Internet browser seizing up...

[PatHeald]

My internet browser keeps seizing up.

I am able to google, then open a site from the search results, but clicking on a link from any site that I have entered just locks the thing up.

The rest of the pooter seems to function normally.

I speculate that I've picked up a virus.

Any ideas what I should do now?

Cheers

Pat

[judas]

Pat - are you using Internet Explorer and does it lock up for about 30 seconds when it tries to open a page in a new window? If it does read this thread 'cos both me and RichB had the same problem - it's some nasty, badly written browser hijack trojan thingy - there's a cure in the thread too

>> Edited by judas on Saturday 9th April 21:36

[PatHeald]

Yep, that's the problem.

Having Googled about the thing, it has been suggested that it monitors keyboard entries.

I was intending to reformat the C: anyway. Now seems an opportune time.

Cheers

Pat

[Marki]

Hi

i seem to have the same thing please can you post the full thread adress as i cannot click on the link you posted because of this piece of crap virus thing ,, thanks in advance ...

[malman]

PatHeald said:

I was intending to reformat the C: anyway. Now seems an opportune time. Pat

Extreme spyware removal ( could be that latest reality show)

Edit for Marki
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167037&f=95&h=0

>> Edited by malman on Sunday 10th April 17:49

[Marki]

Thanks a Bunch mate

[PatHeald]

Marki said:

I seem to have the same thing please can you post the full thread adress as i cannot click on the link you posted because of this piece of crap virus thing

Did you manage to fix it?

The offending file is named "req.dat"

I haven't been able to get rid of it as it is in use from when the computer is first booted. The usual anti virus just won't remove it.

Google suggests it is a trojan that monitors keyboard inputs, so I am pretty keen to destroy it.

I am now looking at reformatting the hard drive, which is a bit extreme, but ought to do the trick.

Cheers

Pat

[Marki]

Hi Pat no i dont seem to be able to find the bugger
pain in the arse innit

[Plotloss]

Ugly.

You cant delete req.dat because Winlogon loads it and protects it.

So you either have to delete it without logging on (via a service) or work out how to stop Winlogon protecting it.

[Plotloss]

Heres a decent solution to the problem, involves downloading a bit of kit...

www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/My_computer_and_39_s_log-tx14705-0.html#entry90400

[Marki]

Thanks Matt , i will give it a whirl this evening

[PatHeald]

Marki said:

Hi Pat no i dont seem to be able to find the bugger pain in the arse innit

If you google for "Hijackthis", you can download a program that will locate all the files that are active when your browser is open.

I bet you half a lager shandy that it lists "req.dat" as one of them.

Finding the bastard isn't the problem.

Getting rid of it seems to be the challenge.

Most of my surfing tends to be on Pistonheads, so I suspect that I may have picked the trojan up from a link off one of the forums

I'll try the fix suggested above before I resort to formating the C:

Cheers

Pat