Docster said:
When a link is clicked instead of going to the site it is named for it
appears to be getting routed through another site or search operation. This
just started within the last couple of days. It is only occurring on my Win7
machine. WinXP works find.
I have run and scanned with AVG, cleared cookies and histories etc. Real
strange.
If I type in something for Sears it takes me lord only knows where.
Some browser exploits, they're intended to make money for the
perpetrators. They can send you to pages, with their advertising,
or modify web pages, so that their advertising is substituted.
For each advert impression, they earn pennies. But over thousands
of machines, it amounts to a nice monthly income (enough to buy
steaks every night).
Tools:
MBAM - comes in free and paid version. The free version is a one-time-scanner.
The paid version is resident protection. You can use the free one.
View the download site, in a modern browser (or the page will be blank).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malwarebytes
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebyt...4572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button
(downloaded at least 117,597,598 times since it was offered...)
Adwcleaner - is for adware. MBAM doesn't detect all of it.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
Kaspersky rescue disc 10 (237MB listed file size, ISO9660, makes a boot CD).
More of an AV tool, but better than nothing if you still can't
figure it out. May also detect rootkits, such as TDSS. The ISO file
is regularly updated, and isn't actually 237MB in size today.
It's over 300MB now. AV definition files can be at least a week old,
so the image is not regenerated daily or anything. Once you
boot the computer with the CD, it can contact Kaspersky
(as long as your router supports DHCP etc), and it can download
fresh AV definitions.
http://support.kaspersky.com/8092
While it would be nice to think that just your "search provider preference"
was modified, there could be a lot more to it (malware).
HTH,
Paul
