Rogue Dialers

[wilson steer]

I'm back in the U.K. for a few weeks and everytime I go online I download rogue dialers unwittingly. I am on a normal PC and they come automatically. Can anyone help they are 1.50 a minute, a lot in Thai Baht!!

Cheers W.Steer.

[Wash]

Go to Control Panel, Add Remove Programs. You will likely find the dialer listed there and simply remove it.

[valentinoxxx]

Firstly, give your 'puter a clean sweep. Download and run; SpyBot Search and Destroy.

Secondly, have SpyWareBlaster installed on your system.

Both free programs. Donations appreciated.

[bartender100]

These have to be downloaded to install,read eveything carefully before you download anything.The spybot is very good advice

[valentinoxxx]

Another good piece of sotware, if you have some small idea of what u r doing, is My Uninstaller

[stumonster]

spybot search and destroy.. http://www.safer-networking.org/ free

adaware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ free

download and run these two programs. They will search your hard drive and registry for malicious software and then allow you to delete . they are both very good and highly recommended( and free )

when you download something, always check the file extension ( the bit after the . in the file name eg. .exe .doc .mp3 .jpg )

if it is a picture you are downloading make sure it has a picture file extension eg. .jpg .gif .bmp if it has some other eg. .exe .pif .vbs .ink you can be sure it is malicious.

never click on a file with a .exe .pif .ink .vbs unless you are very sure you know what it is , even if it has been emailed from some one you know, check with them to ensure that they meant to send it to you.

basic computer usage 101

[valentinoxxx]

I'm guessing that you haven't bothered to peruse the thread before posting.

[stumonster]

from his post it seemed to indicate that some information would be of more assistance than just a quick link.

from my experience rogue diallers are installed when some body clicks on a pretty picture advert saying " click here for free picture/movie of blah blah ". then they download an .exe file and run it. so I thought that if I explained this hazard, it might stop any future occurances.

my appologies for repeating your link, but the important thing is he recieves the information required.

[valentinoxxx]

No probs......I just wanted the full credit for the SpyBot link.

Indeed, the extra info you posted should help to clarify the matter.

[Thetyim]

Spybot and Blaster will get rid of it after it has installed itself but how about stopping it from happening again.

I use WinPatrol. Another free download which I find very useful for stopping installations, changing homepage and other bothersome things.

[valentinoxxx]

I think Spywareblaster is designed to stop spyware from installing itself.

From the same source is Spywareguard

[katana]

Hi,

One method of installing dialers (I think its the most common at present) is by Active X scripts built onto the webpage you're viewing. As you load the page in your browser, the script runs silently and installs the dialer (a so-called 'drive-by download').

To prevent this, you need to have your Active-X settings set to 'prompt' or 'disable' in IE. So I guess you should check your security in IE as a possible culprit:

From http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957 :

"Go to Internet Options/Security/Internet, press 'default level', then OK.

Now press "Custom Level."

In the ActiveX section, set the first two options ("Download signed and unsigned ActiveX controls) to 'prompt', and 'Initialize and Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe" to 'disable'.

Now you will be asked whether you want ActiveX objects to be executed and whether you want software to be installed.

Sites that you know for sure are above suspicion can be moved to the Trusted Zone in Internet Option/security.

So why is activex so dangerous that you have to increase the security for it?

When your browser runs an activex control, it is running an executable program. It's no different from doubleclicking an exe file on your hard drive.

Would you run just any random file downloaded off a web site without knowing what it is and what it does?"

You could also try a browser like Mozilla or Firefox, which don't use ActiveX and hence are more secure. These two browsers are also immune to the latest browser hijacker doing the rounds at the moment - Coolwebsearch.

Hope that may be of some help.

[cathyy]

I suppose expecting you to stop surfing the porn sites, which is where this malware originates, is too much to ask? I go over to my neighbor's and clean all the dialers, viruses, and trojans from his box every 3 months or so. He's finally adjusted to the idea that I _just don't care_ he surfs porn, and has quit blaming it on his son. As I explained to him, whenever you click on a link or open a web page there may be more things happening in the background that you are unaware of. Like dialers and trojans being installed. It's a risk you take, but you should be aware of the increased risk. Me, I am behind a hardware firewall, and I run ZoneAlarm and PestPatrol to keep it safe and clean when I have to be in Windows.

I prefer to just run Linux and NOT HAVE TO WORRY. There's a brand new distro, Thai language enabled, LinuxTLE. LinuxTLE Downloads

[ajahnlau]

Buddy had both Spybot and adaware inst. and then ran Norton and found 2 dialers other programs missed.

[stumonster]

Buddy had both Spybot and adaware inst. and then ran Norton and found 2 dialers other programs missed.

with both spybot and adaware, they need thier malware databases updated regularly... when you are running the program and are online just click the update button.

[george]

Install a software firewall, for example the trial version of ZoneAlarm:

ZoneAlarm

[Snark]

delted