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Author Topic: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?  (Read 2210 times)

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Offline Ħ

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Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« on: March 09, 2012, 10:58:56 PM »
So I accidentally clicked one of those advertisements that looks like a Download button and I downloaded a bunch of junk. I went through my programs today and deleted anything suspicious and ran two complete scans with SuperAntiSpyware and it looks like all spyware is pretty much gone.


But I'm still seeing effects. Random advertisement banners are making their way into sites they shouldn't be (such as youtube, facebook, google, and wikipedia). Random words in text are underlined blue and are hyperlinked to advertisements. My homepage for IE is Babylon Search, which after doing some research, causes problems like these. I thought I had deleted Babylon from my programs (it's not listed there anymore) but it's apparently still active.


So what do I do? It's making the internet lag horribly and the advertisements are so annoying.
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Offline LieLowTheWantedMan

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM »
Try malwarebytes

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

If that doesn't get it, I'm not sure. System restore?
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Offline Ħ

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2012, 11:02:11 PM »
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM
System restore?
What does that do? Will that erase all my software and files and stuff?
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"All great works are prepared in the desert, including the redemption of the world. The precursors, the followers, the Master Himself, all obeyed or have to obey one and the same law. Prophets, apostles, preachers, martyrs, pioneers of knowledge, inspired artists in every art, ordinary men and the Man-God, all pay tribute to loneliness, to the life of silence, to the night." - A. G. Sertillanges

Offline LieLowTheWantedMan

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2012, 11:06:42 PM »
Quote from: Ħ on March 09, 2012, 11:02:11 PM
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM
System restore?
What does that do? Will that erase all my software and files and stuff?
The computer takes a sort of record of all of your data every now and then. A system restore puts it back to a certain date of your choice from what it has saved. You often end up losing little because it usually keeps music and stuff like that (at least the ones I have kept my stuff) but it gets rid of that harmful stuff. I don't know much about effects system restores can have, but the ones I tried went well.
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Offline TVC 15

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2012, 11:08:59 PM »
I use Malwarebytes too, but I'd also recommend Spybot Search & Destroy.  I try to run the most updated version each week on my heavily used netbook. 
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Offline theseoafs

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2012, 12:06:29 AM »
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:06:42 PM
Quote from: Ħ on March 09, 2012, 11:02:11 PM
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM
System restore?
What does that do? Will that erase all my software and files and stuff?
The computer takes a sort of record of all of your data every now and then. A system restore puts it back to a certain date of your choice from what it has saved. You often end up losing little because it usually keeps music and stuff like that (at least the ones I have kept my stuff) but it gets rid of that harmful stuff. I don't know much about effects system restores can have, but the ones I tried went well.
^This isn't wholly accurate. System restore keeps a record only of your system files, and not of regular documents (mp3's, jpg's, etc.). If you've installed any software since your computer was infected, that will be removed, but nothing else.

Try restoring your computer to a day before you got the virus; that may fix your problem. Otherwise, it seems like the only thing you can do is to keep trying scans with different anti-adware programs.
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Offline LieLowTheWantedMan

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2012, 12:08:00 AM »
Quote from: theseoafs on March 10, 2012, 12:06:29 AM
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:06:42 PM
Quote from: Ħ on March 09, 2012, 11:02:11 PM
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM
System restore?
What does that do? Will that erase all my software and files and stuff?
The computer takes a sort of record of all of your data every now and then. A system restore puts it back to a certain date of your choice from what it has saved. You often end up losing little because it usually keeps music and stuff like that (at least the ones I have kept my stuff) but it gets rid of that harmful stuff. I don't know much about effects system restores can have, but the ones I tried went well.
^This isn't wholly accurate. System restore keeps a record only of your system files, and not of regular documents (mp3's, jpg's, etc.). If you've installed any software since your computer was infected, that will be removed, but nothing else.

Try restoring your computer to a day before you got the virus; that may fix your problem. Otherwise, it seems like the only thing you can do is to keep trying scans with different anti-adware programs.
Really? My music and stuff always stayed after a restore.
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Offline theseoafs

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2012, 12:11:15 AM »
Yes, that's what I'm saying. Your music is safe. You made it seem like a system restore may get rid of some of your files, but that's impossible.
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Offline LieLowTheWantedMan

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2012, 12:19:04 AM »
Quote from: theseoafs on March 10, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
Yes, that's what I'm saying. Your music is safe. You made it seem like a system restore may get rid of some of your files, but that's impossible.
Ohh I see. I always assumed it might.
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Offline Ħ

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2012, 01:23:52 AM »
Tried a restore and nothing happened. :(
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Offline yeshaberto

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2012, 01:26:10 AM »
the only thing I can recommend is to back up all your files/music, etc and restore to original.  it is a nightmare having to reinstall all your programs, but it will completely solve the problem
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Offline MetalJunkie

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2012, 02:20:05 AM »
Look in your task manager via Ctrl+Alt+Del and see if there are any process or programs running (check both tabs) with unusual filenames. Ones that should really stand out are random strings of gibberish like KjHddef8 or something like that. Also, open up msconfig via Start > Run on XP or Start and just type "msconfig" in the search bar for Vista or 7. Once you've opened msconfig, check the startup tab for programs you don't recognize, and disable anything you might find.

Also, try BOTH malware programs listed here. Sometimes one can catch something that another might miss.
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Offline Rina

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2012, 05:43:35 AM »
Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on March 09, 2012, 11:00:53 PM
Try malwarebytes

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

If that doesn't get it, I'm not sure. System restore?


This

Free trial versions/etc are available all over the place.
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Offline AcidLameLTE

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2012, 06:33:21 AM »
>Download Spybot Search & Destroy
>Run it
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Offline Gadough

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2012, 07:16:42 AM »
Malwarebytes kicks ass. Does the job and does it well.
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2012, 07:54:36 AM »
Delete System32 folder.
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Offline Gadough

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2012, 07:55:48 AM »
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Quote from: LeeHarveyKennedy on October 22, 2010, 08:52:39 PM
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Offline theseoafs

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2012, 09:44:07 AM »
If you actually delete your system32 folder and I did nothing to correct it, I'll feel bad, so:

Don't actually delete your system32 folder.
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #18 on: March 10, 2012, 09:49:27 AM »
Quote from: theseoafs on March 10, 2012, 09:44:07 AM
If you actually delete your system32 folder and I did nothing to correct it, I'll feel bad, so:

Don't actually delete your system32 folder.
This is trolling.
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Quote from: Sigz on October 25, 2011, 10:28:13 PM
Joe and I in the same squad is basically the virtual equivalent of us plowing a rape van through an elementary school playground at recess.

Offline FlamTap

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #19 on: March 10, 2012, 10:23:12 AM »
Spybot isn't as good as it used to be. When my PC starts acting up, I run 2 programs

Combofix (download from bleepingcomputer)
Malwarebytes

Combofix is like the Chemotherapy of spyware killers. Malwarebytes gets what's leftover.
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Online El Barto

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #20 on: March 10, 2012, 12:06:52 PM »
Install a reputable AVS, malbytes and super anti-spyware, and update all of them (if it'll let you).
Boot into safe mode and run each program (one at a time).
Don't boot to regular mode until you've run each scan.
Boot into regular mode and re-run each program (one at a time).

If this doesn't clear it up, then the nest steps get to be a real PITA. 

System restore is the first thing any reputable malware maker will hack.  Worthless in these cases.
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Offline Nigerius Rex

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2012, 06:21:11 PM »
Disable system restore until you can verify the infection has been removed. A lot of malware replaces the system restore application with a modified version, or tampers with saved restore points to reintroduce the infection.

Highly recommend malwarebytes and superantispyware. You also need an actual antivirus application such as Avira Free or AVG free to prevent any malicious software from modifying system files and internet settings.

If after malwarebytes and avira or avg havent taken care of the problem in safe mode, then Download hijack this:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/hjt/files/latest/download

Save it to your desktop in a folder named hjt. Run it, then select do a system scan and save log. Paste the text file that opens up into a new post and I can take a look at it and see exactly what type of infection you have.

Or if you can backup your documents and music, you could just format and reinstall your operating system which depending on the type of infection, might be easier.
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Offline ZBomber

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #22 on: March 10, 2012, 06:22:29 PM »
God is punishing you for looking at porn.
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Offline TheVoxyn

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #23 on: March 10, 2012, 06:26:45 PM »
Can anyone explain to me why windows even has the system32 folder? I thought it was important but it turned out it only slows your computer down. Ever since I got rid of it, everything is running way faster...
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #24 on: March 10, 2012, 06:27:32 PM »
Quote from: TheVoxyn on March 10, 2012, 06:26:45 PM
Can anyone explain to me why windows even has the system32 folder? I thought it was important but it turned out it only slows your computer down. Ever since I got rid of it, everything is running way faster...
EXACTLY! This is what I was getting at in my first post on this thread!
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Quote from: Sigz on October 25, 2011, 10:28:13 PM
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2012, 10:07:21 PM »
Quote from: TheVoxyn on March 10, 2012, 06:26:45 PM
Can anyone explain to me why windows even has the system32 folder? I thought it was important but it turned out it only slows your computer down. Ever since I got rid of it, everything is running way faster...

It's actually a leftover from the early versions of Windows, and is completely redundant these days (hence the fact there's a "system" folder instead now). It was only needed for early DOS backwards compatibility, but it's useless for any Windows software, and it hogs up system resources, so that's why it sped up your system. I always do the same thing. :tup
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Offline Ħ

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Re: Help clearing a weird spyware/adware thing on my laptop?
« Reply #26 on: March 10, 2012, 10:20:39 PM »
Okay I downloaded Malwarebytes which didn't detect anything. I removed the Babylon toolbar from IE's options. I downloaded Adblock Plus which got rid of the banners on youtube, facebook, and wikipedia, and it also got rid of the hyperlinked advertisements.

But I'm still getting the automated search completion by Babylon, even though I thought I disabled and uninstalled it...
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