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Help! I think my computer has a virus!

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tedoll78 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:07 AM
Original message
Help! I think my computer has a virus!
It keeps setting my homepage to Ziportal.com whenever I turn the computer off. And when I click on a link, every once in a while it takes me to porno sites.. I've noticed that before that happens, when I move the mouse cursor over a link, the porno site link appears at the bottom of my Internet Explorer window.

Anyone heard of this? It's getting really aggrivating.
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Liberal Veteran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:09 AM
Response to Original message
1. It's probably a spyware application that's causing it...not a virus.
Edited on Thu Nov-06-03 02:12 AM by liberal_veteran
Go to this link and download and install and run Spybot Search and Destroy.

http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10122137.html?part=104443&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Be sure to have it check for detection updates.

You may also want to look into www.lavasoftusa.com for ad-aware which does sorta the same thing.

Edit: also search for a file called "HOSTS" on your system and rename it. A lot of these site use a technique that creates a false HOSTS file which redirects you to a site you didn't want to go to.
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brainshrub Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:14 AM
Response to Reply #1
6. Something weird on my machine
I've noticed that every night at 11:15am my computer sends one or two emails. Even if I don't have my email software or ANYTHING else running.
It spooks me out.
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Liberal Veteran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:16 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. That I would suspect to be a virus.
Spyware will do a lot of nuisance shit like take you to porn sites and reset your home page, but things that do timed mailings tend to be virus es.

Go to housecall.antivirus.com and do an online scan of your entire system.
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brainshrub Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:21 AM
Response to Reply #7
9. I have Norton AntiVirus
But I'll try your suggestion.
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Prisoner_Number_Six Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:11 AM
Response to Original message
2. Update your virus scanner and do a full scan
then download either Ad-Aware or Spybot and clean out all the spyware. Install either Zone Alarm or Norton Internet Security (both have pop-up and spam blocking features.) Also go into Add And Remove Programs (in Control Panel) and see if you have any unauthorized link-bar programs there. (Ad-Aware and Spybot should in theory find and uninstall most of them.)
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nothingshocksmeanymore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:11 AM
Response to Original message
3. This is your virus
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Don_G Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:13 AM
Response to Original message
4. It's Not A Virus
More like spyware that hijacks your home page. Googling turned up this reference, but nothing on the home page which suggests it may be a new one: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/bhblaster.html
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Sven77 Donating Member (645 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:13 AM
Response to Original message
5. homepage hijacked
there are virus that hijack your homepage. i think its a activex crack or something.

I would suggest spybot search and destroy(www.safer-networking.org) and immunize, also grisoft antivirus avg (www.grisoft.com).

both are FREE.
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Sven77 Donating Member (645 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:18 AM
Response to Original message
8. firewall
and be sure to use a firewall, either windows xp's or I like kerio personal firewall (www.kerio.com)
also FREE
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 02:22 AM
Response to Original message
10. Some sites have the annoying popups that re-set your home page
when you click them "off". The spybot/adaware/Nortons will get rid of them :) or you can go to control panel and click on the web icon and reset your home page too..
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MercutioATC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-03 07:28 AM
Response to Original message
11. Go here. Download this (freeware).
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/

It's a great spyware eliminator.
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