<!--QuoteBegin-drummerman109+Oct 24 2004, 07:48 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (drummerman109 @ Oct 24 2004, 07:48 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> wow, its funny that yeah, firefox blocks pop-ups and stuff and i love it, but you people need to discover <a href='http://www.proxomitron.info/' target='_blank'>The Proxomitron</a>. Seriously, i havent seen a SINGLE ad of any kind in months <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Or you can get the Adblock extension for Firefox. It even lets you block Google text ads.
speaking of programs that are meant to protect your computer but end up being worse than the malware themselves. Mcafee anti-virus; it updates itself while you are playing sometimes so it has the same exact effect as the pop-ups. goddamn hypocrites from hell. i found a way to kill the auto-updater but i don't remember how i did it. i probably had to break something.
TeaTimer can be a bit annoying sometimes though. I want it to always allow w_extract files which it ALWAYS complains about when I install something, since those are the cleanup files... but I can't seem to make it do that.
ok i'm getting majorly **** off again. i haven't been annoyed by pop-ups for a while. all of a sudden yesterday my computer crashed and then when i rebooted i kept getting these pop up ads that kept coming every few minutes. i ran ad-aware and spybot and mcafee antiv-DAMMIT I JUST GOT ANOTHER POP-UP WHILE TYPING THIS. GODDAMIT!!!!anyway, mcafee antivirus, and i even ran them from safe mode and i still keep getting these damn pop-ups. i couldn't even watch a video file without pop-ups appearing on top like over 10 times. these annoyware killers don't work. i want to know if someone knows a way of stopping annoyware from the source permanently so the people cannot send them out to anyone ever again. i can't play a game with these damn pop-ups appearing every few minutes. we have to find a newer more drastic-FLIPPIN HELL ANOTHER FRIGGIN POP-UP JESUS CHRIST!!!! FOR FFS!!! we need to find a more drastic way to stop these friggin bastards!
i already disabled that messenger thing like years ago. it's still disabled. that doesn't help. we have to go to the source. we have to find out who is making the annoyware and stop them permanently. it's the only way.
i have to get another web browser and completely uninstall internet explorer? wh whw whwwhwhw whwh what is this? bizarro world? worst idea evar!
There are more reasons thern its safty to use Firefox. It is awesome, and takes about 30 seconds to install. It won't fix spyware, but it prevents you from getting it again for the most part.
Get <a href='http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html' target='_blank'>HijackThis</a>, run a scan, and post the results on some tech forum where the people will understand the results (not here probably).
If all else fails, reformat, then get Firefox and firewall software. (Download them and store them somewhere first so you can install them before going online after the reformat.)
someone explain to me how Firefox can defeat pop-ups but mighty massive monstrous megalomaniac Microsoft cannot.
and suppose i get Firefox, it only stops pop-ups being added to my machine but the old ones will still be there. do i really have to dip my computer into lava or could i wait for the annoyware killers to update themselves to get rid of them?
Firefox will not remove any spyware, but it is extremely effective at preventing you from getting anymore while surfing with it. For removing what you have, do what i'm lost said, and download hijackthis (very small download) and post the log.
<!--QuoteBegin-ViPr+Nov 7 2004, 01:07 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ViPr @ Nov 7 2004, 01:07 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> someone explain to me how Firefox can defeat pop-ups but mighty massive monstrous megalomaniac Microsoft cannot.
and suppose i get Firefox, it only stops pop-ups being added to my machine but the old ones will still be there. do i really have to dip my computer into lava or could i wait for the annoyware killers to update themselves to get rid of them? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> IIRC it's because Microsoft tries to make IE compatible with every type of webpage out there. This leaves it vulnerable to 'lookalike' programs. For example, a program that looks like a .JPEG picture, but is in fact spyware. FireFox on the othr hand will look at it and say, 'That ain't a .JPEG' and won't open it.
I could be way off though. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Aaronvroom vroom der party startahJoin Date: 2002-11-05Member: 7020Members
My god what <b><i>DO</i></b> you people do to your computers. Get Adaware. Use Firefox. Keep your system up to date via windowsupdate (assuming windows). Don't download and run random programs emailed from some guy named Frank in Madagascar.
Its because Microsoft sucks. IE hasn't had a major update in FOUR YEARS. Just dumb little patches that take M$ 6 months from conception to completion to fix one little bug. Firefox, on the other hand, is under continual development. Critical security issues tend to be resolved within a week instead of half a year.
The big problem with Microsoft is that once they become top dog, they also become lazy dog. When they're a newcomer or anything other than #1 in a particular market, M$ is capable of cranking out some fabulous products. But as soon as they hit 80% market dominance, they go utterly slackassed. Next to nothing gets done anymore because M$ is off trying to conquor some other market instead of solidifying what they already have. Couple this with their newfound popularity in any one area, and things go south in a hurry. Bad people start focusing on how to abuse M$'s software, and in the very same instant Microsoft turns their back on it. It then takes YEARS of problems escalating and people complaining before Microsoft will devote any serious effort to securing their ****ups. That, or the risk of them loosing their market dominance. Two perfect examples are the WinOS and IE. With Windows, Microsoft has been #1 for damn near a decade. And its just been RECENTLY that Microsoft has made any kind of effort at plugging the massive holes in their OS with XP-SP2. Then take a look at IE, which has been stagnant for years, and is just now starting to circulate the rumour mill that a new version and/or more features could be on its way - all because the competition (namely Firefox) is starting to nibble away at their market.
Microsoft is a great warrior, but an extremely poor ruler.
The specific problem with IE and *ware is that it was integrated into the OS. Windows and Explorer have been joined at the hip for a long time now. Meaning a security hole in the browser is also a security hole in your entire freaking computer. Firefox isn't attatched to the OS in any way, so the damages you can do with it are limited by comparison. Coupled with the amount of time people have had to take swings at an unchanging IE, and yes, you can wind up with serious problems that are difficult to fix.
My theory is that if you've been using IE for any significant amount of time, and the problems are so bad that you can't possibly live with them anymore... than the easiest thing to do would probably be to reinstall the whole damn OS. Chances are that by the time things get unbearable, you've already passed the point of no return. Its either that, or look at some very long hours of trying to clean your system into a usable state. Or paying someone to do it for you. But it'll never be perfect again. Its unfortunate that so many people have to learn the hard way, but it seems to be the way things go. I went through the whole process of "OMG WTH IS HAPPENING WITH MY COMPUTAER!?" once too. Then I built a new one and made goddamn sure it was secure. Then my parents had the "OMG I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!", so I built <i>them</i> a new computer too, with strict orders NEVER to use IE without my supervision. Locked down both systems tight with firewalls, anti-virus programs, replacement browser and mail programs, and anything else I could possibly think of to make them bulletproof. Stuck the whole thing behind a hardware firewall/router... haven't looked back. Actually, I even started looking <i>forward</i> to making a Linux box out of my parents old computer. That'll be the next step for me, but we'll see what *nix can do for me while i'm still chained to all this damn Windows only software.
So shed your trust of anything Microsoft. Come to the light. Rebuild anew. Your brothers and sisters are waiting for you. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Just to add that any security issues found in firefox are usually discovered by a team specifically setup by the firefox programmers. Unlike microsoft where the first people to find these things out are the exploiters. This lets them fix things even before the public people know about it.
<!--QuoteBegin-sawce+Oct 23 2004, 08:49 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (sawce @ Oct 23 2004, 08:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/' target='_blank'>Or get a decent browser.</a> :/ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> ya they first thing i did when i set up my computer is got modzilla firefox and deleted explorer right off my computer.
<!--QuoteBegin-ViPr+Oct 23 2004, 07:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ViPr @ Oct 23 2004, 07:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> stop visiting porn sites? that's like saying "throw your computer out the window and you won't see pop-ups anymore" or "jab a fork in your eyes and twirl a few times and you won't see pop-ups anymore" <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I'm proud to say that I weaned myself from internet porn about two years ago, and strangely enough I've quite literally been spyware free for the same amount of time. Considering the 'sex' content on the internet makes up for about 90% of websites (or maybe its traffic... its been a while since I cared to look at the actual stat) it would stand to reason that the largest chunk of spyware/adware would reside on such sites.
As for browsers... I generally use FireFox nowadays (1.0 got released today ... yay!) but I still keep a shortcut to IE for occasional use on sites that use plugins that are unfortunately IE specific and simply don't work with any other browsers i'm aware of. My company uses some of these plugins on their intranet site too, despite any cries for browser diversity that my colleages and I have been letting out for the past year or so.
Also... never run your Malware detector only once at any given time. A very sophisticated class of malware has risen from the depths in the past 3 years or so that are clever enough to respawn after the detector frags them hardcore. I usually run each tool about 3 times in a row in order to find the apps that are persistent little buggers... then use Google to find removal instructions (usually involve going into safemode and editing the registry). Sadly, this class of malware is literally impossible for any detector software to automagically get rid of because of both liability/legality constraints and Windows system protection schemas (incredibly difficult to code around for general purpose stuff like remedying x malware).
Malware detectors are much like condoms. Since malware removal can be such a pain in the arse to deal with, and can sometimes still not be effective, it stands to reason that you attack the problem at the root. Which brings me back to my first point. Just like abstinence from sex is the best method to avoid pregnancy and STDs, so is abstinence from sex the best method to avoid getting your computer pumped up with virii and ITDs (Internet Transmitted Diseases).
Also to clear up a few misnomers. Other OSs like Linux, BSD, Apple do not necessarily mean that you are any safer. In fact, if you consider this last year's virus/trojan/worm reports you will find that not only did Linux servers (does not include Linux workstations) see the most "new" virii hit the net, but they were also the source of some of the "most damaging" virii on the net. Not to downplay the insecurity in most Microsoft products, but the only reason people tote them as the most insecure platform is due mainly to their market share. Sure they get some really nasty stuff, but it isn't fair to say that X OS is inherently better without being informed about such things. You MIGHT have a claim with an Apple simply because their marketshare is too small for most to care about, but they are not without their own fatal flaws (no less than 2 virii came out this year for Mac OSX that could only be cleaned through a fresh reinstall... possibly due to lack of creative thinking, but still disturbing nonetheless... My mom is still crying over all the school files she lost).
yeah i believe in attacking the problem at the root too. so does anyone know how to find out the real-life addresses of the people that make the annoyware?
Has anyone ever considered the very likely possibility that the reason that Microsoft's products are so sesceptible to....everything.....is because it's used by so many people, and for so long? I know Apple came first, but I bet if you compared user-hours or something there'd be no contest which is used more <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> . Firefox is new, and since it's new it has some great capabilities - someone mentioned the whole "nope, this ain't a JPEG" thing up there somewhere" - but realistically, if it ends up replacing IE as the most used browser, do you really think people won't find holes? Same goes for anything else; would Macs be so air-tight if people actually cared enough to try to actually break into one once in a while? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Well, I'm pretty sure I heard an argument like it, and all this talk about switching browsers made me think, "Well, what would happen if suddenly someone other than Microsoft was on top. Oh yeah, they'd get royally fuxed by hackers, popups, etc too. Unless the seedier side of the computer world just has a grudge against Bill Gates or something." Not my idea, but I don't know where I heard it first. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Comments
Or you can get the Adblock extension for Firefox. It even lets you block Google text ads.
Yeah. TeaTimer = win. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
If it's windows messenger go into your control panel -> administrative tools -> services and disable and stop the Messenger service.
i have to get another web browser and completely uninstall internet explorer? wh whw whwwhwhw whwh what is this? bizarro world? worst idea evar!
It is awesome, and takes about 30 seconds to install.
It won't fix spyware, but it prevents you from getting it again for the most part.
If all else fails, reformat, then get Firefox and firewall software. (Download them and store them somewhere first so you can install them before going online after the reformat.)
and suppose i get Firefox, it only stops pop-ups being added to my machine but the old ones will still be there. do i really have to dip my computer into lava or could i wait for the annoyware killers to update themselves to get rid of them?
and suppose i get Firefox, it only stops pop-ups being added to my machine but the old ones will still be there. do i really have to dip my computer into lava or could i wait for the annoyware killers to update themselves to get rid of them? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
IIRC it's because Microsoft tries to make IE compatible with every type of webpage out there. This leaves it vulnerable to 'lookalike' programs. For example, a program that looks like a .JPEG picture, but is in fact spyware. FireFox on the othr hand will look at it and say, 'That ain't a .JPEG' and won't open it.
I could be way off though. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The big problem with Microsoft is that once they become top dog, they also become lazy dog. When they're a newcomer or anything other than #1 in a particular market, M$ is capable of cranking out some fabulous products. But as soon as they hit 80% market dominance, they go utterly slackassed. Next to nothing gets done anymore because M$ is off trying to conquor some other market instead of solidifying what they already have. Couple this with their newfound popularity in any one area, and things go south in a hurry. Bad people start focusing on how to abuse M$'s software, and in the very same instant Microsoft turns their back on it. It then takes YEARS of problems escalating and people complaining before Microsoft will devote any serious effort to securing their ****ups. That, or the risk of them loosing their market dominance. Two perfect examples are the WinOS and IE. With Windows, Microsoft has been #1 for damn near a decade. And its just been RECENTLY that Microsoft has made any kind of effort at plugging the massive holes in their OS with XP-SP2. Then take a look at IE, which has been stagnant for years, and is just now starting to circulate the rumour mill that a new version and/or more features could be on its way - all because the competition (namely Firefox) is starting to nibble away at their market.
Microsoft is a great warrior, but an extremely poor ruler.
The specific problem with IE and *ware is that it was integrated into the OS. Windows and Explorer have been joined at the hip for a long time now. Meaning a security hole in the browser is also a security hole in your entire freaking computer. Firefox isn't attatched to the OS in any way, so the damages you can do with it are limited by comparison. Coupled with the amount of time people have had to take swings at an unchanging IE, and yes, you can wind up with serious problems that are difficult to fix.
My theory is that if you've been using IE for any significant amount of time, and the problems are so bad that you can't possibly live with them anymore... than the easiest thing to do would probably be to reinstall the whole damn OS. Chances are that by the time things get unbearable, you've already passed the point of no return. Its either that, or look at some very long hours of trying to clean your system into a usable state. Or paying someone to do it for you. But it'll never be perfect again. Its unfortunate that so many people have to learn the hard way, but it seems to be the way things go. I went through the whole process of "OMG WTH IS HAPPENING WITH MY COMPUTAER!?" once too. Then I built a new one and made goddamn sure it was secure. Then my parents had the "OMG I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!", so I built <i>them</i> a new computer too, with strict orders NEVER to use IE without my supervision. Locked down both systems tight with firewalls, anti-virus programs, replacement browser and mail programs, and anything else I could possibly think of to make them bulletproof. Stuck the whole thing behind a hardware firewall/router... haven't looked back. Actually, I even started looking <i>forward</i> to making a Linux box out of my parents old computer. That'll be the next step for me, but we'll see what *nix can do for me while i'm still chained to all this damn Windows only software.
So shed your trust of anything Microsoft. Come to the light. Rebuild anew. Your brothers and sisters are waiting for you. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
ya they first thing i did when i set up my computer is got modzilla firefox and deleted explorer right off my computer.
I'm proud to say that I weaned myself from internet porn about two years ago, and strangely enough I've quite literally been spyware free for the same amount of time. Considering the 'sex' content on the internet makes up for about 90% of websites (or maybe its traffic... its been a while since I cared to look at the actual stat) it would stand to reason that the largest chunk of spyware/adware would reside on such sites.
As for browsers... I generally use FireFox nowadays (1.0 got released today ... yay!) but I still keep a shortcut to IE for occasional use on sites that use plugins that are unfortunately IE specific and simply don't work with any other browsers i'm aware of. My company uses some of these plugins on their intranet site too, despite any cries for browser diversity that my colleages and I have been letting out for the past year or so.
Also... never run your Malware detector only once at any given time. A very sophisticated class of malware has risen from the depths in the past 3 years or so that are clever enough to respawn after the detector frags them hardcore. I usually run each tool about 3 times in a row in order to find the apps that are persistent little buggers... then use Google to find removal instructions (usually involve going into safemode and editing the registry). Sadly, this class of malware is literally impossible for any detector software to automagically get rid of because of both liability/legality constraints and Windows system protection schemas (incredibly difficult to code around for general purpose stuff like remedying x malware).
Malware detectors are much like condoms. Since malware removal can be such a pain in the arse to deal with, and can sometimes still not be effective, it stands to reason that you attack the problem at the root. Which brings me back to my first point. Just like abstinence from sex is the best method to avoid pregnancy and STDs, so is abstinence from sex the best method to avoid getting your computer pumped up with virii and ITDs (Internet Transmitted Diseases).