Q. Kim, ! My wife thinks that I'm a pervert! Links to bad videos keep appearing in Internet Explorer’s history menu. I delete them, but they're back the next day. I recently installed Spy Sweeper and I also use Norton AntiVirus. Norton indicates there is a Trojan that cannot be deleted. Also, I am unable to open hyperlinks in e-mail messages. Are these problems related?
A. I would bet that they are related. Because of the sheer amount of money that these sites make, the people who distribute porn spyware are getting trickier and trickier. This makes it harder for us to get rid of it once it infects our systems.
I know this firsthand. Just the other day, my very own dear and smart mother, who listens to my show, gets my tips, and is probably reading this too, was bitten by an ad that looked like a legitimate Windows error message. Kids nowadays!
Anyway, the links that are appearing in Internet Explorer's history probably come from spyware. You may need to run more than one anti-spyware program to remove whatever is on your computer.
Spy Sweeper is one of the best anti-spyware programs available. It is a simple program to use and includes things such as automatic notifications of any changes, locking the Hosts file, shields and other features that other programs do not offer. In the interest of full disclosure, Spy Sweeper is one of my radio show advertisers; I use it and recommend it.
I also recommend Ad-Aware, Spybot-Search & Destroy and Microsoft AntiSpyware. They're all free for personal use. You can find download links for them on my Web site.
The Trojan that Norton can't delete is probably in System Restore. Both Windows XP and ME have this utility. It takes snapshots of Windows' system state regularly. You can use these snapshots--called restore points--to rescue Windows if it becomes unstable.
However, there is an unintended consequence of System Restore: When it creates a restore point, Trojans and viruses are included. Anti-virus programs are unable to clean these files.
This isn't a problem, so long as you don't need to restore your system. But if you were to use a restore point, your system would be re-infected.
So, to remove the Trojan completely, you must clear your restore points. Fortunately, this is done quite easily.
Click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click System. On the System Restore tab, check "Turn off System Restore on all s." Click Apply.
A box will appear warning you that restore points will be deleted. It asks if you want to continue. Click Yes, then OK.
Now reboot your computer. Do a full system scan with Norton AntiVirus. You shouldn't receive any warnings about the Trojan.
Once the virus scan is complete, run the anti-spyware programs, one at a time. Remove whatever they find. Don’t worry. You’re not likely to cause any major havoc by doing so. You shouldn't see the pornographic links in your history menu anymore.
After you've solved your problem, re-enable System Restore. It will you if you ever find yourself in a tight spot. Follow the steps listed above to access System Restore options. Deselect "Turn off System Restore on all s."
The problem opening links in e-mail is probably a side effect of the spyware. Spyware programs usually add entries to your Registry. The Registry is a database that tells Windows how to run. Bad entries can cause your computer to function incorrectly.
The anti-spyware programs will remove the spyware keys from the Registry. Once your system is clean, you shouldn't have problems opening links.
While you're cleaning up your computer, I recommend that you switch Internet browsers. Unfortunately, Internet Explorer is not a secure browser. Hackers love to target IE's many security holes.
I use and recommend Firefox. It's more secure than IE. You can download it for free from Mozilla.
I hope this s. Ever hear about online journals, called “blogs?” Monday through Friday, on hundreds of radio stations, I host The Kim Komando Computer Minute. Today’s Minute is about other uses for blogs, including solving crimes and finding deadbeat parents. Use the map to find a radio station that airs my minute in your hometown.
Make it a great day! I’ll see you right back here tomorrow in your e-mail with another free tip that makes your computer life a little easier!
Kim
Spyware can cause bad links
! My wife thinks that I'm a pervert! Links to bad videos keep appearing in Internet Explorer’s history menu. I delete them, but they're back the next day. I recently installed Spy Sweeper and I also use Norton AntiVirus. Norton indicates there is a Trojan that cannot be deleted. Also, I am unable to open hyperlinks in e-mail messages. Are these problems related?
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