Hello Sammy1941,
When you surf certain sites or click on ads, they sometimes
automatically install certain programs into your computer without you
wanting them. These are called:
Malware
Malware definition - Small Business Computing Online Dictionary of IT
Terms: Powered by Webopedia:
http://sbc.webopedia.com/TERM/M/malware.html
Spyware
Collection of Spyware definitions by Google
://www.google.com.ph/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&oi=defmore&q=define:Spyware
Adware
Rob Slade's Security Glossary
http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~rslade/secgloss.htm
Collection of Adware definitions by Google
://www.google.com.ph/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&oi=defmore&q=define:adware
These programs can also be called Hijackers. They are programs that
reset your browser to automatically begin at other sites you did not
ask for. Any of the kinds software mentioned above are running and
changing your browser settings without you wanting them. They often
run in websites under special scripts, that when someone browses the
site, the script is activated and it installs these programs in the
browsing person's machine. This has become common since it is a method
of advertising online, though in a "forced" manner.
These are the three top tools you will need to remove hijacker programs:
Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
- The leading spyware/adware remover
Spybot
http://www.safer-networking.org/
- Another spyware/adware remover that can remove some stuff other
anti-adware programs can't see.
Hijack This
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
- Hijack This is another one of the programs that can reverse browser hijacks.
Run these programs one at a time (not together) for the correct
results. Also, these programs need to be updated regularly from the
Internet, in the same way antivirus programs are updated. Update
before running them.
Here's another question about the same topic for more information:
http://www.answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=336365
Please try running these programs to remove the browser hijacking. If
it doesn't solve your problem, let me know.
Sometimes adware/spyware cause the occurence of more pop-ups. If you
are also annoyed at pop-up ads, these programs can help stop them:
Google Toolbar - free
http://toolbar.google.com
- Can be installed only in Internet Explorer
AnalogX Pow! - free
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/pow.htm
Download.com list of pop-up blockers
http://download.com.com/3150-7786-0.html?tag=dir
To delete the list in the address bar, try going to Internet
Explorer's Tools --> Options, then Clear History.
Here's a helpful article on the topic:
Help2Go - Clear Your Web Browser's History
http://www.help2go.com/article58.html
A forum page on the same topic, discussing some complex aspects:
Can't clear internet explorer address bar?
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/77264
Here's an example of software that can do this regularly for you:
Clear IE History: Ie, Address, List Software
http://www.soft411.com/company/Fadsoft-com/Clear-IE-History.htm
Try deleting the temporary files and cookies too, so the histories
will be more or less clean.
You may even use another browser if you want, like Mozilla:
http://www.mozilla.org
Google search terms used:
malware definition
adware definition
spyware definition
Also used personal experience in thinking of solutions.
I hope this has been a most helpful answer. If you need anything else,
or have a problem with the answer, do please post a Request for
Clarification before rating and I shall respond as soon as I can.
Thank you. |
