Re: Question: pop-up blocker

From: Shenan Stanley (news_helper_at_hushmail.com)
Date: 03/19/04 

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 23:03:49 -0600

Question 3 18 04 wrote:
> I recently started having pop-ups like crazy!!! I never
> had them before and all of a sudden, whenever I went to
> the internet, and even on websites I KNEW never gave me
> pop-ups, I would get pop-ups advertising everything from
> lobster to Viagra. I knew something was up, so I then got
> one of those spyware removal/detection things and bam, 33
> files found! But everything is okay now!
>
> I said to myself, "Hmm, didn't know I had all those nasty
> malware files/programs on my computer UNTIL I started
> getting those annoying pop-ups!"
>
> Then I said to myself, "If I had one of those free pop-up
> blockers, I would NEVER have known that I had the malware
> on my computer in the first place!!!"
>
> So, I want to hear your opinion: why get the pop-up
> blocker when it was the pop-ups themselves that alerted me
> to a problem? I feel apprehensive to get one of the free
> pop-up blockers now because of this reason alone. Sure, I
> don't get pop-ups anymore (except rare occasions, like
> when going to ESPN.com), but getting a pop-up blocker
> would be nice for the rare occasions that I DO get a pop-
> up. But then I start to think that maybe it's a good thing
> to see pop-ups.
>
> Maybe you guys will be like, "Well, you will continue to
> scan your computer often for more malware anyway, so you
> don't need to get pop-ups anymore to tell you something is
> wrong."
>
> Anyway, what's the opinion out there, and if you do
> recommend a good, solid FREE pop-up blocker, which one
> would you recommend based on solid history, reputation,
> etc.?
>
> Sorry if this ended up too long!!! :p

You don't get a "cost" pop up blocker..

Do all of this:

Turn on that firewall...
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp
(It has been reported that it now works with AOL 9.0+)

Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Scan for updates, Review and Install)

Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware..
(Yes - using MORE than one of these..
I recommend at least the first three. Also..
UPDATE the definitions for them before using.)

 Spybot Search and Destroy
 http://www.safer-networking.net/

 Lavasoft AdAware
 http://www.lavasoft.de

 CWSShredder
 http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

 Hijack This!
 http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/

 I also like "The Cleaner" and "SpywareBlaster" and "SpywareGuard".
  - http://www.moosoft.com/
  - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/

The first is a PAY product, but useable for 30 days - it has found and
eliminated problems in the past the others did not. The latter two are
prevention mechanisms. I like SpywareGuard for those with enough processor
to have something running like antivirus software - and it prevents browser
hijacking quite well.

 And Assortment of Others:
 http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html

After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antivirus
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have no
antivirus software - get one NOW! Grisoft AntiVirus:
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80 to 120MB (seems to be an optimal size for the normal user)
 - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
 - Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
 - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section,
   do the following:
  - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
  - Click on "Settings" and change the
    "Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 80MB
    and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
  - Click OK.
  - Click on "Delete Files" and select to
    "Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and click
    OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes or
    more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer
- Re-open Internet Explorer.

Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have something
installed but never use it, uninstall it.) If you go through Control
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is to
your advantage to remove it.

Also, if you are tired of Web Page Pop-Ups/Unders.. You could try the
Google Toolbar. 

-- 
<- Shenan ->
--

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