Another "Help Me" thread

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by all4love56, Nov 30, 2005.

  1. all4love56

    all4love56 Private E-2

    Hey to whoever stumbles upon this post. :) I'm new here at MajorGeeks and was told to join by a friend who was helping me with annoying spyware issues.

    It seems that I have 30+ Spyware tracking cookies on my computer. Yes, I did the READ & RUN ME first, and it DID get rid of the cookies. The thing is, everyday my computer has to disinfect them again. I'm guessing that these bugs are in my registry, so I'm seeking further help in how to get rid of them. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

    Attached is a recent Hijackthis log. There doesn't seem to be anything suspicious there since my computer disinfects these cookies everyday, but I thought I'd post it anyway in case I was wrong.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Your log is basically clean. Other than these MyWay associated lines that Dell forced on you.
    You can have HJT fix the below line:

    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dell4me.com/myway
    R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dell4me.com/myway
    R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.dell4me.com/myway

    If the only problems you are having are cookies, I would not worry about it. The only way not to get any cookies is not to surf or to use software options to block all cookies. If you block all cookies, you will find there are too many sites that you will not have proper access to features you want. Cookies can in many cases be quite safe and useful. Yes there are some bad ones too. Using a program like Ccleaner, you can program in which cookies you want to always keep and then dump the rest periodically.
     
  3. all4love56

    all4love56 Private E-2

    Thank you for your response :)

    And thankyou for the advice on the Log...
    I understand what you mean about the cookies, but these particular cookies are in my system on my computer. The regenerate everyday regardless if I use the Internet or not. It's not a *huge* problem, just somewhat of a nuisance if you know what I mean.
     
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    What cookies in particular?

    Are you sure you have not accessed the internet after removing them? Did you remove them while offline or online?

    Do you have a permanent connection (like cable or DSL) to the internet?

    Physically unplug your cable to the internet. Now remove the cookies and reboot while still remaining disconnected. Are the cookies back now? If not, do whatever you normally do while not connected to the internet. Are they back now? If not, now reconnect to the internet and open up your browser. Are they back now? Do some surfing, are they back now?
     
  5. all4love56

    all4love56 Private E-2

    Some cookies are tribalfusion, atlas dmt, bursnet, fastclick, realmedia, mediaplex, etc.

    I removed them while offline, and I have used the internet after removing them. (obviously since I'm talking here) But everyday when my computer turns on, they are on before I even connect to the internet. My antivirus software automatically detects and disinfecting them so they do not show up for a whole nother day until my antivirus program re-disinfects them, regardless of Internet usage. It's pretty much this: Turn on computer, antivirus software scans and gets rid of the 30+ tracking cookies, I access the internet and whatever else that day and I get no new spyware cookies. I turn the computer off...Next day, same thing.
    And yes, I did the instructions "READ & RUN ME FIRST" including doing scans on all those programs as well. Adaware disinfected the tracking cookies, but the next day they were back. They are all the same cookies, and whether the cable is unplugged or not they regenerate everyday. This is what I mean by I think there is some sort of program that regenerates them everyday.
     
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You will even get tribalfusion cookies from MG's. They are not a problem.

    Does the below file exist on your PC:
    C:\windows\system32\myDll.dll

    Yes but if you have connected to the internet the night before. They are already on your PC.

    They are already there before you shut your PC down. Your AV is not picking them up when they are arriving. It is picking them up only when it runs a scan the next time you boot. Try running the scan before you shut down and clean them at that time. Then the next time you boot they should not be there.

    If you surf, they will come back. I don't know what to tell you other than what I already said. Either disable all cookies. Set your Privacy setting in Internet Explorer to Block All Cookies but don't be surprised when you have difficulties on certain websites. Also since you are not saving cookies any place you use auto login features (like maybe here on Majorgeeks) you will now have to login manually because no cookies are saved. It is either this or don't surf. As I said before most cookies are not problems.

    If you look at any one's PC at any given moment after doing a little surfing you will find dozens of harmless cookies. All spyware removal tools like to report these. It makes them look good. For the most part they are not problems.

    Many spyware programs also report hundreds of items called MRUs. These are not problems either. They are just your computer's history tracking mechanism of things you have been doing. They are meant to be features. But some people make them out to be a big deal because you can use them to "track" what you were doing. Most people do not really care about them. But if you are worried that someone like your boss, spouse, or parent etc is checking up on you, maybe you do care.
     
  7. all4love56

    all4love56 Private E-2

    chaslang--
    I'd like to thank you for your help :)
    Since all the programs were reporting them as "spyware cookies," I assumed they were bad, but apparently, they aren't.
    I'm going to go through all the information you have given me tomorrow and if there is somethng serious I found, I will let you know.
    I figured the MRUs were fine to leave be, since they can help track history, and I didn't touch those. (Good thing)

    Well, I really truly appreciate your advice and help. Saved me some headaches! Thanks again :)
     
  8. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member


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