greeneagle
07-06-2004, 02:59 PM
Ad-Ware Browser Hijacking is out of Control
Seems like everyone we know is being “Browser Hijacked” these days.
For those of you who do not yet know what Browser Hijacking is, it comes in many forms, but almost always includes taking over your browser in different ways using ad-ware, spy-ware, or a combination of both.
Our company runs XP-Pro, maintains our OS and McAfee updates regularly, but we were recently hit by many. We actually found and cleaned approximately 300 instances on 2 computers that we only use to do research and normal browsing for clients. We are working with clients and family to get theirs cleared up, so they can use their computers productively again.
These malicious software intrusions are the absolute worst kind of SPAM. It has become so rampant that after downloading and running SpyBot and Ad-Aware recently that we found 500 instances of problematic files and registry changes on a family members computer. They were going to toss the 1-1/2 year old computer in the trash and get another. It was completely bogged down.
“DSO Exploit” seems to be one of the nastiest at the moment. It changes your registry, sets up Hkeys for activation and even embeds itself for the next startup after reboot.
There are many good forums that get right to the point of the problem, such as this one:
http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=15308
Several claim that SpyBot will fix this problem in a near update. I already made the 6/24/04 SpyBot update and the current status seems to be:
That after booting your system, run Spybot and you are good to go without interruptions by garish IE full window ads with no way to close except “control-alt-delete”, until you boot again. Currently the consensus is run SpyBot again at every reboot, until they fix the problem.
We feel that these browser hijackings are worse than e-mail SPAM and would like to see legislation as strict as virus design and commissioning against users of these type of malicious ad-ware agents. The lost productivity from these perpetrations are mounting daily. It’s time to prosecute or include in law where prosecution or the threat thereof will be effective.
We also believe that there may be a direct link to the passing of and loopholes in the Can-Spam Act allowing the proliferation of these practices. It may be time to include other practices such as “Browser Hijacking” in the Can Spam Act, giving prosecutors more bite.
Microsoft, “Where are my Windows XP-Pro” updates to eliminate or at least minimize these threats?
SpyBot –HELP!
Thanks,
Ken
Seems like everyone we know is being “Browser Hijacked” these days.
For those of you who do not yet know what Browser Hijacking is, it comes in many forms, but almost always includes taking over your browser in different ways using ad-ware, spy-ware, or a combination of both.
Our company runs XP-Pro, maintains our OS and McAfee updates regularly, but we were recently hit by many. We actually found and cleaned approximately 300 instances on 2 computers that we only use to do research and normal browsing for clients. We are working with clients and family to get theirs cleared up, so they can use their computers productively again.
These malicious software intrusions are the absolute worst kind of SPAM. It has become so rampant that after downloading and running SpyBot and Ad-Aware recently that we found 500 instances of problematic files and registry changes on a family members computer. They were going to toss the 1-1/2 year old computer in the trash and get another. It was completely bogged down.
“DSO Exploit” seems to be one of the nastiest at the moment. It changes your registry, sets up Hkeys for activation and even embeds itself for the next startup after reboot.
There are many good forums that get right to the point of the problem, such as this one:
http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=15308
Several claim that SpyBot will fix this problem in a near update. I already made the 6/24/04 SpyBot update and the current status seems to be:
That after booting your system, run Spybot and you are good to go without interruptions by garish IE full window ads with no way to close except “control-alt-delete”, until you boot again. Currently the consensus is run SpyBot again at every reboot, until they fix the problem.
We feel that these browser hijackings are worse than e-mail SPAM and would like to see legislation as strict as virus design and commissioning against users of these type of malicious ad-ware agents. The lost productivity from these perpetrations are mounting daily. It’s time to prosecute or include in law where prosecution or the threat thereof will be effective.
We also believe that there may be a direct link to the passing of and loopholes in the Can-Spam Act allowing the proliferation of these practices. It may be time to include other practices such as “Browser Hijacking” in the Can Spam Act, giving prosecutors more bite.
Microsoft, “Where are my Windows XP-Pro” updates to eliminate or at least minimize these threats?
SpyBot –HELP!
Thanks,
Ken