The computer is putting links in your mouths!

[Laodice Laos]

So for some reason everytime I read a thread now, random words (like 'it', 'master', 'one') are highlited as if linked. Which they are, but to stupid websites and obscure search engines which have absolutely no relevance to the word from which they are attatched to.

At first I thought it was just the cool new in thing to do, but now it's just annoying. How does one fix this? :huh

EDIT: ARGH! EVEN MY OWN POST HAS LINKS IN IT! :verymad

[Hartus Kenobi]

Dunno. What type of browser are you using? I saw a Firefox add-on that would do something like that, but otherwise I'm not sure.

[Laodice Laos]

Well Firefox did update I noticed, but it's also decided to be a jerk and not work so I'm using IE right now. Both have these stupid darn links.

[Morgan Evanar]

Sounds like spyware. Run AdAware and/or Spybot Search and Destroy.

You might also want to try http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/ K-meleon, as its far lighter than Firefox.

[Laodice Laos]

There are 1700 infected files!!! :eek

How the hell is that possible? Holy crap.

[Cat X]

It's called spyware, that's how it's possible. It gets on your computer and invites its mates. I've seen far, far far worse, if that's any comfort.

You wont just need to run Adaware however - you will also need to download SmitFraudFix because have been got with that as well I am willing to bet. LSPfix would be required too.

Alternate browsers wont fix it as you have a http hijacker.

Now, you also should download Hijackthis and run it, post the text file it comes up with. We can point out what needs to be ditched and how to do it from there, because I am certain Adaware or Spybot will not clean what you have totally.

[Yog]

Use Opera, it does everything Firefox does and more, and it works well out of the box without special configuration /scripts.

In addition to AdAware and Spybot S&D, try Spysweeper and Ewido.

[Cat X]

Use Opera, it does everything Firefox does and more, and it works well out of the box without special configuration /scripts.

In addition to AdAware and Spybot S&D, try Spysweeper and Ewido.

Never liked Spysweeper myself and Ewido is now called AVG Antispyware. Also, AVG makes a really good rootkit killer. Now, there s a Russion root kit killer that's also top notch, I can never remember the name of it myself, but I use it to great effect.

Of course the real solution is http://www.apple.com or http://www.ubuntu.com. We're about to switch the network in the office to Ubuntu with our commerical webmail and websites / firewall. Altho to be fair, I've gotten Vista hacked enough so it's not a) annoying with UAC requests (That was so awesome when I found out how to turn them off permantly), changed Vsita's behaviour to suit what I liked and turned off a load of crap. Vista is still rubbish, but now it's tolerable garbage.

[Yog]

Altho to be fair, I've gotten Vista hacked enough so it's not a) annoying with UAC requests (That was so awesome when I found out how to turn them off permantly), changed Vsita's behaviour to suit what I liked and turned off a load of crap. Vista is still rubbish, but now it's tolerable garbage.

I hated Vista the first day or so, but I love it now. It takes some time to get used to, but it can run well if set up properly. Personally though, I went from hating UAC to liking it, because they do add an extra layer of security. Most viruses, trojans etc do not even work on Vista. And then there are some useful functions like system backup and shadow copy.

If I could only find some decent Vista compatible firewall replacing the crappy windows defender, I would be very happy security wise.

[Morgan Evanar]

Why would you even bother with a software firewall anyway?

Vista has a lot of driver problems still that aren't resolved regarding the audio architecture that cause random blue screens. Mind you, this lies at the feet of the vendors, but happens across several different sound cards.

[Yog]

Why would you even bother with a software firewall anyway?


Hardware firewalls tend to be expensive, and over the top for my personal needs. I also have a NAT router set up with port filtering anyhow. What I need is not a hardware firewall, but a GUI which gives me convenient control and monitoring of all my Internet traffic.

The reason, I want a software firewall, is because the one in windows is quite frankly utterly crap. You might not know it, but it leaks packets as heck, and it offers very little control over what goes from and to the computer. I used Sygate's Professional firewall for a couple years now, and it was like one of my most dearly beloved "must have" applications. It gave me 100% control of the data, with detailed logging. If something is submitted from your machine, you will know about it.

Unfortunately, Sygate sold their Firewall to Norton (Symantec), and it won't get updated any more, so it will never work on Vista. I have tried about every firewall product on the market, and it was without a doubt the best (despite what you may have heard, Zone Alarm also leaks data and is way too bloated). I hear Kerio is a pretty good FW, so I am kinda waiting for that to be released in a Vista compatible version.

[Morgan Evanar]

Zone Alarm has been crap for years.

But seriously, just set up a $100 box running one of the many tuned BSD or Linux distros aimed at being a firewall.

[Cat X]

Zone Alarm has been crap for years.

But seriously, just set up a $100 box running one of the many tuned BSD or Linux distros aimed at being a firewall.

What he said. Windows based software firewalls just do not work and cant work because there is a user working on them, with requirements that are detrimental to the proper security a firewall must have. A Firewall must be a dedicated device. Hardware firewalls are small enough now that you can carry one easily, which I'm beginning to do.

The real solution is good user discipline. My laptop has no antivirus, no antispyware, has the default firewall plus the addition of Firefox with adblock / flashbock / java turned off and that is all it needs because on that machine, my user discipline is 100%. Very simple and very, very effective.

[Hartus Kenobi]

There are 1700 infected files!!! :eek

How the hell is that possible? Holy crap.
Wow, that's going to be a pain to get rid of... Marcus is right. It'll probably take a whole team of things to get every last one.