Multiple internet windows

boxboy · 28-03-2006, 17:36

Hi all,
first time for posting, but i really need help. Every now and again on my laptop internet explorer opens between 40 and 55 internet windows for no reason and it take me about 3 min's to close them all. Has anyone got an idea as to what type of virus or issue this is?? Any help would be great.
I'm running norton 2006 full suite.

Graham M · 28-03-2006, 17:58

It sounds like Spyware to be, check Adaware from www.lavasoft.de

Paul K · 28-03-2006, 17:58

Run adaware, spybot s&d, hijackthis and an up to date virus scan. Odds are you have a trojan or piece of spyware on the PC.
There is a list of good tools (a number of which are free) on this link or there is also an article in the CF articles sections too.

Horace · 28-03-2006, 19:13

...and once you've cleaned it all up, swtich to using firefox to stop it happening all over again.

Paul K · 28-03-2006, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horace

...and once you've cleaned it all up, swtich to using firefox to stop it happening all over again.

Or just use the correct tools to protect the PC properly, sometimes it's not the browser but the browsing habits that can cause the problems

grubbymitts · 28-03-2006, 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Or just use the correct tools to protect the PC properly, sometimes it's not the browser but the browsing habits that can cause the problems

I agree. I find it quite amusing when people say "Firefox is secure" - yes, it's more secure then IE, but only because no one is bothered about exploiting Firefox's many security holes yet. Its biggest one is the massive memory leak that's not been fixed since version 1. I'm sure lots of things can be done with that.

Everybody slags off the BHO (browser helper objects) in IE, and yes - they were probably a bad idea. What does Firefox do to beat this? Extensions. As soon as Firefox becomes a more dominant browser naughty crackers are going to find little holes (or big memory leaks) to insert code which puts lovely, nasty extensions on your browser. They are just a nightmare waiting to happen. And it's Open Source, too - so security holes are much easier to find than the closed source IE.

Now, I'm not a big fan of IE and I do tell newbies to use Firefox, but mainly because a newbie is the one that's in danger of doing the things on the Internet that will cause IE to get infected: looking at porn, going onto warez sites, clicking on that email that says "Britney blows off a horse". If they're using Firefox and Thunderbird, then they probably won't get a problem due to the different ways the engines work and protect their users.

Once you realise that there's enough porn on the internet that's not riddled with malware to keep your right arm busy for years and warez really aren't that hard to find off the web and that Britney really has never been anywhere near the genitilia of a horsey, then you can go back to IE if you want and probably never have a problem again.

Horace · 28-03-2006, 21:52

Agreed Grubby.
I realise Firefox isn't the be all and end all of security, anyone who has a clue know's that's not the case but we're often talking about people without any kind of clue. I'm not being derogatory or eliteist, most people just don't have the time to learn and want to use the net as they use a household appliance. Anyway, in practice I've found that pushing friends and relatives over to FF works 99% of the time which is a good enough result to recommend it.

Also, isn't it ironic that the majority of users of Mozilla are the people who can use IE quite safely with the reverse being true for IE. Funny old world

.

grubbymitts · 28-03-2006, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by marky

Yet another ff v ie thread

erm...no. If you read the comments no one is really saying "Firefox is better than IE so there!" or vice versa at all. It's more about safe surfing practices.

When the lad posts again we can help him.

boxboy · 29-03-2006, 09:04

Thank's for the help guy's. Did a full spy sweep and seems to have cleared the problem. On another note can you have both firefox and Internet 6 on the same system????

basa · 29-03-2006, 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxboy

<snip>On another note can you have both firefox and Internet 6 on the same system????

You can have any number of different browsers you wish

grubbymitts · 29-03-2006, 18:13

now let the Firefox vs IE debate commence!

actually - use Deepnet Explorer, it is rather spiffing.