Your malware to be removed could be unwanted toolbands, toolbar icons, unwanted browser helper objects or so-called BHO’s, context menu extensions, download managers, protocol handlers, side-search-bars, start-up appl. originating from RUN registry keys.
A tool here if you know what you are doing is ToolbarCop v.3.3 at
You must know what you do manually with the registry.
Else you have to ask help from someone who knows how to go about with registry keys. Always back-up registry first.
Mind you ToolbarCop comes without manual and guarantee.
It is recommended by the big anti-spyware forums though.
Manual procedure:
Click [Start] [Run] type [REGEDIT]
navigate to the key.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt.
Each subkey of this key represents one menu item. Many will include an ampersand (&) to define the underlined key associated with the command.
Highlight the key, you want to delete,
Choose Export from the Registry Menu and export that branch to a file.
Now delete the key.
BHODemon is the quick and easy. ToolbarCop is kind of an expert tool.
For those of us that might forget the basics. Here is a good place to go to get reminded of what we need to start out doing. If you want to read something basic but informative please go HERE to read about it.
Now that I have gone over it again, I agree with you that for us here in general this is very basic stuff. But there are lots of Jacks and Jills on the net, the people that click first and think later, that lack this information bitterly. Else the malware makers would not propsper that easily, and there would not be thousands and thousands of zombie machines on the Internet, whole armies of them actualy serving third parties.
Greetz, the basics are WHERE everyone HAS to start when learning the Internet and their computer. The post I made before this one about the basics does describe to anyone reading about not clicking with their mouse on anything they see. Please read this THAT is part of the basic link that I gave in my other post. You will see that it DOES instruct anyone reading it what to do and not to do. That is why I listed it as basics as some of the folks I believe tend to forget that good surfing habits along with all of this other information help make a safe and secure experience while surfing the interent. Greetz
This topic is very interesting and full of good links, compliments guys!
If I can submit my opinion, a great unsolved problem is the tunneling. When the packets are encrypted into an encrypted communication (packet into packet!), and when the firewall softwares (like ZA) are based in filtering of the packet type and not the packed size (and viceversa for other firewalls)… well, is impossible to be in peace of mind. Persons don’t know that is possible to be infected even when the pc is off! The best way is disconnect from the phone-line the machine after the logoff. The proxies are another problem: they use the caching system to increase the speed and share the contents between hundred of users. Is this safe? There are more and more of dangers and I can understand why many persons (also experienced persons) they have a fatal day in which they say “F…k off the paranoia! Let me surf!” ;D
Very good points. Especially about tunneling. If I may I found a site where viewers can go take a look and read some more upon which you mentioned about tunneling. If anyone wants to please go HERE and read and view what it’s all about and settings that can be made.
You are addressing something very interesting here. I have heard even that it is possible for the technically apt to enter your machine on ADSL even when the computer and the monitor are off. I do not know if this is the case as the modem has a password installed, what a lot of people do not by default.
Do you have more information on this. I have read the advice that whenever you are going away for the day, you’d better unplug from the Net. Is this true?
Yes, Friend. This is the presentation of the GOOD use of the tunneling… we know how the SECURE (?) sending can be used even to send DANGEROUS contents. Every golden medal has the dark side, we says in Italy. :-\
I don’t know about AdsL modems, but I do know about MY cable modem. When I am not using my computer I have a switch on the modem that I can turn off that acts like an external firewall. No data can be transferred through the modem while this switch is activated. This helps compliment my software firewall also. I turn off the computer, activate this switch on the cable modem and go about my business. So far, so good, haven’t had any problems doing this. When talking to the cable company technicians they agree that by activating this switch I am protecting myself.
Neal, your modem is off because it is not powered by you usb or ethernet. Your pc is off but probably the circuit is in standby and not completely disconnected. The telephone lines are powered by milliamperes. This is the reason why, in case of electric black-out, the phone is available. So you can understand well. I know: is a incredible thing. Myself the same, didn’t believe it before. :o
ADDED: More in “Firewalls and Internet Security: Repelling the Wily Hackers” -Second Edition- Pearson
Publishing/Addison Wesley Professionals - 2003 - Euro 32,00
I have tried accessing the Internet with my pc turned on when the modem switch has been turned off or effectively stopping any transfer of data to/from my pc. I have forgot to turn my modem back to an active status and wonder why my monitor screen basically says “this page cannot be found offline”. So, I know that when this switch on the modem is turned off my modem will not allow anything to pass through it to or from my computer.
This being the case I really don’t have any worries about anything or anyone accessing my computer for personal information. I could disconnect the “Ethernet” cable from the back of my pc but doing the other thing with my cable modem serves the same purpose. By the way, my cable Internet does NOT use the telephone lines like DSL or ADSL. They have their separate transmission line that runs into my home and then to my cable modem. Also telephone lines over here in the area where I live have a voltage rating of about 44-48 volts on their lines. That’s why when the electricity goes off if I have a hardwired telephone I can still make phone calls.
Milliamperes are a different measure from volts. Power and Intensity. Phone line come from external power; pc (and other peripherals) are powered by the lines in your home. A classic (not wireless) telephone can be amplified and active because the power from the external line. I repeat: I had your same thing before read the book. The authors are Cheswick (firewall engineer), Bellovin (Director of Security and Engineering Task Force, member of the National Academy of Computer Science); Rubin (Associate Professor of Computer Science - John Hopkins University and Technical Director JHU Information Security Institute).
We are talking about the same thing when we talk about phone lines.
I already stated that the phone lines here have about 44-48 volts on them provided by the phone company. That is external and separate from the other electricity that my pc runs off of. I know that. I am not arguing that at all. All I am saying is that a Cable Company uses a different line for their digital/analogue/data transmissions to the customers home.
Also I am saying that when my cable modem is turned off no data, I repeat no data is transferred from or into my pc whether the pc is turned off or on because I am effectively removing the modem from being connected inline to my pc when I turn off this switch.
With the cable modem removed from the circuit the cable line itself cannot use or see data transmissions to/from my pc. It can however transmit video, audio, which it also does for the cable companies Television customers. The cable transmission line needs the cable modem connected inline to be able to do any data transfers. So, what I have said is that when I turn off this switch on the cable modem the data information is not allowed through the modem into or out of my pc.
I am not saying anything at all about telephone lines concerning my computer as I do not use telephone lines to access the internet from my home. The other thing that I have not mentioned is this: When my cable modem is off I effectively do NOT have an I.P. address or in others words my modem, pc, are invisible to anyone else on the Internet. It’s almost like this, if I were to try and make a phone call from my cell phone with it turned off the call could/would not be made. Likewise the phone when off would not be able to receive any calls. Same priniciple that I am talking about with the cable modem issue. HTH
Just one little comment.
The switch places the modem into ‘Standby mode’. Your cable co. can still pole your modem even though
the computer isn’t turned on. It’s basically the same as leaving the TV or Stereo in standby mode.
The main unit is off but a simple click on the remote wakes it back up again.
In the case of the modem, turning the switch back to the on position again allows communication once
the computer is rebooted.
My little comment. First of all the “Jack and Jill” assessment is very correct. Now that I have that said here goes.
First of all when my modem is in the standby mode that I put it into the cable company can ping my location and will not get a I.P. unless they try and reset the modem as you say via remote. Then they, can obtain my I.P. But, they cannot access my pc. They cannot undo the standby condition that I have put my modem into by using the standby switch, that’s a fact. They are unable to access any of my computer information as long as I have my modem in this standby mode.
If I take my modem out of the standby mode and then they ping my system they still will not see anything as long as I have my Z.A. Pro activated, that’s another fact. Also when I have my pc already turned on, my modem out of the standby mode I can then put the modem into standby and will not be able to access the Internet. Now, I then can take the modem out of standby and I can then access the Internet WITHOUT rebooting my pc as you state. My modem probably is one of the better ones in that it resets itself I.P. wise when I reset it without my pc having to be rebooted. Thats another fact. If you wish I can give you the toll free number of my level 2 tech support guys and they will be more than willing to verify what I have just stated after telling me that I was correct in my knowledge of how the modem works.
So, while this is a free country, a free forum, the general topic section of this forum, once again you have interjected something into one of my posts. That’s alright, I don’t mind a bit. Proves what I have said all along. But, when I know something about what I am talking about and someone comes into the conversation and more or less indicates I don’t know what I have just talked about I will certaintly respond as I have here. Good to see your paying attention to my posts as always even when outside of your “Off Topic” part of the forum. ;D
Neal
Since you’ve made it impossible for me to talk to you on a PM basis, you again force this ugly and unnecessary reply…
Why do you assume that every time some one posts anything in regard to something you’ve said, that it’s an attack?
I didn’t attack what you said only clarified what you said. No more, No less.
Stop interjecting things into my reply that aren’t there.
