popup ads on neo?!?

[djduece]

i'm not quite sure if it's my comp or not, but there seam to be quite a few popups originating from neopets... it might very well just be my computer, but i did clear the internet cookies and temp files, and i've got Adaware set to run on startup.

[Johnnydontgo]

It's just your computer... it's adware. I've got the same problem with mine, but it doesn't originate from Neopets. Try getting an adware scanner like "AdAware", or run Norton AntiVirus if you have it

[djduece]

It's just your computer... it's adware. I've got the same problem with mine, but it doesn't originate from Neopets. Try getting an adware scanner like "AdAware", or run Norton AntiVirus if you have it

ummm... if you look at my first post:

i'm not quite sure if it's my comp or not, but there seam to be quite a few popups originating from neopets... it might very well just be my computer, but i did clear the internet cookies and temp files, and i've got Adaware set to run on startup.

i run adaware every time my computer starts...

but glad to see its just my comp and not neo. feel free to lock this whenever...

[Johnnydontgo]

Oh, oops, heh.. missed that part.. I've run AdAware, too, and am still having the same problem you are. My guess is it's embedded in our computers... When I figure out how to get rid of it, I'll let you know, lol.

[Asthaloth]

try a spyware scan, just hope you have one that actually REMOVES the things *glares at spyware detector*

[Johnnydontgo]

Yeah, AdAware's good for general cookie grabbers and browser hijacks, but for embedded adware, it's pretty useless. If you can get your hands on a *coughcoughpiratedcoughcough* copy of Norton AntiVirus, it's worth it...

[shapu]

You don't have anything that AdAware will find, but you might try SpyBot:
http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10122137.html


Also, I suggest using a browser other than IE, since this is a program that installs itself using holes in MSIE's installler protections. Nobody's really bothered to do that for Mozilla yet, so you might try using it
http://www.mozilla.org

And for help configuring Mozilla, go here:
http://www.granneman.com:16080/webdev/b ... ozilla.htm

EDIT: By the way, the popups are probably from OfferOptimizer, which is a dummy corporation in Nevada...a bunch of jerks who spend their lives trying to get Click2.exe set up on every computer on the planet, it seems.

Last edited by shapu on Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Johnnydontgo]

Thanks a lot, shapu. I'm downloading SpyBot now!

[Morningstar]

I had the same problem awhile ago. It was spyware that had been embedded in my system.

Yeah, AdAware's good for general cookie grabbers and browser hijacks, but for embedded adware, it's pretty useless. If you can get your hands on a *coughcoughpiratedcoughcough* copy of Norton AntiVirus, it's worth it...

I have found the best thing to get rid of embedded adware/spyware is PestPatrol. It got rid of things that Ad-Aware missed.

Oh, and make sure it is Ad-Aware that you are using, the one that is made by LavaSoft. There is one called Ada-ware that pretends to be an anti-spyware software, but in reality puts spyware on your computer. My daughter learned that hard way!

[Johnnydontgo]

I had the same problem awhile ago. It was spyware that had been embedded in my system.

Yeah, AdAware's good for general cookie grabbers and browser hijacks, but for embedded adware, it's pretty useless. If you can get your hands on a *coughcoughpiratedcoughcough* copy of Norton AntiVirus, it's worth it...

I have found the best thing to get rid of embedded adware/spyware is PestPatrol. It got rid of things that Ad-Aware missed.

Oh, and make sure it is Ad-Aware that you are using, the one that is made by LavaSoft. There is one called Ada-ware that pretends to be an anti-spyware software, but in reality puts spyware on your computer. My daughter learned that hard way!

Yes, I have the Lavasoft AdAware... but SpyBot just found 26 things on my computer that AdAware didn't... the only downside I can find with Spybot is... I got a message that said not to delete their "Advertising Robots" or else the program might not work correctly... so it seems you might trade one set of problems for another... although I haven't had any trouble yet.

[everconfused]

I use Ad-Aware, but as kind of a backup. I really like Spybot S&D - it finds stuff, gets rid of it (which Ad-Aware doesn't, that just quarantines) and you can "immunize" your computer. And it's easy to use - even I could figure it out. McAfee is my a/v, which does have some (limited) spyware detection and lastly Stinger stand alone (trojan/virus) - free d/l through McAfee which saved my roommate's computer from that mydoom.

I can't get PestPatrol to d/l, never could. It just "hangs" half-way through and locks my computer up.

When you run your scans, first don't be online. If your computer has System Restore, disable it before you scan. Otherwise, any spyware or a/v will find and remove bad stuff, but it will still be sitting in your system in the Restore. After you scan and clean, turn the Restore back on.

One other thing I read on a tech site and has helped some (especially with drive-bys) is to change your cookie Privacy (on IE) - Tools, Privacy, click Advanced. Have a checkmark in Override Automatic Cookie Handling. Under that, First Party - Accept; Third-Party - Prompt, then put a checkmark next to Always Allow Session Cookies and click apply, ok.

Just curious DJ, is there a specific pop-up you're getting, like one name...or anything in your Cookies folder?

[BeDeviled]

I had the same problem awhile ago. It was spyware that had been embedded in my system.

Yeah, AdAware's good for general cookie grabbers and browser hijacks, but for embedded adware, it's pretty useless. If you can get your hands on a *coughcoughpiratedcoughcough* copy of Norton AntiVirus, it's worth it...

I have found the best thing to get rid of embedded adware/spyware is PestPatrol. It got rid of things that Ad-Aware missed.

Oh, and make sure it is Ad-Aware that you are using, the one that is made by LavaSoft. There is one called Ada-ware that pretends to be an anti-spyware software, but in reality puts spyware on your computer. My daughter learned that hard way!

Yes, I have the Lavasoft AdAware... but SpyBot just found 26 things on my computer that AdAware didn't... the only downside I can find with Spybot is... I got a message that said not to delete their "Advertising Robots" or else the program might not work correctly... so it seems you might trade one set of problems for another... although I haven't had any trouble yet.

Back them up, I think on spybot it's quarantine (I think not too sure). then go through with the removal, if you find any programs not working properly, restore the files (read the help file for specifics.)

That's what I do when I get those messages, I usually have no problems, and if I have no problems I delete the backups a month or so later.

[Johnnydontgo]

I use Ad-Aware, but as kind of a backup. I really like Spybot S&D - it finds stuff, gets rid of it (which Ad-Aware doesn't, that just quarantines) and you can "immunize" your computer. And it's easy to use - even I could figure it out. McAfee is my a/v, which does have some (limited) spyware detection and lastly Stinger stand alone (trojan/virus) - free d/l through McAfee which saved my roommate's computer from that mydoom.

I can't get PestPatrol to d/l, never could. It just "hangs" half-way through and locks my computer up.

When you run your scans, first don't be online. If your computer has System Restore, disable it before you scan. Otherwise, any spyware or a/v will find and remove bad stuff, but it will still be sitting in your system in the Restore. After you scan and clean, turn the Restore back on.

One other thing I read on a tech site and has helped some (especially with drive-bys) is to change your cookie Privacy (on IE) - Tools, Privacy, click Advanced. Have a checkmark in Override Automatic Cookie Handling. Under that, First Party - Accept; Third-Party - Prompt, then put a checkmark next to Always Allow Session Cookies and click apply, ok.

Just curious DJ, is there a specific pop-up you're getting, like one name...or anything in your Cookies folder?

I dunno about DJ, but I get alot of crap from "aifind.info" and "webrebates.com". I've disabled cookies for those two sites specificly, but it's done no good, as I presume it's already embedded in my system. When I play Neopets, I get alot of popup ads for pet supplies and dating services, which makes me believe they're grabbing cookies. Even after running SpyBot S&D, I'm still getting popups, but much fewer.

[everconfused]

Johnny, I think I have something embedded in mine too, don't know how to get to it -- can't find anything on scanning or even searching my computer (including hidden files)...no popups, but a couple of odd third-party cookies keep trying to attach themselves. They're in restricted now.

I had SpywareSweeper, which is not a spyware detecter/remover - but a kind of blocker. It puts alot of bad cookie related stuff in your Security restricted sites. Uninstalled it mistakenly thinking that was what was causing my shockwave/games on Neo problems, but it wasn't. The aifind.info and aifind.cc (think they must be related?) are in my Security restricted sites. Did not have webrebates.com, so just added that one.

You can, on Spybot, just click to not see that little message box. I don't know what the "advertising" is in there, but I've scanned Spybot using ad-aware, McAfee and Stinger and it came up clean. Try net-integrations forum - that's the official Spybot forum if you have a question on that.

I scan like every other day! It's insane that we sometimes have to spend more time updating/running these programs than actually just being on the internet anymore. There's pending legislation in Congress about all this spyware...I hope for once someone does something.

[Johnnydontgo]

Well, I understand the need for advertising, but this is going too far. I've got Windows XP Pro, and my husband and I have seperate accounts on the computer... his startup page is stuck on some porn search engine, and cannot be changed... and now, every time he tries to type an address into the address bar, a popup comes up wanting him to download a program... when you click "no", another popup says "you have to click yes to view this site", when you click "no" on that one, it begins the download anyway, so you have to close the window altogether. That's not advertising, that's invasion of privacy...