pop-ups

Shortly after using the forum tonight I started getting pop-ups from amch.questionmarket.com.
After the UBCBG forum, I went to eBay, which took an inordinately long time to load, and once loaded this is where I was when the pop-ups started.
So... it could have been eBay or it could have been UBCBG.
Thought you'd want to know.
Thanks, Ralph

 

Ralph,

Sounds like you've been infected with adware / spyware. I'm going to guess that you use a version of Internet Explorer...

Anyway, it is almost certainly not from either one of eBay or UBC; eBay would has no reason to consort with these sorts of scummy folks (the kind who would put software on your computer without your permission), and UBC doesn't have advertising of any kind. (note to anyone reading this: if you receive advertising pop-ups while visiting the UBC site, you are almost certainly infected with spyware / adware).

It is likely that the adware has a small latency period before it starts operating, so that it _can't_ be easily traced back to the site that originally loaded it onto your computer via Internet Explorer without your permission.

So, what to do?

Your first step is to download and run a program like Lavasoft's AdAware which is free (at least the Personal Edition). This will go through the files on your PC and detect all files that have to do with Adware and Spyware. There are other programs available; others might want to chime in on what they use. I generally run AdAware every 6 months or so, but that's because I don't use Internet Explorer; if I did use Internet Explorer, I'd run it every week.

Once you have that mess cleaned up, my suggestion is to investigate and try out some of the newer alternative browsers:

The one I currently use is Mozilla (and it is also the one used by everyone at the garden). By default, it prevents most spyware / adware from downloading itself onto your computer, plus it has built-in pop-up stoppers.

I'm starting to try out Firefox which is Mozilla's speedier, younger cousin. It is not yet in full public release, but here's what Forbes Magazine had to say about it.

Other people are happy with Opera.

Remember, you can give them a try, and if you don't like them, you can always go back to IE with a combination of bumping up IE's security and being rigorous about a weekly adware / spyware scan.

Let us know how it goes.

Daniel

 

Another good adware/spyware removal tool is 'Spybot Search and Destroy', it may be downloaded here.
Like Lavasoft's AdAware, this one is free as well and finds things AdAware doesn't.
By running both regularly, you can be assured of a 'clean machine'.

 

Hi Ralph:

When we were running Window 95 several years ago I installed
a well known anti-virus program and then configured it to run in
the background. The problem I had with the program and one
of the reasons I uninstalled it was because it was a dogfight as
to whether that program or Windows wanted control of my machine.
I want control of my computer so I deleted the anti-virus program
and have not run one since. I am not advocating people not run an
anti-virus program for their own security, I am not overly worried
about getting a virus on the four machines we have. One of the
areas of concern for a professional 2D graphics artist, cousin of
the misses, was that the same anti-virus program was enabling a
series of pop-ups for him running Windows XP and Internet
Explorer. When I configured his laptop to run the anti-virus
program in the background the pop-ups he was getting seemingly
stopped. I'll let others explain why it is that an anti-virus program
would enable internet pop-ups while browsing but it did for ghands.

At the expense of exposing myself I know eBay's coding almost
backwards and forwards. I've been copying, rewriting and saving
their auction listings for me to see offline since 1998. Generally,
when eBay is running very slow and the pages are not loading in all
the way, eBay is working on their code. A lot of the loading in
problems for them can be minimized if they would ever "fix" 3 lines
in their Javascript coding. That would enable them to work on the
run without affecting us that are browsing in their web site. I told
them about the javascript errors 4 years ago and they still remain
today. The errors are not a problem until they are working on their
code to add in enhancements or whatever. eBay did at one time, 2
years ago, allow advertising pop-ups to come about right before we
could bid on an auction. Once we typed in the amount, the next page
we saw was an advertisement right before the next page would
load in so that we could click to finalize our bid.. Enough people
(virtually all of them were sellers) in the DNF (Discuss New
Features) forum made it very clear they were not happy with
the pop-up ads and they were taken down about 2 weeks later.

Mozilla is made by pretty much the same people that made
the old Netscape Gold browser which was in my estimation
and others also the most stable internet browser we've ever
had. As long as Firefox does not offer the, useless to many
of us, Bells and Whistles that got Netscape Communicator
in trouble as well as Internet Explorer, then I may try Firefox
out some day but for now I am quite content with Mozilla.
I use Internet Explorer also as one of our online E-Mail
clients can only be accessed through a web site viewed in
Internet Explorer but I have cookies disabled and running a
firewall for protection.

To minimize your pop-ups you will have to glean out your
cookies file and clear the history as well as memory cache
if you are running Netscape. You will want to clear out any
and all files in your Windows\temp directory which will be
no fun at all if your are running Windows XP. If you are
running Windows XP and you know how to see the files
on your hard drive through Windows Explorer then do not
delete the Windows\temp sub directories, just the files
in the Windows\temp directory only. Windows XP stores
a host of files needed for auxiliary programs in the Windows\
temp sub directories.

The adware suggestion was right on the mark. Let a Utility
find the culprit and disable it if you have not done it already.
Adware-Spybot Utilities can be quite misleading in that they
can show you what that program feels is an urgent file or
program worth of files to delete but many times the files
mentioned are not a concern. The professional Spybot
programs may have some added features other than the
Freeware or the Shareware programs have but be careful
when running them as you may just delete out a file or two
needed for another program, especially true running Windows
XP as opposed to Windows 98. Many times we can glean
out the unwanted stuff on our own and through regedit.exe
but if you do not know what you are doing or know what you
are seeing then stay out of there. It is in your registry that
you will have to delete out the "keys" for the pop-up ads if
conventional means have not already done it. The Spybot
and Adware programs will clean up your registry but may
not delete out all of the program files or bot files on your
hard drive. If you have access to free technical support
you may want to ask them what you should do but I do not
think you need to go there yet. Most pop-up ads can be dealt
with in the manner prescribed by Daniel and Chris. Me, I go
to the file sources and attack from within but for you get a
recognized adware-spybot program first and then later
download and install Mozilla and be sure to make it your
default browser.

Good luck,

Jim

 

Thanks again; trying most of the above

After deleting 119 assorted things discovered by the Lavasoft program I haven't seen any more pop-ups. Using Mozilla right now and finding it seems a bit slower but maybe that's just me being unfamiliar.

 

Thought I would point out this article:

Time to Dump IE? from Redmond Magazine (billed as The Independent Voice of the Microsoft IT Community).