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Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Just been to a friends to try and remove this dreadful annoying spyware or what ever it is >:(.  When he's on the net it keeps bringing up one after another saying his computer is infected and to download SWS Antispyware which is obviously a fake.  Tried to research on the net but could not find an easy method of removal or one that matches his computer,  does anyone know of an easy method or better still a removal tool that will get rid of it.
Cheers
13 REPLIES 13
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Try spybot search and destroy or Ad-aware. Both are free downloads, just google for a suitable download place.
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Thanks for that Peter.  We tried the free Ad-ware 2007 with no luck and also Microsofts windows defender which does not find it too.  We will try spybot next I think.
Thanks Again
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

We have now run Spybot and nothing found.  Have also run Hijackthis and everything checks out nothing look sus.  Still these annoying windows keep opening.  Angry I hate these people  Grin  Any other suggestions please  Cry
Assos
Grafter
Posts: 5,880
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

A quick google, turns up:
http://www.webuser.co.uk/forums/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/367793/page/0/vc/1
Looks a tad invlolved though....
Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

I've done some searches as well, and I've found some references to a trojan called 'SmitFraud':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware_Quake
May not be it and I could be barking up the wrong tree, but the Wiki page does mention some specific removal tools.
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Thanks Assos that is one of the solutions that does not match his computer HJT does not show anything like that and there are no files or folders this solution mentions.  Yes he is running xp with service pack 2 and using a cable modem PJ  Thanks Alex we did try the smitfraud solution but it seemed to lock up I think so no joy there.  Sad  Thanks all for your help.  perhaps someone knows where the people who wrote this rubbish live so me and the boys can pop round  Wink
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quote from: PJ
I know you say it's Windows XP SP2 but it's still worth popping around and looking up Services.MSC (from the Run menu) to see if Messenger is disabled or not.
 
Yes the messenger service is disabled thanks PJ.  The windows fill the entire screen with the usual minimize, maximize and close buttons in the top right.  They all have text across the top blue border that say Microsoft Security Centre, this is what fooled him as anything that says Microsoft must be ok  Roll_eyes  and a new one opens about every minute or so.  Next time I'm there will get a screenshot and have a look at the host file.  Thanks again PJ
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quote from: PJ
Also worth having a look at MSCONFIG and going through the StartUp list.
  Thanks for that PJ I was going to look at MSCONFIG but completely forgot about it.  Will have a look at ProcessLibrary.
Quote from: PJ

I thought you said you'd scanned with an anti-virus solution but actually you haven't mentioned this- if there's no up to date AV installed then it might be worth installing AVG free.

Yes sorry should have mentioned he does have AVG installed  fully up to date and this too finds nothing.  I did suggest a full re-install maybe the drastic solution he wasn't keen to say the least.
grimme
Grafter
Posts: 241
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Have found another link that walks through removal using Smitfraud fix and AVG Antispyware. It looks involved, but the instructions are thorough and it did seem to solve the original Spyware problem.
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=108015
Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quote from: PJ
Also worth having a look at MSCONFIG and going through the StartUp list.

Yep the times when I've had to try and fix a PC (fortunately not that often), I've gone through the registry manually and had a look at what's in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, and looked for anything dodgy.
But I think that's what MSCONFIG shows in the Startup tab anyway, so it's easier to use that.
By dodgy, I look for anything with is either nondescript, or trying to appear like something legit but doesn't look quite right.
For example, something like C:\WINDOWS\HYJDSJ.EXE (what is that?), or something like C:\WINDOWS\SysProcess.EXE (a generic name which seems like it is hiding something).
I've managed to get rid of some spyware by doing that. Often a google search on the filename and extension will bring up some hits on what the process actually is, and you'll soon see if it's bringing up results relating to it being a legitimate file or whether the consensus is that it might be spyware.
There used to be a site I used which will give process information, but I can't find it anymore.
kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quote from: grimme
Have found another link that walks through removal using Smitfraud fix and AVG Antispyware. It looks involved, but the instructions are thorough and it did seem to solve the original Spyware problem.

Thanks will have a look but I think I might have seen this too.
Quote from: Alex
Quote from: PJ
Also worth having a look at MSCONFIG and going through the StartUp list.

Yep the times when I've had to try and fix a PC (fortunately not that often), I've gone through the registry manually and had a look at what's in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, and looked for anything dodgy.

Thanks Alex This was one of the first places I looked and there's not much in there and whats there all checks out ok.  I've still got to look in MSCONFIG but doubt it very much if I will find anything.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quite frankly, for the amount of time you are messing about, plus the uncertainty at the end if it all as to whether it  is absolutely clean I'd have stuck another disk in to copy across the data to be rescued, then formatted and started again.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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kryten1st
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Very Annoying pop ups from SWS antispyware

Quote from: jelv
Quite frankly, for the amount of time you are messing about, plus the uncertainty at the end if it all as to whether it  is absolutely clean I'd have stuck another disk in to copy across the data to be rescued, then formatted and started again.

Thats what I suggested but he is not too keen but the way it's going it might be the only solution.