please help - IE keeps opening on its own to advert pages

zzzLazyDaisy

I wonder if anyone can help me with this problem please?

My sister borrowed my laptop to check her e-mails. I think she must have clicked on a dodgy link because now IE keeps opening on its own to lots of advert pages.

I immediately ran a scan on MacAfee and found 3 trojans and two other unwanted programmes and got rid of them.

I have since run Ad-aware, Spybot search and destroy, and Advanced system care (twice each). They got rid of some stuff and are now running clear - but this is still happening.

Before I take it to my local PC expert and pay to get it sorted out, I just thought I'd check to see if anyone has any ideas.

But you will need to be patient - I'm not particularly techie, and have exhausted my small reserves of knowledge!

Thanks

Daisy

Edit just to say that I use firefox, I never have IE running, so it really is just starting up randomly on its own

RussWWFC

http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/

A lot better than Internet Explorer, why not give it a go, it's free, so you have nothing to lose. Once you've used it for a while, everything will become second nature and you won't want to go back to IE

ddoris

Download and then update malwarebytes-antimalware- http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Run this and make sure to check the box to remove found items.

Browntoa

and post the log file it produces afterwards so we can advise you on any further steps required

Browntoa

if required , full intructions for malwarebytes:-

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.

• Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
• Double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
• When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
• When installation has finished, make sure you leave both of these checked:
  • Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  • Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
• Then click Finish.
• MBAM will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan. If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself. Press the OK button to close that box and continue. If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.
• On the Scanner tab:
  • Make sure the "Perform Quick Scan" option is selected.
  • Then click on the Scan button.
• If asked to select the drives to scan, leave all the drives selected and click on the Start Scan button.
• The scan will begin and "Scan in progress" will show at the top. It may take some time to complete so please be patient.
• When the scan is finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
• Click OK to close the message box and continue with the removal process.
• Back at the main Scanner screen, click on the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
• Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad.
• The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
• Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply and exit MBAM.

Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you may be asked to reboot your computer so it can proceed with the disinfection process. Regardless if prompted to restart the computer or not, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot normally (not into safe mode) will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware. MBAM may make changes to your registry as part of its disinfection routine. If you're using other security programs that detect registry changes, they may alert you after scanning with MBAM. Please permit the program to allow the changes.

marisa

RussWWFC wrote: »

http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/

A lot better than Internet Explorer, why not give it a go, it's free, so you have nothing to lose. Once you've used it for a while, everything will become second nature and you won't want to go back to IE

when you have firefox get an addon called ad-block and this will help too
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865/


I had some troubles with frefox running slow and crashing a lot so switched to google chrome

There are lots of alternative to IE out there, Opera is another, google around and find one you like.

Also i swear by spybot and lavasoft adaware, but heard lots of good things about the aforementioned malware bytes.
Get yourself a nice free AV like Avast or comodo, possible their firewall too, and watch how you no longer have lots of random annoying advert pop-ups

zzzLazyDaisy

Thanks for the replies.

I do already use Firefox - I have never used IE on this computer, so that is why it is so strange that it keeps kicking off. I'm also running MacAfee, as I get it free with O2 broadband.

While I was waiting for replies I have just dowloaded and run iobit security 360.

So far IE seems to be quiet, but I'll run the anti-malaware now and post the log.

Back in a bit!

Many thanks

Daisy

zzzLazyDaisy

Here is the log. It found and deleted a trojan. Just wondering, as that was a quick scan, is it worth doing a full scan? Thanks. Daisy x

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: 4172

Windows 6.1.7600
Internet Explorer 8.0.7600.16385

06/06/2010 18:28:44
mbam-log-2010-06-06 (18-28-44).txt

Scan type: Quick scan
Objects scanned: 133161
Time elapsed: 5 minute(s), 46 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 1

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
C:\Windows\Tasks\MSWD-1a2d42fe.job (Trojan.DNSChanger) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

marisa

Rule of thumb, if a quick scan finds something remove it then do a full scan to see if it leaked anywhere else.

If regular quick scans show nothing, you don't have to bother with full scans as often.

zzzLazyDaisy

Okay, just done a full scan. No malicious entries detected.

And the IE stuff has stopped.

Thank you both so very much!

Daisy