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Hijacked internet searchs

4K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  danny325is 
#1 ·
I've got a problem with my Internet searches. Doesn't make any differance if I use Firefox, Opera, Google Crome. Every search gets hijacked. I'm using XP Pro. Iv'e ran Spybot search and Malwaresbytes with no luck.


Has any one dealt with this before?
 
#5 ·
You are infected, need more info on what you see, should be some common denominator to determine which malware it is.
Then are specific directions for each to remove it. We need to figure out which one it is to help.
So anything in your taskbar, or any info you see being offered would help to determine which bug it is.
 
#13 ·
Marty1Mc said:
Easiest method is to go back to a restore point before you got infected. Then, install a decent anti-virus on the machine once you have it back. You have a virus that is a browser re-director. They can be a royal PITA to clean.
In my repair experience, this is usually not possible since some malware and viruses make restoring back, impossible.
 
#15 ·
Not that easy. That is why there have been white papers written on how to properly remove malware.

My brother was one of them that helped to write the process stated on both malwareteks.com & majorgeeks.com, to remove malware from computers. He does this stuff professionally for emisoft, as a part of their Malware removal team.
 
#16 ·
Depends on the virus. Like I said before, re-directors tend to tie directly into the browsers. Also, many malware removal programs don't get them. But, restoring the registry removes the pointers and allows the system to boot up without the virus loading into memory and putting a reservation against the file. Then running a virus removal program can find and remove it. Like I said, I do it all the time.
 
#19 ·
It has nothing to do with my brother working in the industry, it is that I have been dealing with this stuff since before it became mainstream. That means at least going on 21 years now since computers have been getting infected by people using the Internet, and 15 years dealing with Windows based viri.

I have also dealt with the old Dos based viri, that dates over 30 years ago. So been doing this stuff for a very long time.
 
#20 ·
So, I have too. I had the original PC. So what.
I also have a degree in Computer Science, am a programmer by trade and do ethical hacking on the side. I know what I am doing around a pc and in the registry.
My last job was to recover a password protected video stream from cameras. The manager forgot the password and the place was robbed. I cracked it and the guy was caught.

OP, give it a try. Like I said, I have had it work many times.
 
#23 ·
you can clean it an make it usable agian, but it is not worth the time IMO.

I hope you backed up everything you need off that machine, if not start is Safe mode and back up what you need.

Then do a clean fresh install of windows. You will love the new feel. I am not a fan of windows 8, but if you don't have windows 7. you can get windows 8 for 39.99.
 
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