[Sannakji]

My browsers (Chrome and Firefox) have been infected with some kind of bloatware. It messes with my home page, what search engine is used when I search via the toolbar, and adds a new search bar too. I've uninstalled both browsers and re-installed, the program finds them again and re-inserts the new home page . I've also hunted down the offending extensions, but it seems to not have worked. Avast shows nothing, this is just horrid spyware/bloatware, not a virus. How can I cleanse my internet browsers please? Any other anti-malware programs apart from Avast I should have installed?

 

[Dctr]

Download: Malwarebytes, HitmanPro, CCleaner
Get the free versions:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro/
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

 

[EoL RiNzleR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dctr

Download: Malwarebytes, HitmanPro, CCleaner
Get the free versions:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro/
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

this. the listed virus scanners will definitely pick up what is wrong with your browser.

 

[Catscratch]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and hijackthis. check forums for the latter to see what's bad or good.

 

[davcc22]

dowload hirns boot disk it got all that +more muth more

 

[beers]

As referenced above, Malwarebytes should be able to find and remove that.

 

[bigredishott]

I would just do a clean install. You never know what if there stuff going on in the background and not showing it's self. Plus pulling out files could leave your computer buggy. I don't get hit very often but, when I do, I do a fresh install leaves me feeling much safer.

 

[Sannakji]

Cheers lads.

 

[Sannakji]

I think my main problem is that whatever got installed changed my search engine to it's own thing. On the top right bar, the search bar beside the address bar, it doesn't say 'Google' like I want it to, and if I just type something into the address bar it doesn't use Google either. How do I go about changing it back to google?

 

[stubass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sannakji

I think my main problem is that whatever got installed changed my search engine to it's own thing. On the top right bar, the search bar beside the address bar, it doesn't say 'Google' like I want it to, and if I just type something into the address bar it doesn't use Google either. How do I go about changing it back to google?

Did you install some program that during the installation prompts (by default) you to instal a toolbar, default search such as "Ask" and not uncheck the boxes?

If something like this happened you can go to control panel, programs and uninstall it.. I accidentally did this with CPU-z IIRC and forgot to uncheck such boxes and just uninstalled the search bar etc.

that would work if it is the same case for you.

 

[daguardian]

Sounds like you have the Ask taskbar installed, here is a link to a step-by-step tutorial on how to remove it, its not hard, good luck.

 

[Nemesis158]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sannakji

I think my main problem is that whatever got installed changed my search engine to it's own thing. On the top right bar, the search bar beside the address bar, it doesn't say 'Google' like I want it to, and if I just type something into the address bar it doesn't use Google either. How do I go about changing it back to google?

It could be that whatever you got changed your internet settings and put a proxy in there forcing it somewhere else.
Go to control panel and open "Internet options". go to the last tab and at the bottom press Reset Internet Explorer.
that will reset any setting that has been altered by malware and disables any addons present.

 

[MikersSU]

I'm not a big fan of Symantec but you can give this free tool a try. It works wonders especially with malware and redirects that even Malwarebytes cannot touch. Helped my father-in-law with an nginx redirect malware that was affecting his ability to browse youtube and other google-related sites.

https://security.symantec.com/nbrt/npe.aspx

Norton Power Eraser tool.

 

[furmark]

ive had malware for the past year I just live with it reinstall windows dosnt even get rid of it lol asoon as I log into google chrome its all back again ....

 

[MikersSU]

Quote:

Originally Posted by furmark

ive had malware for the past year I just live with it reinstall windows dosnt even get rid of it lol asoon as I log into google chrome its all back again ....

Off topic but I'd like to offer up a suggestion. Try creating another account under Google and install Chrome to see what happens next time you perform a clean installation. Just a thought!

 

[The Hundred Gunner]

Does anybody use Mandiant Redline?

 

[jamiesheerin]

This is what you should do first:
Go to your browsers' settings and choose add-on/extensions.
Search for anything that is related ask toolbar (and also any other suspicions file name) and remove it.
Again from the setting, change your homepage back to normal (that is if it has been changed)
Open Control Panel and search for any program or file with the same name and remove them.
Open your windows Explorer and search again for any left file or folder containing ask search in their name.
I suggest you read this ask toolbar removal guide if you still can not figure it out.

 

[Loopooo]

Malwarebytes for sure

 

[MKUL7R4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dctr

Download: Malwarebytes, HitmanPro, CCleaner
Get the free versions:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro/
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Yeah get Malwarebytes free version, but you may also have to go into the task manager and kill the malware's processes manually before scanning.

 

[KonaJoe]

I'd run Rkill first to stop any malware or viral processes before running any A/V program - Conduit.nu search redirect (browser hijacker) will bury itself in a rundll file and is undectable at that point unless it is stopped beforehand.