Adware !!!!

[Ric]

unfortunatly, I have a "PC"; required for doing accounts (Sage, running it on virtual PC wasn't really an option).

Use it occasionally for surfing and testing websites, sometimes it's nice to see them how others see them...

Anyhoo...

...got infected with adware on Friday and have spent the next 48 hours trying to get rid of the pesky little blighters !!!

What an absolute nightmare that was, Laptop nearly went through the window more than once.

What amazed me was the fact that Nortons (my anti-virus weapon of choice) would not get rid of the little blighters...

...the more anti adware software I downloaded off the Internet the more adware I was getting infected with! Most of the adware removal software seems to get rid of adware and then replaces it with it's own ????

PC Laptop has now been reformated, reinstalled and put back on the kitchen shelf. Will only use for Accounts - no surfing. I feel so sorry for the masses that don't really get Mac's. I could not go through that every other week.



This is an actual defaced billboard, not a Photoshop doctoring... (some would say the billboard wasn't defaced, but improved...)

 

[Danster]

ooo that must of sucked.

Since my first ever computer is a Mac I don't know what spy and adware is.

Is it a virus that deletes your files and crashes the system? and does the spyware log your computer activity and send it to spammers?


Cool photo btw

The people who did it should be given some sort of Mac award by some mac site.

 

[Ric]

To be honest this is the first time I have ever got infected with adware, normally on my Mac so like you I am unaffescted by most Adware.

Adware: by definition is not generally classed as a virus, however it is a big pain in the backside. On a PC if you go on to a website, it may say that you can't view everything on the page you are doing unless you download an active X component.

Similarly on a Mac if you go onto a page and you haven't got Flash Player or Shockwave Player, if you click on it it will download it for you so that you can see the rest of the content.

Where it can get you, is if you download an Active X component that isn't what it says it is and it installs some form of Adware, Adware can be anything from a home page hijacker to an annoying pop ad every few minutes. Whilst most Adware isn't particularly harmfull - it is very annoying and can slow down your computer.

Some Adware will log your activity, gain access to passwords etc, just down right nasty.

Stick with your Mac...pesky PC's...

 

[Disc]

Hi
Er for removing such pesks from a PC you should try a prgoram
called ad-ware. very good and works a treat.

Last laptop PC I sorted out for someone 137 nastys from virus to
spy/adware etc.... Couldnt salavage a thing so formatted it and returned
it to the owner.

they have a 20" iMac I was trying to explain use the iMac for surfing.....
It doesnt have problems because it cannot get infected.

1 Mac in a house of 3 PC's and its the only machine they have that doesnt give be
troubles.

 

[Ric]

Hi Disc thanks for that,

PC is sat on a shelf collecting dust...is now just used for accounts...Nortons Ghost was used to create a nice disk image so that if it goes pear shaped again...I just format and copy over.

Webroot Spysweeper has been installed and so far has been very effective. I did give numerous others a go including ad-ware. Ad-ware seems to be very good also.

The main thing that bugs me is that non of the so called adware removal software is 100 % effective, depending on what the PC is infected with you may need to run Ad ware, Spycatcher etc,

What amazed me was how many of the so called 'removal' software that you can download is actually reinfecting you with their own adware !!!

Unfortunately a lot of my Family and Friends have PC's so I am normally the one that get's called to sort them out, I now have a vast array of Anti Adware software at my disposal...

...now, if called upon to fix an infected PC I just back up the data on their PC reformat and reinstall, this is definately the quickest way to go.

I then suggest (make them) they install some anti adware software and some antivirus software, which for the most part they don't have on their PC!!!

...then I explain the virtues of a Mac...LOL.

 

[bluekatt]

just thought that i mentioned that ad aware is free for personal use
when surfing on a pc always use norton a good firewal (norton zone alarm )
disable automatic opening of a file
and turn on firefox's pop up blocker
ignore internet explorer ..infact use 98 or xp lite to rip the thing out
and scan religiously with norton and ad aware

the joys of windows

 

[Ric]

...and keep an up to date back up so that you can just wipe that drive and install afresh...normally quicker in the end.

regards

Ric

 

[bluekatt]

but where is the fun in that ?
most windows users are geeky enough to actually like reinstalling everything

well i do at least

stop looking at me like that

 

[Ric]

...that is fun to some of us !

I thought everyone was a Geek nowadays...

;-)