Broadband Tech > Security > Security > Spyware?

reply to Wildcatboy

Re: Spyware?

reply to Icarus
Here is another program, called Tauscan 1.5, you can download which looks for Trojans. It is a 30 day free trial. www.agnitum.com/download

reply to Icarus
Again, repeating myself (because it happened to me and others) Use AdAware to find the critters but not to delete them. Doing so with some programs will fry your internet connection (Happened to me with Webhancer) They must be removed with the add/remove option in the control panel first, then they can be cleaned up with AdAware.
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Valtrex on my hard drive didn't eliminate a virus either.

reply to rockotman

said by rockotman:

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said by 855:

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wat is comet cursor and can i delete it?

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you can delete it... actually you should be able to uninstall it from the add/remove programs app in Control Panel

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reply to Rxdoxx
Rx- Hmmm... I've used AdAware to remove several things -- and I've had no problem. Now I'll have to think twice...

I'm more referring to simply deleting the program or using windows uninstall. AdAware does go into the registry and remove the offending entries as well which is how the spyware keeps on working. My bad. I should have been clearer in my previous post.

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333

I'm only half bad!

reply to Icarus
The fact that the spyware companies often cannot be trusted
with what they do with the personal data their programs
collect is why I've been reluctant to run the file from Joe Cartoon
that includes Webhancer. I found this out when running the
installer; it said so in the first line of the EULA. Fortunately, it
did not install itself like some spyware does if you reject the
installation. I moved it onto a floppy disk for later
investigation (read: counterspying) with my
packet sniffer, CommView. As to what I'll do with the information
collected from them: use it to come up with a Hosts file entry.
Games are increasingly becoming a favorite place to imbed
spyware, and it has even been found in some hardware, notably
with eMachines computers and new SoundBlaster Pro cards,
usually with the drivers or pre-loaded software.

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Computers will always do what you tell them
to do, but rarely what you want them to do
[text was edited by author 2001-01-04 21:27:01]

reply to R2
R2, when looking for a couple of threads for you about 6 weeks ago (can't locate them) dainbramage and I were both knocked off the internet by using AdAware to delete Webhancer (and 2k posted months earlier that he had that experience also) What I was hoping to find was 2kmaro's additional programs not to directly remove, he listed 3. Maybe someone else remembers????
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Valtrex on my hard drive didn't eliminate a virus either.

reply to Icarus
do anyone here have avp. im using it rite now and personally i think that is a great antivirus prog. i recently found out that avp had change to avx and had been shut down or so i thought since i couldn't update. today when i tried to update it set my date to zero. if anyone have any feedback i would appreciated it

reply to Icarus
I used AdAware to get rid of numerous spyware before and after learning the pitfalls of not uninstalling first:(
After numerous registry restores I finally learned.
I am glad to report I am spyware free????????????
Netsonic had installed WEB3000 and I uninstalled it but AdAware still shows the warning that:



To repeat,I have ran the uninstall for NetSonic
There is no Web3000 in add/remove programs and AdAware shows no spyware references,so there is nothing more to clean up????

Does anyone no if this will require a reformatt or is the warning one of no meaning?

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Quest for Knowledge

reply to Pope Poitin
Basically, the problem with letting AdAware remove a few programs (webb3000, tsadbot-timesink, maybe some others) is it will delete items in your registry that may be shared or needed for other programs.

The recommended way is to uninstall the host program (the program that you installed that had the spyware hidden in it) first through control panel or the programs uninstaller. Then let AdAware clean up the debris.

Also in many cases, a good registry cleaner will give it the finishing touches. I have found that
REGCLEANER to be a very good program to do this because it can remove the unquestionables automatically and/or give you full listings so you can manually choice when ones to remove for programs that you know you uninstalled. It also gives you listings of other items that you can edit the same way.
You simply put a checkmark by the line that you want to be deleted.

This program is free and I do recommend that you take a look at it, as I am sure you will find it as useful as I do.
I use Windows 98SE. I can not say if it is good for other OS. As DA Pope was kind enough to point out that it may delete good entries if you use it for automatic cleaning in WinMe.

Scooter, this may help you out.

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Inquiring minds want to know...
[text was edited by author 2001-01-04 23:14:18]

I agree Jandoent. One must be especially careful with Win ME as I found out the hard way that Reg Cleaners that work with WIN 98 may actually delete necessary entries in WIN ME.
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333

I'm only half bad!

Excellent point Pope! Thanks! Yes, I use it on 98SE.
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Inquiring minds want to know...

reply to Pope Poitin

said by Pope Poitin I:

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said by rockotman:

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said by 855:

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wat is comet cursor and can i delete it?

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you can delete it... actually you should be able to uninstall it from the add/remove programs app in Control Panel

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Beware of simply uninstalling some forms of spyware. Though it may look as though you're rid of the program, information is still being sent out regarding your activities.

Also, in Windows under Tools, Internet Options, Security, you should disable the Userdata Persistance option. This can be (and is) used as spyware as well!

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reply to Rocktagon
I was also getting the same warning when I ran Ad-aware.
However, after uninstalling Netsonic I no longer get this message. I followed Netsonics recommended method of using the Add/Remove in the Windows
Control Panel. Netsonic specifically warns against using 3rd party uninstallers. I suspect you uninstalled the
program some other way. www.netsonic.com/support/netsonic/250/ns25-faq.asp?section=16

What I believe happens (but I am only guessing) when you correctly uninstall Netsonic the active/current wsock32.dll in the Windows\System folder is deleted and the original wsock32_.dll is renamed back to wsock32.dll.

You may want to try doing this yourself.
Delete the wsock32.dll, or rename it to wsock32x.dll. Then rename the wsock32_.dll to wsock32.dll.

Again, I am only guessing. You probably should ask Netsonic
yourself. I wonder if reinstalling Netsonic, and then
correctly uninstalling it might also fix your problem?

reply to rockotman

said by rockotman:

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I beg a thousand pardons your holiness... I forgot to mention that you indeed should also run a good house-cleaning program such as AdAware.

Where is your ring...
I will kiss it and beg forgiveness again

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reply to bangaroo
SCooTER2- I agree with Joey T. I also was a fool and installed Netsonic. During the installation, your wsock32.dll file is replaced. Netsonic DOES save your old wsock32.dll file -- I don't recall how, but renaming it as Joey T states sounds logical to me.

If you *can* find your old wsock32.dll file and replace the Netsonic one, I bet your problem will be gone forever!

In my case, I think I actually got the wsock32.dll off my original Win98 disk. Alternatively, if you have no other option -- get it from another Win98SE computer!!

I would DEFINITELY get the Netsonic wsock32.dll off my computer any way possible!

[text was edited by author 2001-01-05 07:52:46]

reply to Icarus
Nobody's mentioned the ultimate in Spyware: CUE-CAT!
drjim

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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering.

reply to Icarus
After Gibson had reccomended AdAware I ran it and it went great,much better then SG's Optout.It showed 37 suspicious items,2 folders,17 files,and 18 reg,keys.``

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"The pursuit of truth is like picking raspberries;You miss a lot if you approach it from only one angle." marlin
[text was edited by author 2001-01-05 20:40:39]

reply to Icarus
What fun;)
I found both wsock32.dll and wsock32_.dll.
When I try to rename or delete the bugger it gives me:



Any ideas?
d*m* SPYWARE!!
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Quest for Knowledge