Anybody else seeing this while surfing the DIS? (posible Spyware)

[WDWHound]

I am having a problem that smells like spyware, but its happening on both my work and home machines and both machings pass their spyware and virus scans. I will be happily switch from one thread to another when I suddenly get a network connnection dialog box from "MYMiles.JobFree.Com" (or something very similar) asking for my user ID and passowrd with the the comment "Changing servers, please bear with us". Of coure I click on cancel, but I am wondering where this might be coming from. It only happens when I am surfing the DIS. Anybody have an idea what might be going on?

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

try running spybot or spywareblaster

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by WhenUwishUponAstar
try running spybot or spywareblaster

I have spybot. Both my spyware and virus scans come up clean and this is on 2 different machines.

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

it sounds like a dialer to me

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Try downloading a program called CWShredder from http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Also, make sure you have Spybot updated regularly. I use Ad Aware in conjunction with Spybot, and find that both will find some things that the other will miss.

CWShredder is not a complete spyware removal tool, it's ONLY purpose is to search for variants of the CoolWebSearch browser hijacker.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by WhenUwishUponAstar
it sounds like a dialer to me

I agree.

I just ran CW shreader. System comes up clean.

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

usually when I have a pop up like that i do a google on.....

How do i get rid of (_____________) be sure to type it in exactly, then I will usually find a message board or spyware site confirming it is a dialer, hijacker etc. after that I start looking for it in the registry (because they usually give me a hint on the mb where to find it)

 

[Cruisin]

WDWHound, I had something like that pop up on my computer too but it said something about smilies and the same line about changing servers and be patient.

I am computer illiterate, so I just clicked on cancel. It has not happened again. It was in the last day or so I think that I got that message.

 

[Muffin]

WDWHound, I had something like that pop up on my computer too but it said something about smilies and the same line about changing servers and be patient.

This happened to me twice today. I just clicked cancel as well.

 

[Grog]

It's happened to me here once, and on another forum a couple of times.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by Cruisin'Kroezes
WDWHound, I had something like that pop up on my computer too but it said something about smilies and the same line about changing servers and be patient.

Hmmm, perhaps some of the posters here are using smilies from a server that is having some issues right now. If a browser contacted the server to get the smiley, and the server was in an ambiguous state, it might prompt for a log on.

 

[Cruisin]

Like I posted before I am pretty much computer illiterate.

I only use smilies that are available on this site, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not?

 

[emmagata]

Do you have any Palm PDA software loaded on your PCs?

 

[debster812]

Originally posted by WDWHound
Hmmm, perhaps some of the posters here are using smilies from a server that is having some issues right now. If a browser contacted the server to get the smiley, and the server was in an ambiguous state, it might prompt for a log on.

Hound--you may be onto something...

It happened to me twice today, but I was on oodles more threads where it did not happen. It could be something being kicked off by a certain program, pic, ticker, or smilie from other DISers...

 

[AspiringCindy]

I have problems too...so I downloaded SpySweeper! When I do a sweep, it always finds adware and speedblaster as threats. Then I delete them, and they always return. Any advice?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I know this site, used by a lot here on the DIS, is a loaded spyware site.

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by AspiringCindy
I have problems too...so I downloaded SpySweeper! When I do a sweep, it always finds adware and speedblaster as threats. Then I delete them, and they always return. Any advice?

Unfortunately, nothing but to keep running your sweeps.

I think it's almost going to get to a point that Antivirus companies are going to add 'spyware removal' tools to their antivirus software. I already run Norton once a day - it can remove the spyware right alongside of those viruses...