How do I get rid of this...

PiE

I downloaded a Torrent Search program from Suprnova, ran it and all of a sudden my Internet Explorer is hijacked (as you can see from the area marked red in the picture) and there's dozens of shortcuts to various dubious websites on my desktop and in my favourites.

Fine says I as I delete the culprit, I'll run Ad-Aware (with latest definitions). I've run it 7 times now and it keeps finding files. I've also ran AVG Anti-Virus (again, with latest definitions), it found nothing.

When I boot up there are two .exe's running which I'm sure shouldn't be, they change names with each boot, searching for the actual filenames reveals nothing.

The most worrying thing about it is when I launch IE, it connects to MSN and proceeds to try to log into my MS Passport account. Not that I use it much, I'd just rather not have some scum-sucking f*ck having access... as you do.

Any ideas how to get rid?

Ta...

dahamsta

They're little bastards these things, I picked one up the other day on a particular site I won't mention the name of just because I dozed off and clicked yes too early. The little fecker installed two diallers, two or three browser plugins and god knows what else. Took me a good couple of hours to clean up, and I very much doubt anyone inexperienced would be able to do it.

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, is Ad-aware totally up to date? Both the definition file AND the application (they don't update definitions for older version)? And did you try Spybot Search & Destroy?

adam

dahamsta

Just out of interest, before you kill the two executables that are running, do a search on their name to see where they're located. It'll be easier to track them down if they're put in a named directory -- for example ClearSearch sits in a directory in program Files and the two diallers I got were in a directory called, you guess it, Diallers...

adam

PiE

Aye, I had googled the exe's filenames (as well as searched my machine for them), each to no avail.

As it happens, I was able to get rid of it in the last place I'd ever expect to find it... in Add/Remove Programs (cheers Dave . It was called "Li ve Online Portal" and the best thing about it was that it required me to type a 7 digit code in to prevent scripted/automated uninstallations.

It seems spamwhores are getting quite savvy about protecting their offspring

Anyway, all sorted now, cheers anyway.

/me sighs contentedly.

vibe666

ZoneAlarm Pro, Norton Antivirus, Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D and a couple of other things to boot.

Don't leave home without them.

amen

its a good idea to turn offf System restore on WinXP if you are doing this. Leaving it on my cause all the nasty little things to reappear after reboot