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Prevent spyware from installing in Windows 98

Hello all,

I have a problem with one user on our network. Her computer is contiually infested with spyware. We are currently running Windows 98 on the machine that she is using. I have booted Windows 98 in safe mode and have ran adaware and spybot repeatedly to remove spyware programs, but somehow they keep returning. In the begininning of my quest to rid her computer of spyware, I unistalled several programs (I2PP, etc). Today those came back as well! I removed them again using Adaware and Spybot and I uninstalled using Add/Remove programs. After doing this, I checked the installed programs and she does not have anything installed that uses spyware. In fact,all of the software installed on her computer is from "legitimate" software companies (Microsoft, Adobe, etc). Am I missing something here? Why does the spyware keep coming back?

Thanks,
knotty

sunray_2003

sunray_2003

One of the main reasons why they come back are due to worm or advertisements.. use these pop-up blocker

Pop-up blocker:
---------------

http://home.rochester.rr.com/artcfox/Pop-Down/

http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

http://zdnet.search.com/search?channel=56&cat=279tag=st.zd.sr.srch.zdnet&q=popup+killer

http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm

http://www.webwasher.com/client/home/index.html?lang=de_EN

http://www.adsgone.com/download.asp

Google toolbar: toolbar.google.com

Sunray

sunray_2003

Also use a good firewall like zonealarm.. Donot use p2p programs like kazaa....

Sunray

LRI41

Spyware Blaster

BootLIST 088
Date: 5/23/2003 9:59:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Prevent Spyware From Being Installed Utility

Mary Adams writes - I take good care of my Computer and don't
install any garbage or junk. But when my two teenage sons visit
for the weekend they always leave my Computer running slow and I
get errors I never had before their visits.

I then have to run Ad-Adware to get rid of all the Spy Software
they seem to install even though they never admit to installing
any Spy Software it's always there after they leave mucking up my
Computer. Is there a way to prevent them from installing Spy
Software in the first place?

*** Try the utility below, free of course:

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

*********************************************

SpywareGuard download, reviewed and rated at Spychecker.com - ...

http://www.spychecker.com/program/spywareguard.html

SpywareGuard 2.1
detect spyware programs

SpywareGuard provides a real-time protection solution against so-called spyware. It works similar to an anti-virus program, by scanning EXE and CAB files on access and alerting you if known spyware is detected. If this is the case, it initially blocks access to the file and then allows the user to select an action. SpywareGuard provides a fast scanning engine, signature-based scanning, heuristic/generic scanning, a control panel, and an online-update utility for downloading of definition updates. It does not replace your anti-virus protection, but instead detects programs that may cause privacy concerns. The list of detected programs includes AdBreak, AdultLinks/LinkZZ, Brilliant Digital, CommonName, Cytron, FreeScratchAndWin, FriendGreetings, HighTraffic, HotBar, IEDisco, iGetNet, Lop.com, MoneyTree Dialer and others.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=SpywareGuard&btnG=Google+Search

JFrederick29

You could also make the user a member of the "users" group instead of "administrators" on the local computer. Registry changes and installations will not be allowed.

joele23

When I went home over Thanksgiving my father had the same problem and I ran the normal spyware tools I use only this time a few things were undetected. Its very possible that new spywares are around that go undetected.Take a look a what is being started up. Goto start->run and type in msconfig.

Click under startup and look for anything suspicious. If something does look suspicious type the same name in at google and see what you can find. You maight have to go farther and look in the directories wheree the start up program is being run. I found 2 wierd things one was rydok or something like that that and antoher was in weird binary characters. After removing the exe's and deleting this from the start up the problem was gone.

war1

knoddydrd,
To prevent spyware from downloading into your computer, do not allow Install on Demand in the IE settings. With Internet Explorer open, go to Tools > Options > Advanced. Uncheck the two Enable Intall on Demand options.

Like some virii, some spywares are difficult to get rid of. You have to go directly into the registry and delete them. HijackThis has developed a tool to semi-automatic this process. Downlad HT from here

http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php

Run the program and you will find many entries from the registries. Most are OK. Post the log. I will find the problem for you.

elixxer

Possibly somewhere on the computer is a "self" exectuting file that reinstalls itself to the system.

I had a similar problem with a returning spy app. What I did too was run AdAware, SpyBot and Nortons AV Corp and removed the usual things but it didn't stop. If they don't find anything and it is still happening you need to get ZoneAlarm that sunray_2003 suggested. What it will do is allow you to approve an application or connection to the internet "before" it does it automatically.

After installing ZA I rebooted the computer. Immediately, after getting to the desktop, it started prompting me for approval of some applications that were trying to run. Most of which were the system starting that usually runs in the background. After about 3 minutes of this one particular app popped up for approval that I was not familiar with. If you don't recognize the app trying to run don't approve it to run and then do a search at google to find out what it is. If it is spyware do a system search of the computer(remember to include system and hidden files). It will give you the location where the problem is stored.

As long as ZA is running it will not allow any spyware to run unless you approve it.

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SunBow

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SunBow

Status?

> Title: Prevent spyware from installing in Windows

Main prevention is .... upgrade IE to plug the hole(s) being exploited.

war1

knoddydrd,
We have not heard from you? Did any comment help you solve your problem? Do you have any more questions? If an Expert help you, please accept his/her answer with an excellent or good grade.

Thanks, war1