Unwanted Downloads

[islandboy]

Recently I have run across several websites in surfing the internet that no sooner than I arrive a small window opens up in a attempt to download something having to do with Microsoft Office ? verison unknown to my computer. I  right way click cancel and try to close by browser, but am unable to do so and find myself having to hit cancel over and over again. Then a box comes up and states something to the effect that there no place for update and click yes to cancel. When that box closes the first reappears and continues trying to download. i end up, thanks to still having dial-up disconnecting from my ISP. I have found this problem at craft supply sites , childrens free game sites, history websites, the list is endless. Any ideas on preventing this from happening?
I have a Norton firewall, spyware, pop-up blocker, Norton anti-virus. Somehow this gets through in its attempt to download. I am quick enough in action to stop it manually, but a child or teen may not even notice untill it is too late. 

[Soldier4Christ]

I haven't had this experience since I went to using FireFox. It stops all such automatic downloads immediately giving a simple notice at the top of the browser with an option button. The option button gives you the opportunity to download it if you want to. If you don't change the option for that page allowing it to download it simply ignores it.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

This is serious and should not be taken lightly. The software being downloaded probably isn't Microsoft at all. Even Internet Explorer should be giving you an option of downloading REAL Microsoft software or not. It could be completely legitimate if it was Internet Explorer simply telling you that it didn't have the plug-ins to handle that particular web site. On the genuine cases, you then get a list of what Internet Explorer needs to make everything on that web site work properly. However, it does give you options to say "NO" to the download. On the genuine cases, it might involve something like Flash or other higher level programs designed to handle graphics and sound.

You might have a trigger already installed in your computer to get that software. If so, it could easily be a virus or trojan. First, use the commands in every browser you use to empty caches and temporary Internet files. You might even have a program specifically designed to clean off all of the temporary Internet files. If not, I highly recommend a FREE program called CCleaner. CCleaner is available from Snapfiles, CNet, Softpedia, Tucows, and many other many software distributors.

Once you get everything cleaned out, don't do anything else until you run every virus, trojan, and spyware program you have. If you have more than one program of each, run them all.

Go and get an outstanding "HOSTS" file that blocks out lists of known sites that install malware, spyware, virus, trojan, worms, etc. The best site I know for this is

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

This site contains good instructions for installing the HOSTS file and explains what it does. It's basically a large list of bad sites installing dangerous programs, and the list is updated continually. When your computer runs accross something on the HOSTS file, it does a loop and basically says that you already have the file. It works on the principles of localhost - 127.0.0.1 - your own machine. In a loop, your computer goes to itself, so nothing is done at all. A good HOSTS file stops all kinds of headaches dead in their tracks. You might also consider getting an excellent and FREE program called Spybot Search and Destroy. It installs real-time protection into your system and stops the downloading of many harmful programs. It's also an excellent scanner to see if you already have something active and working on your system. Don't depend on any one program - use several. I hope this helps some.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[islandboy]

Thanks for the info. I will check into the items you suggested. I clean out my cookies, temp file and history everyday, run spysweeper, and do checks for viruses etc.. everyday. But while this seems to happen more at normal craft and game sites  I have accidently run into it while surfing the web.  The main way to disconnect from it is by getting off the web as fast as possible, even pulling out the phone plug. It is surprising how it locks your brower so you can not leave the site.
But I will take your advice and get some of these programs. Thanks again, Tom for your advice.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

You are most welcome. I forgot to tell you that the HOSTS file I talked about is also completely FREE. For a Windows system, a good HOSTS file is the best first thing that you can do. You also want to make it read only when you get done because some sites actually check the HOSTS files and try to change them so your system will go ahead and download whatever it is that they want you to download.

One of the most embarrassing things someone can do to you is make your computer a slave to distribute bad stuff to everyone on your email list or lists that they provide. Many people don't even know this has been done to their computer, so they are just innocent victims of the same folks distributing who knows what - usually very bad. I know this sounds wild, but it happens every day - even to experienced computer users. This is also how many of the worst spammers distribute their advertising - an army of slave computers with the owners not knowing what their computers are doing. SO, it's best to always investigate something strange that you see, find out what it is, and stop it.

[islandboy]

As Pastor Roger, mentioned most sites that want to download something on a computer, I get a bar across the top of the page from internet explorer asking me to click the bar if I want to download. This gets by somehow and just starts trying to download. I am making a list of sites to avoid. Such as avoid fun island games and humorsphere. Makes me wonder if those running the website are aware of this or if it's been added in by someone else. It maybe a add-on to help run games on your computer, but I think they should ask if you want the item first.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

I'm positive that the site should ask you before attempting to install software on your computer. As far as I'm concerned, that would be the quickest way to go out of business. There is an add-on for Firefox from McAffee called something like "Site Advisor". This little add-on informs you of a site's entire history and rates them for safety and security. A site attempting to install software without the user's permission would obviously get a ZERO. That's an absolute NO! You can also do a search in Site Advisor for specific sites and get all the information they have on that site completely FREE. The add-on is free also.

If you're using Firefox, you can also set it to reject software downloads from all sites unless you specifically approve of it. A warning comes up and you say YES or NO to the download. I would say NO to any software I didn't ask for because you really don't know what it will do, and you can't always depend on the description given by the web site trying to install the software without your permission. Generally, all software like this is BAD - REAL BAD - otherwise they would ask you first.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[islandboy]

Had another experience last night that I thought was worth sharing. I have been doing some research on the NAU, and in doing so I was on a government site and I had clicked on a article that sounded interesting. As with most gov information the article was Adobe Reader. After I realized just how long the download with the program was going to take, I clicked on stop, and when that didn't work I tried to close out the page. And when that didn't work I clicked on my isp to disconnect. That wasn't allowed, so I pulled the phone plug. I had to manually push the button on my machine to turn it off as I could still not close out the page, or turn off the computer.  I then had to restart my computer, at such time I cleared the history and cookies, ran Norton, used disk clean-up and then shut it down in the proper way.
This morning when I started my computer a screen came up that I had never seen before. It was doing a diagnostic search as it stated my "C drive was dirty". First it checked the hard drive and then it checked the files, and then it deleted several files, and then it started my C drive was clean and repaired. And then my computer started up normally.
Has anyone ever experienced this before?  I thought this was odd enough that  you'all might want to know about it.

[Soldier4Christ]

I have never experienced this. Having been in the Military I have been to numerous government web sites but never experienced this sort of thing but it has been over 2 months since I have.

With all of the government systems being hacked recently to gain access to portions of their system that are not meant for public viewing I would not doubt that there may be some sort of tracking information used by them now. I'm not saying this is right but .....

I have pretty tight security on my system that doesn't allow such an entry. I have good security equipment, not only software like firewalls, antivirus, spam blockers and ad ware but I also use a router that has integral blockers in it.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

There are numerous alternatives now for Adobe Reader that can be installed for most browsers, including Opera and Firefox that I know of. The latest Adobe Reader is 44 megs, and I don't have a clue why the size is so big. If you go to the Firefox add-ons page, do a search for "PDF" and you will see alternatives.

You can also get much smaller alternatives for regular use on your computer at most of the big software distributors (SnapFiles, Tucows, CNet, Softpedia, etc.).

[islandboy]

The thing that was really weird was the computer saying the " C " drive was dirty. I have been thinking about this all day, and I might add I was at a government site that anyone can go to, and the item in question was a released handbook of the Homeland Security on the SPP and Federal Highway Commission.  That said, I was thinking in terms of the government putting in a self delete program within the pages of this document that would cause my computer to clear it's self of the information. I have been to the Florida state website and downloaded forms for assistance and found this same type of strong lock on to my computer, which is probably a safety reason, but this was really strange, in the fact it would not let go, period.  Most government sites require the use of Adobe Reader. I have the newest venison, I have firewall protection and etc...   However, if my computer is doing a download into my temporary files so that I can view something, it is no different than bringing this website up on my screen for viewing. Thus, the safety programs we use to protect our computers would not be activated to stop it.
My computer is working great, so I do not feel that this was a hacker attempt. I do think that it is something new that is installed at the gov websites, although, other than trying to hide information from the public, it would serve no purpose.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

I'll have to think about this one some more and check around some. This still sounds very strange. Maybe this isn't anything to worry about, especially since your computer is still working good. The computer saying that the "C Drive is dirty" is REALLY strange. I would understand other more technical terms for various errors or problems, but I've never heard of anything like this. "Dirty" wouldn't have a specific meaning that anyone could work with.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Soldier4Christ]

"C Drive is dirty" is a notification that can occur when a computer is shut down manually in the middle of trying to make a file system change and the change couldn't complete or because corruption was detected on the volume which also can be done by a manual shutdown. Sometimes this corruption is to a file cluster that is not necessarily critical to the overall computer functioning but can cause an individual program not to work. i.e. Downloading a pdf file and manually shutting the computer off before it is finished can cause a corrupt cluster in the Adobe program.

Another cause, which I don't think is the case here, is a hard drive that is running too hot.

If Ckdsk doesn't correct the "C Drive is dirty" problem then you can use a file maintenance program that would clear or fix the corrupted file.

[nChrist]

Pastor Roger,

Brother, this is the first I've heard about something like this, but I'm sure there are all kinds of things I've never heard of. I'll just give thanks that my computer is currently working.   

I rarely get any error messages since I switched to Linux, and I really don't miss them. I just want to turn the computer on and see it work.   

[Soldier4Christ]

It doesn't happen very frequently as most of the time the computer will hesitate when shut down manually in order to stop at a convenient place but occasionally it will slip up. It happens most frequently when the computer is unplugged or a power failure happens where the computer doesn't have a chance of dealing with incomplete files.

I had forgotten all about this until I was talking to my son awhile ago and he reminded me of it.