Worried about cws, hidewindow.a, new.net, killapp.a & killapp.b
- Thread starter Benzmum
- Start date
Original problem
Shelf life, the following is what was happening. Note that Norton Antivirus continues to be disabled frequently when I turn my computer on.
The bottom line is today I started my computer and Norton A/V was once again disabled. I'm afraid there's something lurking somewhere that's interfering with my security software.
Shelf life, the following is what was happening. Note that Norton Antivirus continues to be disabled frequently when I turn my computer on.
- first, occasionally when I started my computer I'd find a red X through my Norton A/V icon. (This only began about a month ago.) If I investigated, it told me it was enabled. But someone told me not to trust that, so I turned Norton A/V off and then on again and the red X went away.
- second, one time I got a warning that my MS Firewall was turned off. When I opened the security dialogue it said it was on. But I turned it off and then on again anyhow.
- finally I started my computer and found my desktop image had disappeared. At that point I got worried and started trying to find if I had malware on my computer
The bottom line is today I started my computer and Norton A/V was once again disabled. I'm afraid there's something lurking somewhere that's interfering with my security software.
hi Benzmum,
lets see, you have ms antispyware, SBSD, ad aware and norton AV. youve done some online scans also. i dont see any malware in the hjt log.
see if link help with norton, it only goes back to 2004:
http://symantec.atgnow.com/consumer...&atgss=null&atgkbd=null&chatsess=null&x=0&y=0
lets see, you have ms antispyware, SBSD, ad aware and norton AV. youve done some online scans also. i dont see any malware in the hjt log.
see if link help with norton, it only goes back to 2004:
http://symantec.atgnow.com/consumer...&atgss=null&atgkbd=null&chatsess=null&x=0&y=0
Symantec link
Thanks for that link, shelf life. I couldn't find that when I was looking all over Symantec's website - wonder why.
I did a formal disable and restart, and then re-enabled Norton A/V. The next thing they suggest is uninstall Norton and reinstall it. Sounds rather drastic. Think I'll wait till that red X comes back and then I'll check out the details for doing that. Don't think I'll be renewing my subscription this year. I'll go with one of those free A/V packages you told me about.
BTW, just did my weekly AdAware scan, and it found two tracking cookies: tribalfusion.com and real.com. How the heck do these guys get on my machine when I've got a prompt setup for cookies? In fact, real.com is in my "block" list. :scratch:
Thanks for that link, shelf life. I couldn't find that when I was looking all over Symantec's website - wonder why.
I did a formal disable and restart, and then re-enabled Norton A/V. The next thing they suggest is uninstall Norton and reinstall it. Sounds rather drastic. Think I'll wait till that red X comes back and then I'll check out the details for doing that. Don't think I'll be renewing my subscription this year. I'll go with one of those free A/V packages you told me about.
BTW, just did my weekly AdAware scan, and it found two tracking cookies: tribalfusion.com and real.com. How the heck do these guys get on my machine when I've got a prompt setup for cookies? In fact, real.com is in my "block" list. :scratch:
hi Benzmum,
sure you have the correct URL added to the list. as far as malware goes, cookies are pretty harmless, iam not saying i dont clean mine out because i do. in firefox you can set it to dump all cookies when you close firefox ,automatically. In IE i use cookie pal to manage cookies.
have you tried firefox as a browser? you can have both firefox and IE and use either one on your computer.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q283185
http://www.computerbasicsandbeyond.com/cookieiexplorer.html
sure you have the correct URL added to the list. as far as malware goes, cookies are pretty harmless, iam not saying i dont clean mine out because i do. in firefox you can set it to dump all cookies when you close firefox ,automatically. In IE i use cookie pal to manage cookies.
have you tried firefox as a browser? you can have both firefox and IE and use either one on your computer.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q283185
http://www.computerbasicsandbeyond.com/cookieiexplorer.html
Browser
OK, I'll consider Firefox. Meanwhile, I'm doing Jason's browser security test. Boy, that's a big job, isn't it!
Not sure what you meant by "sure you have the correct URL added to the list." Are you asking? I may have been searching symantec Canada if that's what you mean.
OK, I'll consider Firefox. Meanwhile, I'm doing Jason's browser security test. Boy, that's a big job, isn't it!
Not sure what you meant by "sure you have the correct URL added to the list." Are you asking? I may have been searching symantec Canada if that's what you mean.
hi Benzmum,
sorry i meant did you get the correct web address when you added it to IE Block list.
heres some freeware that will dump cookies for you when you run it, along with other stuff:
http://www.ccleaner.com/
or
http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup/index.html
sorry i meant did you get the correct web address when you added it to IE Block list.
heres some freeware that will dump cookies for you when you run it, along with other stuff:
http://www.ccleaner.com/
or
http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup/index.html
Tracking cookies & Jason's test
Yep, as far as I can figure the tracking cookie that showed up had the exact URL as the one I'd blocked. Oh well, I'll see if it happens again - I wonder if I allowed it temporarily at some point.
Re Javascript: Jason's tests suggest that having Javascript enabled can put your computer at risk. I turned my settings to "prompt" and then had to enable scripting about 10 times for every page I visited today (safe sites)!
Couldn't take it anymore so I enabled scripting in my IE options. What's your opinion about this, shelf life?
Yep, as far as I can figure the tracking cookie that showed up had the exact URL as the one I'd blocked. Oh well, I'll see if it happens again - I wonder if I allowed it temporarily at some point.
Re Javascript: Jason's tests suggest that having Javascript enabled can put your computer at risk. I turned my settings to "prompt" and then had to enable scripting about 10 times for every page I visited today (safe sites)!
Couldn't take it anymore so I enabled scripting in my IE options. What's your opinion about this, shelf life?
hi Benzmum,
yea some of those changes in IE can make for annoying browsing, i dont think java is much a problem as activeX is.
i reccomend this:
Change your (active x) settings in IE. With IE open go to tools, internet options, security tab. Click on the internet globe, then custom level. Set the first option "download signed active x controls" to prompt, the next two to disable.
you tried firefox yet?
yea some of those changes in IE can make for annoying browsing, i dont think java is much a problem as activeX is.
i reccomend this:
Change your (active x) settings in IE. With IE open go to tools, internet options, security tab. Click on the internet globe, then custom level. Set the first option "download signed active x controls" to prompt, the next two to disable.
you tried firefox yet?
Browser settings
My activex settings are good, thanks. Haven't had a chance to try firefox yet - trying to keep up with my work as I'm trying to get my computer in better shape. Consequently progress is somewhat slow at this end, especially since Norton A/V's been behaving the past few days, thank you God!
Will be implementing all your suggestions when time permits. Very grateful indeed for all the time you've spent with me.:bigthumb: Will report in if anything more develops.
- Linda
My activex settings are good, thanks. Haven't had a chance to try firefox yet - trying to keep up with my work as I'm trying to get my computer in better shape. Consequently progress is somewhat slow at this end, especially since Norton A/V's been behaving the past few days, thank you God!
Will be implementing all your suggestions when time permits. Very grateful indeed for all the time you've spent with me.:bigthumb: Will report in if anything more develops.
- Linda
