# Google problem that I can't google and my malware and virus trackers aren't getting **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477 "2010-06-16T22:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/1 "2010-06-16T22:22:47Z")
Everytime I search on Google, when the links come up, every one redirects to online.adwordssecuregroup. Malarebytes and AVG Free don’t find any thing wrong. I can’t use Google at this point. HELP! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/2 "2010-06-16T22:28:24Z")
What is your operating system? Does this happen with every web browser? Have you seen the [How to protect and clean your computer from malware](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=538187) sticky thread in this forum? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/3 "2010-06-16T22:42:10Z")
Do you use a router? If so, this just might be a case of [drive-by pharming](http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/012208-drive-by-pharming.html). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/4 "2010-06-16T22:45:43Z")
Does the problem happen on other search engines, or only Google? ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/5 "2010-06-17T10:27:53Z")
Windows XP, I only use IE Explorer and it only happens on Google. I’m pretty religious about keeping AVG and Malwarebytes up to date. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/6 "2010-06-17T10:30:22Z")
Spoke too soon, it does the same thing to Yahoo. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/7 "2010-06-17T11:23:35Z")
You can try Super Anti-Spyware > **[Remove Malware & Spyware with Anti-Malware Software | SUPERAntiSpyware](https://www.superantispyware.com/)** > > SUPERAntiSpyware protects you against malware, ransomware, and spyware. Get started today with free trial and remove Spyware, Rootkits, Spyware, Adware, Worms, Viruses! ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/8 "2010-06-17T14:27:01Z")
If you could Google, you would find this link on [Computing.net](http://www.computing.net/answers/security/google-redirect-virus/23426.html) to someone who had the same problem. It looks like they eventually solved it using Malwarebytes in safe mode. I recently had one for an Antivirus malware that I downloaded in the background of a webpage. I was looking for information on Ankara, Turkey when it hit. It was a huge pain to eliminate. ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/9 "2010-06-17T18:26:33Z")
Sounds very much like it’s malware/spyware/virus. I had something similar. The forums at [http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/](http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/) may be able to help. They’re patrolled by trained volunteers and will be able to help restore your Windows system if you’re unable to make any headway yourself. However, they are typically very overwhelmed and may take a day or two just to respond to any thread you may start, and it took me about a week working with them before everything was back to normal. If you’re in a hurry and can deal with the reinstalling and hassle, it may be quicker and cleaner to just reinstall Windows from scratch. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/10 "2010-06-17T18:54:24Z")
It might be a DNS hijack. Go to the following folder: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and open the file ‘hosts’ using notepad, you may need to enable hidden files to see it. If you have trouble try entering ‘notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts’ as a run command. In this file after all the hashed (#) out text should be a single line: 127.0.0.1 localhost If you have other entries then post them here so can confirm if they are suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-problem-that-i-cant-google-and-my-malware-and-virus-trackers-arent-getting/543477/11 "2010-06-18T13:09:58Z")
Thanks all, this is a real pain. **mittu** , here is a sample of some of the stuff after local host. It goes on for days. # Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy 127.0.0.1 [www.007guard.com](http://www.007guard.com) 127.0.0.1 [007guard.com](http://007guard.com) 127.0.0.1 [008i.com](http://008i.com) 127.0.0.1 [www.008k.com](http://www.008k.com) 127.0.0.1 [008k.com](http://008k.com) 127.0.0.1 [www.00hq.com](http://www.00hq.com) 127.0.0.1 [00hq.com](http://00hq.com) 127.0.0.1 [010402.com](http://010402.com) 127.0.0.1 [www.032439.com](http://www.032439.com) 127.0.0.1 [032439.com](http://032439.com) 127.0.0.1 [www.0scan.com](http://www.0scan.com) 127.0.0.1 [0scan.com](http://0scan.com)