Re: Internet Explorer has been hijacked by "About:Blank"

From: Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE (franksaunders_at_mvps.org)
Date: 01/20/05 

Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:45:07 -0600

"Dave Throop" <Dave Throop@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:28C49B5A-3940-4D6A-AD3F-0EE6711C337B@microsoft.com...
>I got the about:blank and was able to get rid of it with Shredder. At the
> same time my desktop now has the following HTML warning:
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> WARNING!
> YOU'RE IN DANGER!
> ALL YOU DO WITH COMPUTER IS STORED FOREVER IN YOUR HARD DISK. WHEN YOU
> VISIT
> SITES, SEND EMAILS... ALL YOUR ACTIONS ARE LOGGED. AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
> REMOVE THEM WITH STANDARD TOOLS. YOUR DATA IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR
> FORENSICS.
> AND IN SOME CASES FOR YOUR BOSS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR WIFE, YOUR CHILDREN.
> Every site you or somebody or even something, like spyware, opened in your
> browser, with all images, and all downloaded and maybe later removed
> movies
> or mp3 songs - ARE STILL THERE and could broke your life!
> SECURE YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Anyone know how to get this off my desktop?
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
>> Steve in NC wrote:
>> > It would seem that the solution is obvious. Why not simply switch to
>> > a less vulnerable, less bug-riddled browser and abandon IE to the
>> > hackers it hosts so readily and well?
>>
>> Because you cannot abandon it completely and although there are "less
>> vulnerable" browsers out there, they have their issues as well. I have
>> not
>> found one browser that blocks all popups or all spyware/adware/malware
>> yet -
>> nor have I found one that can display as many pages as Internet Explorer
>> (as
>> (unfortunately) many people design around it), nor have any been lacking
>> in
>> vulnerabilities. As soon as everyone decides on one - that will be the
>> one
>> getting attacked and showing its true vulnerabilities.
>>
>> In any case - you suggest it, but you suggested no concrete
>> alternative...
>> In your ranting would it have been so hard to add:
>>
>> Try Mozilla Firefox.
>>
>> --
>> <- Shenan ->
>> --
>> The information is provided "as is", with no guarantees of
>> completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without warranties of any
>> kind, express or implied. In other words, read up before you take any
>> advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions.
>>
>>
>>

First eliminate any spyware.
What You Should Know About Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx

CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of these programs ,
download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
(if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may kill
your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
enable you to regain your connection.

See
Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each needs to be updated with the program's update function
before every use, even when just downloaded. There's also a lot more to do
than just those two programs. CWShredder is also available here:
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder
**Post your HijackThis log to
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.

See this link for information about malware:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars

If nothing there helps, please post back to this thread. 

-- 
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only.  Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

Relevant Pages

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