Explorere redirection

[jsteph]

I'm sorry for posting this here, I tried the 'Browser Issues' forum and no one had any clue.

On some of our machines, we have some sort of unintentional re-direction going on. (IE 5.5).

Even with the Option: "When Searching"-->"Do not search from Address bar" checked, when an incorrect url is entered, the user is redirected to sites like 'megago.com' or some other domain name sites, or sites that bobmard us with popups, casino sites, etc.

How is this happening? Is this spyware that's hijacking these mistyped URLs? How can we prevent this? I'm quite fine seeing a 'page not found' error, rather than these other sites. Thanks,
--jsteph

 

[ChrisHirst]

Are you running your own DNS server, because this can happen if the cache gets corrupt and some ISPs (very cheap and free ones) often redirect their 404 pages to these gateway pages.

Spyware is likely, check for Gator, Bonzi Buddy, Comet Cursor, SaveNow, NewDotNet and others on the machines, These turn up in many 'useful' downloaded applications.
Use Adaware to remove (

http://www.lavasoft.de

)

other spyware removers;

http://www.spycop.com/

http://www.clearview.co.uk/pestpatrol.htm

http://www.spywarenuker.com/

more info on spyware;

http://www.pchell.com/support/spyware.shtml

Chris.


Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?

 

[jsteph]

Chris,
Thanks for replying. We don't have our own DNS, and our ISP is WideOpenWest, whom I would hope wouldn't be so cheap as to redirect to these sites, so I'm assuming it must be spyware. We have spybot installed with latest (5/17/03) definitions, but they (spybot) may not know all the possible spyware out there. I'll try some of the other spy-blockers you suggested, thanks,
--jsteph

 

[twcman]

Check your hosts file. I ran a test with the following entry in my hosts file:

216.239.33.100

http://www.yahoo.com

the ip address above is for google.com. When you add this to your hosts file, save it and type in

http://www.yahoo.com

on your web browser, you get

http://www.yahoo.com

in the address bar but the google homepage comes up.



The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked

 

[Breakerfall]

I agree with ChrisHirst, try AdAware first,
is one of the best programs out there.
Note: make sure you get the latest version,
they fixed a bug they had in the program.



Breakerfall
®º°¨¨°º can you ping me now...GOOD! º°¨¨°º®

 

[wbg34]

I would suggest spybot's search and destroy

http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10122137.html

 

[jsteph]

Thanks all,
I already have spybot, but I just downloaded ad-aware, and I'll give that a try too.

But I have the sneaking suspision that it might be my ISP (wideopenwest), who accepted money from some firm to redirect w.o.w. customers' 404 pages to their sites.
--Jim