The past few days I've been getting a popup from SO. I've also gotten a popup at another site. Before then I had never gotten a popup since I had Firefox. Has anybody else experienced this? Tomorrow I'll post a screenshot of it.

i still haven't gotten any, here or on any other site - what does it say?

post that screenshot, then run your Spybot/Ad-Aware/Antispyware to see what it finds.

SAME!!!!

i still haven't gotten any, here or on any other site - what does it say?

post that screenshot, then run your Spybot/Ad-Aware/Antispyware to see what it finds.


It is usually one of those popups saying that your computer might have spyware.

On another unrelated subject, ever since I got Spy Sweeper last September, I've always gotten tracking cookies in the results. They usually are

2o7
Atwola
servedbyadvertising
doubleclick

Are these harmless? How are these usually gotten?

Actually, SO is the only website I get a popup from, and it's the same one you get.

Me too. I get one occasionally when I come here, but because Roby gave me his list of blockable items and I imported his file into my Adblock, the popup comes blank. I did, however, catch one tonight that wasn't blocked- it came from yourfreedvds.com, so I put that on my block list.

OOOOOOOO FIREFOX IS A LIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

go back to IE, evil fool.

OOOOOOOO FIREFOX IS A LIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

go back to IE, evil fool.

http://img57.exs.cx/img57/8852/203010149541a36196c008f0cy.png

OOOOOOOO FIREFOX IS A LIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

go back to IE, evil fool.

I shall return to IE as soon as the 7.0 beta comes out. I still dislike having to use something else as it is.

It is usually one of those popups saying that your computer might have spyware. d

On another unrelated subject, ever since I got Spy Sweeper last September, I've always gotten tracking cookies in the results. They usually are

2o7
Atwola
servedbyadvertising
doubleclick

Are these harmless? How are these usually gotten?

2o7.net

Tracking cookie - shares your web surfing history with advertisers to provide relative content.

Atwola

Same as above.

Servedby.Advertising.com

Same as above.

DoubleClick

This is an industry program which uses adware and spyware cookies to further its delivery of ad content.


Sounds like you've got the default gauntlet of Adware. I'd say DoubleClick is the worst on that list. Nothing THAT malicious, though. You can get these a variety of ways, but a big distributor the for the ones you listed is Ad-supported freeware.

http://img57.exs.cx/img57/8852/203010149541a36196c008f0cy.png
umm whatev!!!

I get a pop up once in a great while, but never here.
Also, I shall never go back to IE, unless they do some serious updating to it.
The only thing that sucks is you have to use IE for Windows update.

my boyfriend downloaded firefox onto both computers and i haven't had a popup since, no matter whats ite. its great.

I'm getting "pop-ups" when the site I'm on switches to the URL of the pop up. Agh and I STILL get pop ups anyways ecspecially with this Online Casion advertisement. And my computer randomly shuts down at times it has "fatal errors". I know my computer is royally ****ed up. My parents say it's from coming to this site, and I know someone said the owner tries to keep spyware off but I don't know what else could be the cause of it. :confused:

No pop ups, check your pop up controls maybe you accidently oked popups on this site.

after a new install of firefox (on someone else's pc) i finally saw the pop-under - its actually a window, NOT a dialog box - I think that I have prevented it from coming back by changing the javascript settings:

- on the menubar at the top, go to Tools > Options click on the Web Features tab in the left pane, make sure that "Block Popups" is checked, click on the "Allowed Sites" and make sure there aren't any sites in there (unless its something you WANT popups for)

- on the SAME tab, to the right of the "Enable Javascript", click on the "Advanced" button and uncheck EVERYTHING.

- make sure the Adblock and Flashblock extensions are installed

https://update.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&version=1.0+&os=nt&id=10
https://addons.update.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&version=1.0&os=all&category=Web%20Annoyances&numpg=10&id=433

restart firefox, should be no more pop-unders...

if there are, we need to find the source page :)

- these steps seem to have stopped the pop-under from coming back, but it may even have been getting opened by the MSN Welcome page that is opened by MSN Messenger (it uses IE even though firefox is set as the default browser)

Once you have Adblock installed, you can import ad lists - hit Ctrl+Shift+P to open the preferences, go to Options, Import Filters... ah but what to import? well here's mine:

Adblock.txt (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/attachment.php?attachmentid=83889)

save the file to your Desktop (or wherever) and import the file.

it may be important to make sure you have run AdAware and Spybot AND go to your Internet Explorer properties and reset all of your Security Zone settings on the Security tab - just click on the Default Level button for each of the Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted Sites and Restricted sites zones. You change the individual settings afterwards as necessary, but have them set AT LEAST at the default level or higher. Click on the Trusted Sites then the Sites button and make sure that no nasty sites have been added in there. (by default there is NOTHING in there).

when you are blocking new ads (because there will ALWAYS be new ads) usually you just right click on the ad image and then click on Adblock Image or Adblock Iframe (choose those FIRST) on the menu, but it works better if you actually edit the link to the ad by adding asterisks (*) as wildcards, so you can block ALL of the ads from the same site

- for example if it says http://ads.somewebsite.com/banners/somedumbad123.gif change it to http://*.somewebsite.com/banners/*ad*.gif to block all the banners, etc from one site, or to block EVERYTHING from a bad site, change it to http://*.somewebsite.com/* - works great with sites like doubleclick and atwola :)

Here's the screenshot I promised.

Here's the screenshot I promised.



That's what I get

Brian - I'm still doing some research on it, but it looks like that popup is the result of a blended-threat browser hijacker/trojan. It is NOT just your everyday ad - it is something apparently much more malicious than that.

Be patient, let me see what I can find out, in the meantime try run a scan at housecall.antivirus.com and try run a HijackThis log.

I'm going to take this opportunity to add:

NEVER click on a pop-up ad - especially if it claims to be related to your computer security. The reputable players will not use this type of technique.

i think i'm the only one still using ie

I'm going to put together some general instructions for removal here, bear with me.

- turn off System Restore in WinME and WinXP
- in safemode, do a search for redirect2.txt and delete if found
- make sure you have disabled hidden files:
1. Click on My Computer to open
2. Select "Tools" from the menu on top.
3. Select "Folder Options".
4. Select the "View" tab.
5. Scroll down and Select "Show hidden files and folders".
6. Unselect "Hide extentions for known file types".
7. Unselect "Hide protected operating system files". (WinME / WinXP)
8. If you get a "warning" prompt, say yes you want to do it anyway. (WinME / WinXP)
9. Click Apply and Ok.
- delete your temporary files
- update & run AdAware in SAFEMODE
- download & run the AdAware VX2 removal plugin http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/plugins/vx2cleaner.shtml disconnect your pc from the net and run this multiple times after rebooting (this advice comes directly from Lavasoft - this thing is VERY NASTY)
- update and run Microsoft Antispyware (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)
- update and run your antivirus software - in Safemode if possible and make sure that it is setup to scan ALL files, not executables ONLY
- if these methods fail try use the uninstaller http://www.look2me.com/cgi-bin/UnInstaller

once it is out install and run SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) to prevent this crap from getting in and make sure you are using an up-to-date Firewall and Antivirus software. Use IE-SPYAD (https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD) to add a list of known badsites to your "restricted zone" and take away their ability to use scripts/cookies/browser objects. Try using some of the tips from http://bshagnasty.home.att.net/browsersettings.htm to increase your security settings.

more general help here: http://forum.grisoft.cz/freeforum/read.php?4,4346,backpage=

i'll see if I can find a simpler removal tool for the VX2 trojan - it needs a different version for each version of Windows

i think i'm the only one still using ie
this is a Trojan/hijacker - it has nothing to do with firefox OR IE.

I'm going to put together some general instructions for removal here, bear with me.

- turn off System Restore in WinME and WinXP
- in safemode, do a search for redirect2.txt and delete if found
- make sure you have disabled hidden files:
1. Click on My Computer to open
2. Select "Tools" from the menu on top.
3. Select "Folder Options".
4. Select the "View" tab.
5. Scroll down and Select "Show hidden files and folders".
6. Unselect "Hide extentions for known file types".
7. Unselect "Hide protected operating system files". (WinME / WinXP)
8. If you get a "warning" prompt, say yes you want to do it anyway. (WinME / WinXP)
9. Click Apply and Ok.
- delete your temporary files
- update & run AdAware in SAFEMODE
- download & run the AdAware VX2 removal plugin http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/plugins/vx2cleaner.shtml disconnect your pc from the net and run this multiple times after rebooting (this advice comes directly from Lavasoft - this thing is VERY NASTY)
- update and run Microsoft Antispyware (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)
- update and run your antivirus software - in Safemode if possible and make sure that it is setup to scan ALL files, not executables ONLY
- if these methods fail try use the uninstaller http://www.look2me.com/cgi-bin/UnInstaller

once it is out install and run SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) to prevent this crap from getting in and make sure you are using an up-to-date Firewall and Antivirus software. Try using some of the tips from http://bshagnasty.home.att.net/browsersettings.htm to increase your security settings.

more general help here: http://forum.grisoft.cz/freeforum/read.php?4,4346,backpage=

i'll see if I can find a simpler removal tool for the VX2 trojan - it needs a different version for each version of Windows


Yeah, I had that once in the past. Toughest malware I've EVER had to get rid of by far. Really nasty thing.

some removal tools you can try:

for Windows 9x: http://www.downloads.subratam.org/VX2Finder9x.exe

for Windows XP and 2K: http://www.downloads.subratam.org/VX2Finder.exe

both from this excellent site:

http://www.subratam.org/?page=removal

Mozilla rules! :dance: