Hijacked - Nobody died just lots of time lost

**Lowell** · March-02-14, 01:31 PM

One day I have Firefox open. I rarely use it, but occasionally need to make sure a web page I am working on looks okay in it.

I click open a new tab. I had set new tabs to open as a blank pages. Instead it opens to AVG’s home search page. WTF?

I click another tab, same thing. A search from there goes to Yahoo’s search engine, not to my defined search engine, Google.

I go in my settings and make sure new tab is set to blank page, find a URL to avg.com there, remove it, try again and AVG search still appears.

I check into the browser extensions to delete it there; there is no extension for AVG installed.

I go to Manage Search Engines in the settings. No AVG listed there.

I go to Window > Control Panel > Programs to see if I can find it and install it. Nobody home. I run Revo installer and IObit uninstaller to double check. Nothing found.

Terrified I check to see if it hijacked my other browsers, Chrome, IE and Safari. Luckily it hadn't - unless it is hiding away with some zombie-bot trigger set to go off later.

I go online only to hear a cacophony of “How do I get rid of AVG” with a confusion of solutions that work for some but not others. I try some without luck.

Reluctantly it’s off for a search and destroy mission into the labyrinth of Windows Registry. Surprisingly they named their keys using AVG and I found a few by search and wiped them. But if they other keys with no avg…

Restart, open Firefox, click open a new tab, get a blank page. Woo hoo!

Open Firefox again later in the day and it Ba-a-a-a-a-ck!

These bad guys are too good for me. After frustrating hours, I give up, uninstall Firefox and wipe all traces of it.

I’ll try a new re-install in a week. Maybe.

I have dealt with hijackers before so I am ultra safe when I install anything, particularly looking for add-on offerings, run anti-virus scans, etc. So I have no idea how this slipped through and can only imagine how many anguished cursing hours have been lost as a result.

AVG was using Google Search as its target until Google announced a new policy that would have severely limited hijackers like AVG, So they fled to Yahoo. This article details the unholy alliance.

Google Is Offloading Its Most Disliked Partners Onto Yahoo

"There oughta be a law"

**Bigb23** · March-02-14, 02:39 PM

I just HOT [[fuck android), HOT my laptop done yesterday, and made the remark that all hackers should be shot. I meant to say with a paint ball gun point blank.
These guys operate from a basement in a country that can't be touched. Add kidnapping, drugs, and prostitution, and these guys laugh at us.

10,000 hits a day against our infrastructure, from China,
Okay, maybe the paintball ideal

Was wrong, a 9mm would be better, Andrei

**Bigb23** · March-02-14, 02:52 PM

All thoughts mismanaged by Android, so there Google. [[Ice Cream sandwhich).

**Jimaz** · March-02-14, 06:39 PM

Thanks for the warning, Lowell.

Someone thought they were doing me a favor by preinstalling AVG on a laptop gifted to me. The first thing I did was remove it. Now I'm glad I did.

**Bigb23** · March-03-14, 05:50 AM

Now that I have a clean laptop, what is the best anti virus program free or not?
Hackers seem to bypass three or four anti virus programs with little problem.
And why can't the NSA use just a small part of it's budget to attack the hackers?

**Detroitrobert** · March-03-14, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bigb23

Now that I have a clean laptop, what is the best anti virus program free or not?

For you, there is no best anti-virus. You could have the most secure program in the world and you'd still be coming back here next week complaining about all the malware you've contracted. And then you'll blame it on someone else like Microsoft, AVG, Hackers, the Illuminati, etc. You could find a way to infect a computer that's not even connected to the internet. So when you solicit computer advice on here, it doesn't matter what anyone suggests, you're just going to ignore it anyway so why bother asking?

For the record, I've used AVG Free for about 13 years and have never once had a virus get through. Maybe I'm not going to sites as sketchy as the ones BigB obviously goes to but AVG has caught every incoming virus. Combine that with Spybot S&D with Teatimer and I surf the web with confidence and a clean, malware free computer.

**Bigb23** · March-29-14, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitrobert

For you, there is no best anti-virus. You could have the most secure program in the world and you'd still be coming back here next week complaining about all the malware you've contracted. And then you'll blame it on someone else like Microsoft, AVG, Hackers, the Illuminati, etc. You could find a way to infect a computer that's not even connected to the internet. So when you solicit computer advice on here, it doesn't matter what anyone suggests, you're just going to ignore it anyway so why bother asking?

For the record, I've used AVG Free for about 13 years and have never once had a virus get through. Maybe I'm not going to sites as sketchy as the ones BigB obviously goes to but AVG has caught every incoming virus. Combine that with Spybot S&D with Teatimer and I surf the web with confidence and a clean, malware free computer.

I have let this sit way too long. First, who are you to know what my surfing habits are? Second, if I just stayed on a Disney site and maybe The National Review, I would be virus free too. But there are 196 countries in the world and I have looked into all of them.
When the local news does a twice weekly update of a new viral infection, I pay attention. And I ask for help.
I don't play video games, or do chat, but I stay on a few news sites, like this one. As for infecting an off line computer, I'll leave that to the N.S.A.

Thanks for your non help DetroitRobert.

**Bigb23** · March-29-14, 10:09 AM

"You could find a way to infect a computer that's not even connected to the internet. So when you solicit computer advice on here, it doesn't matter what anyone suggests, you're just going to ignore it anyway so why bother asking? "

I ask because this is a community. I would take the Old Guy advice over you anytime. The voice of reason.

**Bigb23** · March-29-14, 10:24 AM

For you, there is no best anti-virus. You could have the most secure program in the world and you'd still be coming back here next week complaining about all the malware you've contracted. And then you'll blame it on someone else like Microsoft, AVG, Hackers, the Illuminati, etc. You could find a way to infect a computer that's not even connected to the internet. So when you solicit computer advice on here, it doesn't matter what anyone suggests, you're just going to ignore it anyway so why bother asking?

Boy, thanks for you're help. I will not SOLICIT help here in the future because of you. I've seen the light.

**Bigb23** · March-29-14, 10:43 AM

For the record, I've used AVG Free for about 13 years and have never once had a virus get through. Maybe I'm not going to sites as sketchy as the ones BigB obviously goes to

Sketchy is the FUN part of the internut, Am I wrong?

**Jimaz** · May-20-14, 10:57 AM

More fun and games:

International Blackshades Malware Takedown

How to check your computer for a possible Blackshades infection.

**Jimaz** · June-20-14, 06:57 PM

Constant Guard from Comcast was causing my system to thrash [[spend more time managing virtual memory than doing real work, effectively stalling the whole system). TaskManager/Performance/PageFileUsage was way too high. When I uninstalled Constant Guard, the stalling and high PF Usage problems vanished.

Constant Guard is somehow related to Norton Security Suite but seems mostly related to "securely" remembering passwords for the end user. I have no need for this dubious benefit especially if it makes my system unusable.

After uninstalling Constant Guard, Norton Security Suite is still enabled.

I mention this just in case it helps anyone else.

**gazhekwe** · June-20-14, 09:53 PM

I hated Constant Guard too. Asked me if I wanted its help nearly every keystroke. Got rid of it.

**Lowell** · July-04-14, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Constant Guard from Comcast was causing my system to thrash [[spend more time managing virtual memory than doing real work, effectively stalling the whole system). TaskManager/Performance/PageFileUsage was way too high. When I uninstalled Constant Guard, the stalling and high PF Usage problems vanished.

Constant Guard is somehow related to Norton Security Suite but seems mostly related to "securely" remembering passwords for the end user. I have no need for this dubious benefit especially if it makes my system unusable.

After uninstalling Constant Guard, Norton Security Suite is still enabled.

I mention this just in case it helps anyone else.

I'm surprised a knowledgeable geek like you would ever use either of those. My guru says Microsoft's Windows Defender, which comes bundled with Windows, is sufficient. However I also use a paid copy of Malwarebytes for an extra line of defense. It seems better at detecting hijackers and scamware.

Another discipline he trained me to do is to have my main login account be as standard user with a separate admin login. That forces one to deliberately login to admin with username and password whenever an install is attempted. If your user account is admin you only need to hit enter when Windows requests permission to install. Apparently some programs have figured out how to blow past that.

Of course both Windows Defender adn Windows Updates should be set to auto to insure the latest updates and virus definitions are downloaded as soon as available. The other update to maintain is Java.

**Jimaz** · July-04-14, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I'm surprised a knowledgeable geek like you would ever use either of those....

Thanks. I caught your response only by chance.

I'm more into theory than practice so I miss the details. I did update MalwareBytes thanks to your suggestion.

Thanks for the help. We'll all benefit.

**Brich** · July-05-14, 03:48 PM

[QUOTE=Lowell;442441]I'm surprised a knowledgeable geek like you would ever use either of those. My guru says Microsoft's Windows Defender, which comes bundled with Windows, is sufficient. However I also use a paid copy of Malwarebytes for an extra line of defense. It seems better at detecting hijackers and scamware.]

Microsoft changed their tune with regard to Windows Defender/Security Essentials last September. They now recommend a third-party anti-virus:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security...virus-rankings

I was using the same setup as you [[Windows security+ paid version of Malwarebytes) until I read about Microsoft losing faith in the anti-virus abilities of their own software. I have Comcast cable, and they offer Norton Security Suite free to their customers in my region, so I installed it. The first thing Norton did was kill my Malwarebytes. ARRGG!

Anyway, sorry to butt in like that, but I thought I'd add my two cents.

**Jimaz** · July-05-14, 06:22 PM

Microsoft has admitted Windows users should install antivirus above and beyond its own Security Essentials, describing its protection as merely a "baseline" that will "always be on the bottom" of antivirus software rankings. ...

LMAO! Thanks, Brich.

Microsoft reminds me of Lily Tomlin's Ernestine the telephone operator. "We don't have to care. We're the telephone company."

**jcole** · July-05-14, 06:49 PM

You can't even use Security Essentials for Windows 8 or 8.1. If you want to use a Microsoft antivirus for that, it's Windows Defender.
The Windows Defender seen in older versions of Windows is strictly for spyware, while the newer version is all encompassing.

**Brich** · July-05-14, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

You can't even use Security Essentials for Windows 8 or 8.1. If you want to use a Microsoft antivirus for that, it's Windows Defender.
The Windows Defender seen in older versions of Windows is strictly for spyware, while the newer version is all encompassing.

jcole, thank you for explaining the difference between Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Defender. I thought that they were the same thing, but that one was for newer systems [[Windows 8), and one was for older systems [[XP). It turns out that that was the case, but I had them fli-flopped. Anyway I will edit past posts in the morning as I have alot going on. THE TAKEAWAY: Defender+ auxillary antivirus free[[paid)ware=adequate

**townonenorth** · July-26-14, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by Brich

jcole, thank you for explaining the difference between Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Defender. I thought that they were the same thing, but that one was for newer systems [[Windows 8), and one was for older systems [[XP). It turns out that that was the case, but I had them fli-flopped. Anyway I will edit past posts in the morning as I have alot going on. THE TAKEAWAY: Defender+ auxillary antivirus free[[paid)ware=adequate

]

Lately I have been using avast antivirus, and I find it quite good for a free program.

The only problem with that program is the nagware for a purchase of the program and services. Otherwise, disabling the antivirus for installs of downloads and updates is a must.