akin to Old Norse rIfr abundant
Date: 12th century
1 : prevalent especially to an increasing degree <fear was rife in the people>
2 : ABUNDANT, COMMON
3 : copiously supplied : ABOUNDING -- usually used with with <rife with rumors>
- rife adverb
- rife·ly adverb

[Cold Heat]

First of all, nothing can be INSTALLED on your computer unless you say yes to something.

Not entirely true!

Not everyone uses protection like Zone and popup blockers. The spyware piggybacks in with the gif's and other images. They can put in redirects and all kinds of crap to irritate the hell out of you.

[AlexW]

"I've tried to install Spybot and AdAware"

I have heard nothing but bad things about AdAware....Usually
regarding interactions with other software.

I have spybot on my computer. I can go a week between scans and I show only 3 or 4 cookies, usually from "commission junction".
One thing I did was to set my cookie settings to prompt me for 3rd party cookies.

Every now and then I get cookie request from post on Free Republic, but they seem to be related to links from other sites that are quoted.

There is a new problem I have, and I get it when I go to Drudge and some other sites...It is a really annoying sound
when a page changes. It sounds like a sick cow with a door slam that follows. I have no idea where it comes from, and it is not in my Windows sounds.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I'm not naive. I am a network admin. You have to START an installation process. Now, they may trick you into installing their program through very clever methods, like deceitful popups, but I am unaware of any case where merely going to a website installs software on your PC.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Not everyone uses protection like Zone and popup blockers. The spyware piggybacks in with the gif's and other images. They can put in redirects and all kinds of crap to irritate the hell out of you.

Agreed. But redirects and cookies are different than installed software. Maybe we are getting into semantics...

[Utilizer]

I run Opera and AtGuard. Nothing gets installed unless I specifically allow it, not even cookies. Have not had a single piece of spywared (except for the now-removed Go!zilla prog) for about six years so far. The combo runs quite well, even on older machines.

[Tunehead54]

Please advise what is System 32 directory where you advised to create a bogus file.

---

General steps (assuming he's right ...)

1) Right Click on Start Button, Select "Explore"
2) Navigate to the Windows directory
3) Double-Click on The Windows directory and navigate to the System32 directory - Doubleclick on it
4) Look down the files side to find: WS2_32.DLL
5) To be safe: Right click on the file and rename it something like: WS2_32DLL.OLD
6) Now bring up your editor, key in a couple random characters and save it as WS2_32.DLL in the C:\Windows\System32 directory.

---

Caveat: I don't know about this "fix" - all I'm telling you is how to back the file - just in case - and then how to create the bogus file.

Good Luck! Hope this makes me a white knight! ;-)

[Cold Heat]

I agree, that tracking cookies are of little danger. AdAware rates them as low, however some of the stuff is harmful and uses resources. It collects data and phones home without your knowledge while you are on the net. The stuff really does slow things down, as it places several instructions in the registry.

No, it is not like a worm or virus, but a clear privacy violation.

[philetus]

C:,WINNT,system32

[AHerald]

Don't know about that. But it sure as heck is ripe with piffle stories about the political thoughts of celebs, the latest doings of gay icons, and breathless, melodramatic reports of apocalyptic quakes and weather.

[nvcdl]

I got infesrted with Spyware about a year back and it seemed that much of it came from the Drudge site or had a grudge against Drudge - it would redirect you from his site to a russian porn site.

You need to ensure you have the latest microsoft security updates in addition to cleaning up your system.

I got rid of the most annoying stuff by installing and using "browser hijack blaster" software (free - try google).

[RadioAstronomer]

I would add AnalogX script defender, Xp-AntiSpy (if you have Xp, and spyblocker to that mix.

[wiseone]

if you go to alota sites,and need gator for passwords, ad aware etc may delete cookies & force you re enter em all over again

[RadioAstronomer]

Google is interesting. I never get popups from my home machine, however, the logging machine at work gets a popup everytime.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Bump for future use.

[alnick]

One thing that I do is sites like drudge is when I'm on that site, in the IE menu I click on view, then privacy report, then I right click on each listing in the report that comes up and select "always reject cookies from this site." This helps prevent the obnoxious pop ups. I don't know if it would help to prevent you from picking up spyware.

[nvcdl]

"HijackThis" was another free tool I found very usefull.

[Yeti]

You should change your internet settings. In IE, there is a "moderate" security setting. With that setting, nothing can be installed without your permission. That is the default setting, so you must have been playing with it in the past without understanding what you were doing for things to be set the way they apparently are now.

[RadioAstronomer]

Try Spybot Search and Destroy. It finds things Adaware does not.

[Yeti]

very clever methods, like deceitful popups,

I always dismiss those by clicking the "X" box in the upper right corner of the window frame. Clicking a "Close window" button option within the window, or a button that says "I decline" or something like that is risky. Those ppl are very sneaky.

[backhoe]

Appreciate the info!

[Yeti]

Scratch "moderate" ... it's "medium"

[Old Sarge]

I got infesrted with Spyware about a year back and it seemed that much of it came from the Drudge site or had a grudge against Drudge - it would redirect you from his site to a russian porn site.

Funny you mention that - I keep getting re-directed from FR to a teen porn site, myself.

Has anyone else had that happen?

[dr_lew]

I never understood what the point of going to Drudge's lame site was in the first place.

The police light!

[SengirV]

I've tried to install Spybot and AdAware, and all I get is an error message saying that a WS2_32.DLL file cannot be found. Anyone know a way around this?

Yes, Get a Mac and use OS X. Your computer experience will improve more than you can imagine.

Now I'm just waiting for the wintel folks who have NEVER used OS X to tell me how wrong I am. Try it first, then come talk to me.

[BJungNan]

You must be looking at an old dictionary

ripe
adj. rip·er, rip·est

1. Fully developed; mature: ripe peaches. Spyware
2. Resembling matured fruit, as in fullness, loaded up.
3. Sufficiently advanced in preparation or aging to eat up computer resources, eaten: ripe cheese. Stinking.
3. Thoroughly matured, as by study or experience; seasoned: ripe judgment.
4. Advanced in years: the ripe age of 90. 5. Fully prepared to do or undergo something; ready: “By 1965 the republic was ripe for a coup” (Alex Shoumatoff). Sufficiently advanced; opportune: The time is ripe for great societal changes. 6. Exhibiting overtones of or references to sex; scatological: “The language on the stage was riper than anything I have heard in a lifetime of newspaper work” (John Hughes).
7. Emitting a foul odor, especially body odor. Stinking up the place.
8. Clogging, loading up. Causing computer to be slow.

[Middle English, from Old English rpe.]

ripely adv.
ripeness n.