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Thread: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

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  1. #1
    Administrator Boss-Hog's Avatar
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    PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Hi all,

    My browser (the latest version of Firefox) started automatically redirecting me to random pages yesterday, so I'm 99% sure it's due to some type of malware I've been infected with. I have run (updated) scans of Windows Defender, AVG Free and Ad-Aware with no problems found. One other problem this malware has caused is I'm unable to connect to http://www.safer-networking.org to download the latest version of Search & Destroy (I receive a "Cannot find Server" error even though I know the site is up). I'm running Windows XP with all the latest updates. If anyone can offer some help, I'd definitely appreciate it.

  2. #2
    Something clever pahster's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    There might be a less invasive way of taking care of this, but if all else fails you could do a system restore to a point a few days ago.

  3. #3
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Try Windows Vista One Care Scan:

    http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/whatsnew.htm

    Assuming you have Vista.

  4. #4
    A Pleasure to Burn Joseph's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro...-10227353.html

    Hijack this is pretty effective for me usually.

    Could also try cc cleaner.

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  5. #5
    On the brink of disaster
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    A lot of times, malware like that will block your Ad-Aware and other programs from detecting updates, so they will say they are up to date when they aren't. What I usually do in this case is use a flash drive or cd to copy whatever program and updates that I need to get rid of the infection from another computer. It may be possible to get someone to email you a program or update you can't get to through your own internet connection. Also, I highly reccommend that you change your passwords of whatever sites you have logged into since the infection appeared. Most malware are trackers that can retrieve any information you input while you are infected.

  6. #6
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    I have a virus on my computer too. Whenever I open up MLB Gameday, the score for the team the Reds are playing keeps on going up like a national debt tote board.

  7. #7
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Quote Originally Posted by RBA View Post
    I have a virus on my computer too. Whenever I open up MLB Gameday, the score for the team the Reds are playing keeps on going up like a national debt tote board.
    I must have the same virus

  8. #8
    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    I use Avast anti-virus. It's free and very effective.

    I had a similar virus, and my friend gave me the following advice.

    If you can, boot in safe mode and download the following programs:
    Avast
    Search and Destroy
    ComboFix

    Install those programs, and then reboot in safe mode and run them in that order.
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

  9. #9
    Administrator Boss-Hog's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool View Post
    I use Avast anti-virus. It's free and very effective.

    I had a similar virus, and my friend gave me the following advice.

    If you can, boot in safe mode and download the following programs:
    Avast
    Search and Destroy
    ComboFix

    Install those programs, and then reboot in safe mode and run them in that order.
    Thanks for the advice - this malware is preventing me from even being able to open Search and Destroy and Hijack This. I can install them fine, but I open the shortcut and nothing happens (even in Safe Mode). I'll give Avast a try, but I'd be surprised if it finds anything that AVG did not. I'm reluctant to try ComboFix, as the helpers at bleepingcomputer.com strongly recommend not running it unless you really know what you're doing with it because it's apparently extremely powerful.

    In the meantime, I'm downloading the Ad-Aware updates on another computer and will burn them to a CD. Thanks for that bit of advice (and all others), too.

  10. #10
    Member CrackerJack's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool View Post
    I use Avast anti-virus. It's free and very effective.

    I had a similar virus, and my friend gave me the following advice.

    If you can, boot in safe mode and download the following programs:
    Avast
    Search and Destroy
    ComboFix

    Install those programs, and then reboot in safe mode and run them in that order.
    I also use Avast - Free and better than most of the programs you pay for.

    The Virus is likely in your system's memory so that you can only remove it upon booting up - as mentioned above do a boot-time scan with Avast and it should find it - keep Avast running and these malware programs will not bother you again - I've been using it for years now.

  11. #11
    Charlie Brown All-Star IslandRed's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    It sounds like the redirect thing is but one of the bad things it does, but if it'll let you, check your HOSTS file (in XP, it's in C:\Windows\System\Drivers\Etc) and see if it's been hacked and, if so, if you're able to remove the garbage entries manually.
    Reading comprehension is not just an ability, it's a choice

  12. #12
    Administrator Boss-Hog's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Quote Originally Posted by IslandRed View Post
    It sounds like the redirect thing is but one of the bad things it does, but if it'll let you, check your HOSTS file (in XP, it's in C:\Windows\System\Drivers\Etc) and see if it's been hacked and, if so, if you're able to remove the garbage entries manually.
    I did check that - I don't see anything that looks unusual other than entries Search and Destroy previously added. www.safer-networking.org, which I can not access as I mentioned above, is not listed in my HOSTS file.

  13. #13
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    Sounds like you have the same issue that my friend has. I could install programs that would take care of the problem.... but they wouldn't open when clicked. His computer would redirect any links he would click on to something else. I spent about 3 hours trying to work on it to no avail. Good luck, it seemed like a real good one. He didn't have any restore points, or at least it wouldn't acknowledge any. Hopefully you can get it figured out.

  14. #14
    Administrator Boss-Hog's Avatar
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    I was able to update the Ad-Aware definitions by writing them to a CD on another computer, but a full scan still turned up zero problems. That doesn't mean, of course, that there aren't any there.

  15. #15
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    Re: PC Help - Infected with some type of Browser Redirect Malware

    One thing that I have used in the past is Advanced System Care by IObit. HERE

    Now this didn't completely remove my problem, but it made it possible to run the other programs to finish it off. It will remove hijacked settings, which could help you. It's a pretty good program, and if nothing else, you should be able to find the name of the malware.


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