Bad Spyware problems. Help needed ASAP

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

Recently, I've been having really bad adware and spyware problems. I get frequent pop ups, and my computer has been crashing and freezing ever few hours. I've been using Spybot Search and Destroy, Ad Aware, and eTrust. I keep deleting all found problems, but each time I restart, they've all come back. The same exact ones. This leads me to believe I may have a trojan somewhere. If anyone has any advice, or different programs to use, it would be much appreciated.

(Reformatting the drive is a last resort because that's a major pain in the ass)

[Anarcho-Socialist]

1. Do you have a firewall?

Also are you using any utilities such as download accelerators (Gator), p2p programs, because very often they come bundled with adware.

Are you using Windows XP?
Do you use internet explorer? If so it will be better to switch to Mozilla which is less vulnerable to adware and other crap.

Also do you have anti-virus protection?

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

4. Yep, I've been figuring my p2p has been the problem

(was using Limewire, switched yesterday) Unfortuantly, I am using WXP. I'm using mozzila, I have a firewall, and eTrust is supposed to be anti-virus (But I got it from winblows, so it's probably the source :eyes: )

[GirlinContempt]

2. try ewido

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/ewido-anti-spyware-free/lng/us/tpl/v5

it's free, by AVG. It not only cleans but provides constant protection. Also do a full virus scan, try using trend micros free online scanner
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

and make sure you constantly have one running.

After you do that, check your registry and clean it up.
If you aren't familiar enough with your registry to do it yourself, this is a really good program with a free 30 day trial:
http://www.systweak.com/asov2/download.asp

[catmandu57]

6. I second the ewido

It's an excellent program that works, you've got a bigger problem than spyware, it sounds like a trojan. Download and run both ewido and AVG that should do the trick.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

8. ewido is currently scanning

hijackthis is my next attempt if this doesn't work. I'm hesitant to use it though, because I know if I fuck that up, I may have to reformat the drive

[GirlinContempt]

9. I hope it works out for you

That's what I did for my sisters computer the other day, she had some pretty serious issues.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

10. Hmmm. . . .

The files downloader.zlob.yb (of which there are multiple copies) says 'Error While Quarantining'

[GirlinContempt]

12. Run in safemode.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

19. Beautiful, I tihnk it's working

:loveya:

[GirlinContempt]

20. Glad to be of service

:D

[catmandu57]

23. It's a trojan

I googled it and it came back as a trojan, the websites that covered it were in russian, so I don't know what they said. I'm glad you got back on track.

[catmandu57]

11. If that doesn't work

there's a couple of other things to try before you go to reformatting, go to http://snapfiles.com and put trojan killer in the search there it will bring back many programs most of them are on a thirty day trial, download one or more and try them, you don't have to keep it if it fixes your problem, or doesn't.

You can go to http://castlecops.com/f15.General_Security.html/ and post your hijack this log there.
Good luck.

[Floogeldy]

15. Eek!

Thanks for the heads up on ewido, GIC. It found a keystroke logger on my computer!

:scared:

[GirlinContempt]

16. No problem

it's a great program

[Blue_Tires]

25. hmm...

that deserves a try

[jobycom]

3. I had pretty good luck with Spyware Doctor, but I had to pay for it.

I had a similar issue a couple months ago with a friend's computer. Tried all the freebies. Tried registry cleaners. Used all the free virus scans I could find (McAfee and Norton). I would eventually get rid of everything, but one trojan kept reinstalling itself and everything else would soon follow. Eventually I used Spyware Doctor to remove everything, and it set up immunization against anything being reinstalled. So while it was protecting against re-installation, I ran everything again. Somewhere along the line it got fixed.

You mileage may vary, of course. Try searching Tucows.com for whatever free or trial trojan cleaners you can get.

[kiraboo]

5. I have the same three packages you have,

and have the same problem. EZ Trust has a function for constant monitoring but it doesn't do much. Another thing I notice is that since I keep my settings on highest security, I have to wait for several seconds for some pages to load, as the firewall/anti-spyware/anti-virus programs try to defend me. So, I'll get a message that another ad sponsored by Zedo is loading, but it won't load... and I have to wait. Hate it. But it's always there, even after a fresh reboot.

[CBGLuthier]

7. hijackthis

In addition to ewido as mentioned above, you may have to get a copy of hijackthis.

Now, hijackthis is a powerful but dangerous tool. You will want to ggole things listed by it before removing them so you can tell what is waht.

Most likely, in the level 4 stuff in hijackthis, whcih is the things designed to autorun when you start windows, you will find some if not all of the trojans that are reloading your spyware.

Also, you need to go into safe mode and run your spyware tools until they report 100% clean. Run adawrae, remove everything and then run it again.

It can be a challenge but eventually you should be able to get rid of all of it.

[AirmensMom]

13. Get Webroot's Spy Sweeper.

It costs $29.95 and it's worth it.

http://www.webroot.com/consumer/products/

[Lady Effingbroke]

14. Have you tried turning off System Restore and then scanning in safe mode?

The reason I ask is because of this statement:

"I keep deleting all found problems, but each time I restart, they've all come back. The same exact ones."

Trojans often hide in System Restore files and are thus "reinstalled" every time you restart your computer. Turning off System Restore will delete the infected restore points, and then scanning in Safe Mode with your antispyware programs should remove any other spyware/adware.

To turn off System Restore go to:

Programs>

Accessories>

System Tools>

System Restore

Make sure you have all of your important stuff backed up before you do this, as you will be deleting all of you restore points, even those which may not be infected.

AFAIK there is no way to tell which restore points are "good" and which are suspect except by observing the "behavior" of your computer, ie - how long has the problem been occurring?

[uppityperson]

17. DON'T forget to turn Sys restore back ON when you are done

I did once and found out about it a couple months later when I tried to use it. oops.

[Lady Effingbroke]

18. I forgot to mention that part - oops!

:blush:

Also, unless you have lots of HD space, you may want to consider setting the amount of space allocated to SysRestore to something less than the default 12% maximum. I usually set it to 3% (I have a laptop with 40GB HD). That way you will free up more HD space for other things but still have several restore points in case of emergency.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

21. Comp is now working. Thank you very much everyone!

[1monster]

22. You may have to wipe your hard drive clean and reload your

operating system. In the end, that is what I'm going to have to do with my old CPU... eventually.

[rubadubman]

24. What to do...

First make sure you have Windows Service Pack 2 installed (It has a lot of good bits for keeping that stuff away from you.).
Then make sure you have all the latest updates for your anti Spyware programs.
Next, when you have Service Pack 2 installed, go into Control Panel and be sure Windows Firewall is enabled.
Next choose Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System Restore and turn it off.
Now reboot into safe mode (restart your computer and repeatedly press the F8 key until you get a menu, if Windows Starts, shut off the PC and do the repeated F8-ing again, when the menu appears choose sfe mode (without Networking)).
Once in Safe Mode run all of your anti spyware products, reboot into Safe Mode again and run them all again.
Then restart normally and go back into Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System Restore and turn the System Restore back on.
That should do it Friendly!