# Computer Problem--I've Got A Virus/Malware Help needed
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 21, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323 "2007-08-21T01:17:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/1 "2007-08-21T01:17:10Z")
Well, something keeps trying to hijack my browser, & re-direct me to a “browser cleaner” site, or something like that.
But my AdAware doesn’t detect anything.
Help?
I’m running Firefox.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/2 "2007-08-21T01:27:53Z")
Download [Spybot](http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-1) and run it. It seems to catch some stuff Ad-Aware doesn’t. Plus, delete your temp files in firefox. If you haven’t already, run a virus scan. I currently use [AVG](http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10726661.html?tag=lst-0-1) because it’s free and doesn’t hog system resources. Hope it helps.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/3 "2007-08-21T01:30:50Z")
Oh, in order to delete Firefox temp files, click Tools -\> Options -\> click on the Privacy tab -\> click Clear Now in the Private data box.
Let us know if that works.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2007, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/4 "2007-08-21T12:17:03Z")
Note that you DO NOT have to be infected to get popup spammed, even if you are running decent ad-blocking software.
The traditional route is via Flash. But there is a new exploit out that uses a “feature” of Java that can do anything with browser windows it wants.
[weatherunderground.com](http://weatherunderground.com) recently was running ads from one such evil ad spamming site. I copied the sites address and added it to my host file thus:
127.0.0.1 www. errorsafe. com # EVIL popup site
If you are running a _good_ firewall program (which rules out just about everything people like to link to), you can block domains like intellitxt which exploit the Flash “feature”. (Since they setup one address/affiliate domain.)
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/5 "2007-08-21T13:40:54Z")
[QUOTE=ftg]
I copied the sites address and added it to my host file thus:
127.0.0.1 www. errorsafe. com # EVIL popup site
[/QUOTE]
On XP machines this is usually located in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
And be careful: the filename is hosts, not hosts.txt.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/6 "2007-08-22T00:41:29Z")
I just installed McAfee.
S’cool, so far.
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### Author:  [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/7 "2007-08-22T03:39:34Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor]
I just installed McAfee.
S’cool, so far.
[/QUOTE]
McAffee is one of the biggest resource hogs out there in the AV world.
[www.superantispyware.com](http://www.superantispyware.com) this thing kicks 8 flavors of ass as a cleaner
its a resource hog too but it makes Mac and Norton look like a couple keystone cops hunting for Jimmy Hoffa. I use them to clean up then pull it out.
Another fun one I found recently is called rogue remover. Only checks for like 250 common spyware issues but it is done in 30 sec.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/8 "2007-08-22T06:10:06Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix]
M
[www.superantispyware.com](http://www.superantispyware.com) this thing kicks 8 flavors of ass as a cleaner
[/QUOTE]
I just discovered this program today. I was helping an old colleague of mine clean out his computer, and he had the same problem as the OP. There was some fake anti-malware program shitting up his system. Downloaded Superantispyware. Bam! Problem gone.
Try this solution first.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/9 "2007-08-22T15:58:02Z")
Eek, eek, eek.
Just noticed the board software autoconverted that address in my earlier post to a link. Should’a used the code format.
_Do not_ click on that link. Sorry folks.
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/10 "2007-08-22T18:05:33Z")
[QUOTE=ftg]
Eek, eek, eek.
[/QUOTE]
I took a moment to report the post, asking TPTB to break the link.
I don’t know what the proper etiquette is re: reporting, but I’m posting here so they don’t get multiple requests to break the link.
FWIW, I typically run Adaware and Spybot one right after the other. Never do it in any particular order, but occasionally find things in the second run that the first didn’t catch.
Rhythm
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem-ive-got-a-virus-malware-help-needed/416323/11 "2007-08-22T22:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=ftg]
Eek, eek, eek.
Just noticed the board software autoconverted that address in my earlier post to a link. Should’a used the code format.
_Do not_ click on that link. Sorry folks.
[/QUOTE]
Link broken.
Please remember to uncheck “Automatically parse links in text” before posting in order to prevent this from happening.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator