Beware of popup windows

[s4]

This could be put in the internet forum, but I wanted people to see this. It's not really a personal problem with another site, either.

I was surfing around the web and had some popup windows. These guys are really getting smart these days. They put items they wanted me to click on in my Start Menu in Win Me. I've never seen this done before. I've had people put favorites on my machine without asking, but these guys are good. I can't figure out how they did it. I'm sure some of you can probably explain how it's done, but I'm not that smart to figure it out. If they can edit my start menu, can they also put files on my computer as well?

ZoneAlarm didn't do anything because it didn't detect whatever this was.

 

[Noite Escura]

Man, that's scary! Are you sure you didn't click anything. I mean, who knows if a link is what they say it is? If it's a button on a page that says, say , "click here if your browser doesn't allow java" or something and instead it subscribe you in some kind of Gay porn newsletter i.e. Not sure if it was a good example...

 

[Noite Escura]

Damn, it WASN'T a good example but you understand what I'm trying to say no?

 

[Outlaw69]

I see that every week on my brothers computer. I'll go over there and fire up his pos comcrap pissario and sure enuff, he'll have the SIZZLE LOGO in his start menu. I"m like hey Donny, you been surfing pr0n again eh.

 

[PostCode]

Reminds me of that Comet Cursor. Tell it your not interested and it still installs itself. Rat bastards.

 

[Q]

Speaking of that Comet Cursor, how the hell do you get rid of that @#$%& thing?? I removed that sucker from everywhere I coulld find, I even used the reg cleaner and it's still in there.

 

[unclehobart]

Go to the Kim Komando website: http://komando.com and click on the link in the middle left of the page that takes you to her internet shareware pick of the week. Download the program called 'Popnot'. It stops popup ads and other garbage dead in it tracks.

 

[s4]

Thanks for the advice all. I wasn't surfing porno but some of the sites had porno ads on them. They also put two of the same icons on my desktop. I looked at the properties and found them to be a link to internet explorer with a site added as a parameter in the command line. It just blows my mind that they can alter my start menu and put icons on my desktop. I didn't install any activex controls or anything, not to worry. I've been using the web for a long time.

 

[Bronto]

Hiyas
Have noticed those automatic D/Ls too, when surfing for Home and Garden ideas
Netscape get it's SmartUpdate is activated without you even knowing it. Caught it, cause of slow 56 k d/l notice. But Cable or DSL users would even see it. In Netscape preferences checked the box to be notified about a Smart Update next time.
I know its Spy wear but GoZi!!a catchs a bunch of these autoloading programs they force on without permission. Just delete the file, minor pain is all.
Web designers make more money working for porn sites then anyother web sites. Turns out Porn pages could be state of art web design cause of it. I just read the articles
Whoa Kim Komando still around, Does she still have her radio Show ? It's not on in this area. Damn she could make to Hottie Babes thread
Bronto

 

[brainsoft]

Get AdAware, from Lavasoft, it's quite good ad removing adware like Commet Cursor and what not

It does what Optout (from grc.com); that's where I heard about AdAware in the first place. I suggest you all get it.