Anti-Spyware Programs Clean but Don't Disinfect

The Houston Chronicle ^ | October 31, 2004 | Matthew Fordahl [Associated Press]

[quidnunc]

Salinas, Calif. — Though less than a year old, the PC took more than åfive minutes to start up and never shut down without stalling on error messages. Attempts to Web surf generated at least a half-dozen pop-up ads and — frequently — system freezes.

Internet Explorer's home page was hijacked. Attempts to reach some sites, including eBay — were redirected to random search engines that only called up more ads. Google search results were altered. And the modem, without permission, tried to dial distant lands in search of porn.

Welcome to the nasty world of a PC infected with adware, spyware, dialers and their ilk, all of it installed without the knowledge of its owner — my brother-in-law.

No sooner had he spent nearly $1,000 for the Dell Dimension 4600C than he lost control of it to advertisers and porn peddlers.

My brother-in-law, bless him, had committed the computing equivalent of running with sharp objects: Installing free software willy-nilly, clicking carelessly on misleading ads or spam and letting relatives (not this one) have free reign during visits.

But my job was not to judge. It was, rather, to make the violated system hum again. I agreed have a go at degunking it provided I could write about the experience. He agreed.

-snip-

[Weirdad]

Just any "good firewall" is not good enough. It is best to use a firewall like ZoneAlarm that also monitors and is able to block unauthorized OUTGOING communications from a computer will alert users to many programs that "phone home." In fact, I use a hardware firewall and am relatively confident about it blocking most incoming hacks, and the main reason I run a software "personal" firewall on all my computers is to monitor the outgoing connections. The redundancy and protection from hack that penetrate the hardware firewall is gravy.

However, even the good personal firewalls require that users take thoughtful precautions, such as rationally deciding whether or not to permit a program to contact the internet. If users just automatically click the "permit" button or especially the "always permit" button, then it's not useful to have monitoring of outgoing communications.

And some programs "piggyback" on permitted programs such as Internet Explorer. (In other words, a spyware program might use Internet Explorer to "phone home" so that the user will think it is a trusted program rather than spyware.) Even those common programs should not be given carte blanch permission to contact the internet until the user is actually using the program to connect.

It all requires work on the part of users. I have totally cleaned up some systems and placed all the necessary software to keep a system safe, only to have friends and relative complain so much about having to hit a few extra buttons that they made me "unsecure" their system. Some people prefer to give no thought to what they are doing and would rather have an "automatic transmission" than is insecure that a "manual transmission" that is secure.

I would not really care much if it were not for the fact that these insecure systems then become weapons in the hand of hackers for launching more mischief on everyone which can cause internet and ISP slowdowns and affect even the secure users.

[A CA Guy]

Before you go on the net, get any copy of Zone Alarm and then download only good stuff.

I run only the free Zone Alarm fire wall and it does very well.

If the occasional bug every three months gets over, the zone alarm mentions it and I erase it.

[yellowhammer]

You should try Maxthon, SlimBrowser, or AvantBrowser. They use the IE browser engine but have tabbed browsing and popup blocking.

[GummyIII]

I say "AMEN" to everything you just said. I do exactly as you do. I teach A+, CISCO networking, Java programming, and Oracle Database Design/SQL plus I deal with a school full of computer problems. The best thing we ever did was put Deep Freeze on all our school computers that students use. It's a pain when installing updates, but it's wonderful otherwise. The biggest pain I have is with teacher computers/laptops due to the very things you just mentioned...sigh...

[D-fendr]

I really don't get why so many still put up with this when it is not necessary. Unless you are running a Windows only application - which doesn't include many popular programs except games - why have to worry about, pay for and spend all the time and hassle with this?

I can't see the reason being cost. By the time you add up all the cleaners and antivirus and time spent, it's no bargain.

Don't get it.

[paulsy]

I've switched from IE, over to Mozilla Firefox and don't have problems anymore.

http://www.mozilla.org/

[GeronL]

Headline sounds like an ad for Lysol bashing a competitor

[D-fendr]

Somebody will chime in any second now with buy a Mac or install Linux but it's only a matter of time before spyware/malware begins to target these OSs as well.

Ignoring for the moment that there are differences in security in OSs, I still don't understand the logic of this.

Users should continue using the roads under attack now, because the attackers are going to hit the safe roads in the future?

Even if true, it's just not good security advice to give.

[Reagan is King]

You will never be safe with Windows.

Agreed! It's junk. I'm getting sick of fighting this stuff off so I may have to give Linux a try myself. Does it install alongside Windows so I can try it out before switching over all at once?

[Gamecock]

As a last resort try "Hijack This" (freeware) I'm on my way out the door, If you can't find it ping me and I'll send you the link when I get home.

[yellowhammer]

MaxThon

Slim Browser

AvantBrowser

[dolander2002]

I found that when installing programs, for instance, my Kodak camera software, unless I choose which elements to install, they automatically install backdoor programs that communicate with my computer without my knowledge and cause a number of problems. I never choose the "usual installation" feature anymore!

[JasonC]

You are right, it is nuts. We can and should use the anti spyware utilities. But the people who install this stuff should also go to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to jail. And stay there.

[ccmay]

5) Run the program "regedit" and delete any values from the Run key that look suspicious.

This is so unhelpful as to be absurd.

My 70-year-old mother has a computer she uses mostly for e-mail to her friends and relatives. She could not possibly do this, or for that matter any other of the steps on your list.

Luckily, she doesn't have to. I bought her an iMac.

-ccm

[ducks1944]

MY COMPUTER HAS BEEN SO MESSED UP IT IS DRIVING ME NUTS. I COULD NOT POST. CAN SOMEONE GIVE US STEP BY STEP DIRECTION ON HOW TO GET RID OF ALL THE MESS.

[John Lenin]

I'm pretty sure you can do a dual boot, there may be info on how to do it at the Mandrake site. I really like this distro, have tried many Linux packages and this is the first time I got everything working without too much trouble. It has a built in software install program and unistall program. I had to uninstall and reinstall Xine to get my DVD to play movies but it is working like a charm now. I am going to try to burn a DVD next and see how it works.

[A CA Guy]

Could be, I've used computers all my life and I would download from a digital card or stick right to my computer. I also then would use Corel Draw's photo program if I need it.

I download a minimum of stuff.

I have a great ad blocker that was free as well.

[Publius6961]

MY COMPUTER HAS BEEN SO MESSED UP IT IS DRIVING ME NUTS. I COULD NOT POST. CAN SOMEONE GIVE US STEP BY STEP DIRECTION ON HOW TO GET RID OF ALL THE MESS.

First let's start by fixing the caps lock key. It is at the left end of the keyboard just above the [shift] key and just below the [tab] key, and to the left of the [A] key...

[MediaMole]

Good advice, but having tried unsuccessfully to clean a friend's computer of nasty spyware and trojans, the only real answer is to backup all the crucial data and reinstall XP.

Rather than using windows update, download the IT department version of SP2 from Microsoft Technet. Burn it to a CD and update to SP2 on a clean install of XP. Don't connect to a network or the internet until the SP2 update has been installed.

SP2 download from Microsoft (270 MB)

[ChefKeith]

MARKING FOR LATER USE

Thanks for the info