Cant stop Internet Explorer 8 from opening with adverts

I cant stop Internet Explorer 8 opening websites with advertising, even when the program is not running, it opens and advertising pages come on the screen.

I have run a full avast scan and it found nothing. I have deleted Internet Explorer and then re-installed it. I have set block pop up to high (so blocks all). After all this I still have the problem

It seems like some kind of hidden advertising software has made it into my computer and avast can find it and get rid of it.

Can some one please help me?

try malwarebytes, http://www.malwarebytes.org/

install,update,scan

check IE8 add-ons and plugins

use a diffrent webbrowser like opera,chrome,firefox

That won’t fix abratt’s problem with IE8.

abratt I also recommend MalwareBytes.
Download and install it then check for updates then run a Quick scan and have it remove whatever it finds and post its log here if you like.

Hi abratt,

This sounds like a virus to me. It won’t hurt to try running another scan. You can also adjust your firewall settings - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Understanding-Windows-Firewall-settings

Once your computer is virus-free, you can reset Internet settings to default by Opening IE > Clicking Tools > Choosing Internet Options > Clicking the Advanced Tab > and then choosing Reset. This will allow you to start with a clean Internet Explorer. If IE is still acting you, I’d recommend uninstalling and resinstalling.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,
Cassandra
IE Outreach Team

Hi there two programmes for you to run

Please download MBRCheck.exe to your desktop.

[]Be sure to disable your security programs
[
]Double click on the file to run it (Vista and Windows 7 users will have to confirm the UAC prompt)
[*]A window similar to this should open on your desktop:

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv132/RPMcMurphy_album_photos/mbrcheck.png

[*]If you are prompted with options, enter N at the prompt and press [i]Enter[/i]
[*]Press [i]Enter[/i] again
[*]A .txt file named MBRCheck_mm.dd.yy_hh.mm.ss should appear on your deskop. Please post the contents of that file.

THEN

http://www.geekstogo.com/misc/guide_icons/OTLI.gif
OTL - Download or alternative link here and here to your desktop

[*]Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
[*]Select All Users
[*]Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
%SYSTEMDRIVE%*.*
%systemroot%\Fonts*.com
%systemroot%\Fonts*.dll
%systemroot%\Fonts*.ini
%systemroot%\Fonts*.ini2
%systemroot%\Fonts*.exe
%systemroot%\system32\spool\prtprocs\w32x86*.*
%systemroot%\REPAIR*.bak1
%systemroot%\REPAIR*.ini
%systemroot%\system32*.jpg
%systemroot%*.jpg
%systemroot%*.png
%systemroot%*.scr
%systemroot%*._sy
%APPDATA%\Adobe\Update*.*
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Favorites*.*
%APPDATA%\Microsoft*.*
%PROGRAMFILES%*.*
%APPDATA%\Update*.*
%systemroot%*. /mp /s
CREATERESTOREPOINT
%systemroot%\System32\config*.sav
%PROGRAMFILES%\bak. /s
%systemroot%\system32\bak. /s
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu*.lnk /x
%systemroot%\system32\config\systemprofile*.dat /x
%systemroot%*.config
%systemroot%\system32*.db
/md5start
explorer.exe
winlogon.exe
/md5stop
%PROGRAMFILES%\Internet Explorer*.dat
%systemroot%\AppPatch\Custom*.*
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch*.lnk /x
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop*.exe
%PROGRAMFILES%\Common Files*.*
%systemroot%*.src
%systemroot%\install*.*
%systemroot%\system32\DLL*.*
%systemroot%\system32\HelpFiles*.*
%systemroot%\system32\rundll*.*
%PROGRAMFILES%\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe /md5
%PROGRAMFILES%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe /md5
%systemroot%\winn32*.*
%systemroot%\Java*.*
%systemroot%\system32\test*.*
%systemroot%\system32\Rundll32*.*
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update\Results\Install|LastSuccessTime /rs

[*]Click the Quick Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.

[*]When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
[*]Please attach both logs

Thanks everyone for your tips to help me sort out my problem. I downloaded and used malwarebytes it found 12 things to be removed from my computer. After they were removed the problem was gone.

Leaves me wondering though, why didn’t avast find and stop or find and get rid of these files in the first place. I pay for my annual subscription to avast and it seems like it is not good enough.

Unfortunately malware changes so fast it is hard to keep track of it all

+1 ::slight_smile: