Dialer threats
Discussion
Is your PC totally up to date with windows updates?
Dialers tend to try and change the phone number that you are calling when you access the internet so that you ring a premium rate number, get a hefty phonebill and they make lot of money. If you are running your PC as a local admin, they can download themselves in the backgound if you go to an infected site. Some are also able to download themselves to your PC if you have an internet connection (you don't have to actually be surfing for this to happen). If you find norton is picking up the same dialer repeatedly, it is either because you are visiting a particular site repeatedly and hence downloading the dialer each time, or Norton isn't fully getting rid of the problem and it so the dialer can keep reinstalling itself.
Firstly, make sure you are totally up to date with your windows patching.
Delete all your temporary internet files and cookies
Ensure you are using a safer browser than IE6 (Firefox, Opera etc)
Update Norton so it has the latest updates.
Download a spyware checker and ensure it is fully updated
Boot your PC into safe mode
Run a virus scan and then run a spyware check
This should hopefully get rid of the dialer.
Dialers tend to try and change the phone number that you are calling when you access the internet so that you ring a premium rate number, get a hefty phonebill and they make lot of money. If you are running your PC as a local admin, they can download themselves in the backgound if you go to an infected site. Some are also able to download themselves to your PC if you have an internet connection (you don't have to actually be surfing for this to happen). If you find norton is picking up the same dialer repeatedly, it is either because you are visiting a particular site repeatedly and hence downloading the dialer each time, or Norton isn't fully getting rid of the problem and it so the dialer can keep reinstalling itself.
Firstly, make sure you are totally up to date with your windows patching.
Delete all your temporary internet files and cookies
Ensure you are using a safer browser than IE6 (Firefox, Opera etc)
Update Norton so it has the latest updates.
Download a spyware checker and ensure it is fully updated
Boot your PC into safe mode
Run a virus scan and then run a spyware check
This should hopefully get rid of the dialer.
Indeed if your not on dialup (or have no modem installed) watching the little porn dialers go mental can be quite funny.
Generally they embed themselves in the startup sequence of the PC so that shortcuts and the EXE it points to are regenerated for a hidden archive... often they can be sods to get rid of.
As others have suggested, Get a few good Spyware killers (Spybot, Adaware) and make sure your AV product is as up-to-date as possible. Reboot in to safe mode (tap F8 during boot and select 'Safe mode' go grab a beer whilst it boots) Let loose the dogs of war on your system repeatedly until each one reports everything is clear.
Reboot in to normal mode.
For surfing sites which inject dialers in to your system, grab a copy of Firefox or Opera, they CAN be compromised (I've seen Java based delivery of malware to deal with Firefox) but are much harder to do so.
Generally they embed themselves in the startup sequence of the PC so that shortcuts and the EXE it points to are regenerated for a hidden archive... often they can be sods to get rid of.
As others have suggested, Get a few good Spyware killers (Spybot, Adaware) and make sure your AV product is as up-to-date as possible. Reboot in to safe mode (tap F8 during boot and select 'Safe mode' go grab a beer whilst it boots) Let loose the dogs of war on your system repeatedly until each one reports everything is clear.
Reboot in to normal mode.
For surfing sites which inject dialers in to your system, grab a copy of Firefox or Opera, they CAN be compromised (I've seen Java based delivery of malware to deal with Firefox) but are much harder to do so.
mph999 said:
try hackstop or stophack ????
Basically it sits there and prevent any no. being dialled aart from those you permit.
Martin
Basically it sits there and prevent any no. being dialled aart from those you permit.
Martin
Never heard of that one... but good idea.
Only downside is dialers often come with other stuff like keyloggers, advertising robots and other 'fun' stuff. They're better off dead than bypassed.
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