Some help with my ad-aware findings...

[lifted]

Hey all, I use ad-aware to rid my laptop of any spyware, etc. that it may pick-up while surfing...and I still have dial-up.

So I updated it and ran it..first time I've ran it for probably like 2 months or so. Well, it finds all these registry files/keys/folders and had this one thing that was considered "medium" danger, and that it referrs to a blacklisted site. Also said possible hijack attempt, etc. etc..

So I deleted it all and everything...and I also deleted all my temp folders/history, etc...just to clean up a bit. I also use Mozilla Firefox for my browser...but I still went ahead and cleaned up my things for Internet Explorer as well...and in the internet options windows, I noticed that for some reason that for my home page options, it had MSN.com for it...but I remembered using the about blank thing for it....so I switched it back to the about-blank, and for the hell of it, I ran ad-aware again...and it found that same "medium" danger file and referred to the blacklisted site again, blah, blah, blah...I then went back to my IE home page settings and again it was switched back to MSN.com....why is ad-aware labeling this as a black-listed site and causing it to notice it as a "registry file????"

Any help here would be greatl apprec, thx.

[lifted]

Oh, and one more thing, what is the best way to clean my lap-tops screen? It's and IBM thinkpad...and it has one of those softer/delicate types....??

[EEmain]

Did you hit the apply button after hitting use blank?

I use a mix of half spring water and half isopropyl to clean my laptop and the LCD`s
and even my Plasma TV... and a used dryer sheet for a cloth...

[lifted]

Did you hit the apply button after hitting use blank?

I use a mix of half spring water and half isopropyl to clean my laptop and the LCD`s
and even my Plasma TV... and a used dryer sheet for a cloth...

Yeah, hit the apply button. Then I went and ran ad-aware again and then it finds that registry file...I delete those registry files...then go back and check my home page options and it's back to MSN.com...this is leading me to believe that when I delete that registry file, its' deleting the about blank home page...yet I have no idea why..??

Thx for the tip on the screen bro, I'll give that a shot...any more ideas on the about balnk thing though??

[lifted]

Just checked again, and the actual name of the registry file is ended with "about-blank"...I guess since this is windows' way of redirecting the start page, ad-aware basically thinks it is a registry/hijack problem...

[Siznoyton]

Ad-Aware and Spybot-Search and Destroy are not very happy about Microsoft's data mining and personal data transmission policies.

For instance, Windows Media Player is considered a "medium" threat by some software, since it reports your usage patterns back to Microsoft, and likely doesn't encrypt this transmission across the internet.

If your homepage IS indeed automatically going back to MSN without you doing it...hmmm...what kind of computer and ISP do you use? I know a lot of software now is viral--for one example, AOL "infects" your computer by changing all of your preferences and such. One guess could be if you got a big rebate or something for signing up for MSN service for a year, it might require (force) you to use MSN as your homepage. Or you might be using an MSN service that requires this.

Unless you detect some sort of suspicious activity, you should be okay. Plus, you have dial-up, and the chances of a hacker using your box as a proxy IP or whatnot are VERY unlikely, due to your limited bandwidth.

I would do this, though, since I am paranoid:

1. Do a "port scan" There are many free sites online that will do this. This lets you know how many doors are open to the public. Following this, close the open ports.
2. Install a firewall that allows you to monitor traffic and running processes...then you can easily see what is going where, and who is requesting it.
3. D/L, install, and run Spybot Search and Destroy. Its a free program, and this plus Ad-Aware and you're all set.
4. If you visit porn, MP3, bit torrent, or password sites, it is a VERY good idea to get an IP cloaking program and an advanced pop-up blocker, and a registry mod shield.

But...you probably don't need to do these things

[EEmain]

Set is as an exception if you want to keep "blank" as your HP...

here is a one stop program to disable most of MS`s data mining garbage

http://xp-antispy.org/component/opti...page/Itemid,1/

[lifted]

Ad-Aware and Spybot-Search and Destroy are not very happy about Microsoft's data mining and personal data transmission policies.

For instance, Windows Media Player is considered a "medium" threat by some software, since it reports your usage patterns back to Microsoft, and likely doesn't encrypt this transmission across the internet.

If your homepage IS indeed automatically going back to MSN without you doing it...hmmm...what kind of computer and ISP do you use? I know a lot of software now is viral--for one example, AOL "infects" your computer by changing all of your preferences and such. One guess could be if you got a big rebate or something for signing up for MSN service for a year, it might require (force) you to use MSN as your homepage. Or you might be using an MSN service that requires this.

Unless you detect some sort of suspicious activity, you should be okay. Plus, you have dial-up, and the chances of a hacker using your box as a proxy IP or whatnot are VERY unlikely, due to your limited bandwidth.

I would do this, though, since I am paranoid:

1. Do a "port scan" There are many free sites online that will do this. This lets you know how many doors are open to the public. Following this, close the open ports.
2. Install a firewall that allows you to monitor traffic and running processes...then you can easily see what is going where, and who is requesting it.
3. D/L, install, and run Spybot Search and Destroy. Its a free program, and this plus Ad-Aware and you're all set.
4. If you visit porn, MP3, bit torrent, or password sites, it is a VERY good idea to get an IP cloaking program and an advanced pop-up blocker, and a registry mod shield.

But...you probably don't need to do these things

thx for the info siz.

MSN.com is set as my default home page.....so I can still change it.

The problem was that when it was set for blank, and I ran ad-aware and deleted files, it went back to the default home page which is MSN.com. When I run adaware with some other webpage as my home page (wether it be nfl.com, netscape, etc...the adaware doesn't detect a registry file and all is good....so this led me to believe (like siz just said) that adaware sees the about-blank as a registry file.

I will look into doing what you said with the firewalls, etc...thx

[lifted]

Set is as an exception if you want to keep "blank" as your HP...

here is a one stop program to disable most of MS`s data mining garbage

http://xp-antispy.org/component/opti...page/Itemid,1/

eemain, what exactly is data-mining? I'm pretty computer literate, so a brief explanation would do. thx

[lifted]

oh, and what site do you guys recommend to do a port scan?

[EEmain]

Just a fancy term for collecting info about your (IP Address) habits online...

[EEmain]

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

[lifted]

thx again for the help eemain...that xp-antispy thing is the ****...easy to use and very simple.

I check out my ports and that site said I only had one port open...which is good I guess...but i'm not very familiar with this...IOW's how do I go about closing ports?

[EEmain]

Is it port 113(IDENT)? The only way to go stealth is firewall...

With dialup don`t be to concerned... each time you sign on your IP changes(dynamic) vs those of us who have always on conx(static)
as was said above very few hackers will bother with a dial up conx... that is unless it is a back door into a corp. network....

[lifted]

Is it port 113(IDENT)? The only way to go stealth is firewall...

With dialup don`t be to concerned... each time you sign on your IP changes(dynamic) vs those of us who have always on conx(static)
as was said above very few hackers will bother with a dial up conx... that is unless it is a back door into a corp. network....

No, it's host port 1025 aka blackjack aka DCOM??

[EEmain]

Not sure if you read this https://www.grc.com/port_1025.htm

a firewall is the easiest way to stealth http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...=dbtopnav_zass