won't go to antivirus websites

joshbrinkley · 04-26-2005, 09:35 AM

i can't get to symantec.com or mcafee.com but can go to any other website. i'm pretty sure its spyware or virus related but has anybody seen this before and know of any virus in particular that does this?

dai · 04-26-2005, 01:58 PM

follow greyknights instructions here
http://www.greyknight17.com/spyware.htm

**BMR777** · 04-27-2005, 04:28 PM

Your HOSTS file probably got HiJacked. Let's Fix it.

1. Enable View of Hidden Files and Folders - Start>Control Panel>Folder Options>View Tab> ENABLE Show Hidden Files and Folders

2. Navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc" and click on HOSTS and open with Notepad. Delete all lines below the entry

127.0.0.1 localhost

If you see web addresses for mcafee and stuff here, this is the culprit.

Save the file (File>Save) and exit. See if you can go to mcafee. You may need to reboot before you can go.

Hope it helps,
BMR777
www.rusnakweb.com

joshbrinkley · 04-28-2005, 08:56 AM

must definitly be a virus, b/c i erased the stuff in the host file and restarted and it came right back, have any idea what virus would do this?

dai · 04-28-2005, 09:00 AM

do an online scan with
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.everythingisnt.com/hosts.html

**BMR777** · 04-28-2005, 09:22 AM

Try Installing Microsoft Anti-Spyware as it has real-time hosts file protection.

Install from: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...yware/software

Install it, and use the program's System Explorers Feature to BLOCK or REMOVE bad entries into the hosts file. See if you can then access those sites. If not, try rebooting. This time, if the virus tries to change the hosts file it should be blocked.

You may also want to use system explorers to block any unknown startup programs, BHO's, and processes.

BMR777
www.rusnakweb.com

04-26-2005, 09:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
joshbrinkley Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 80 OS: xp	won't go to antivirus websites i can't get to symantec.com or mcafee.com but can go to any other website. i'm pretty sure its spyware or virus related but has anybody seen this before and know of any virus in particular that does this?

04-26-2005, 01:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,539 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	follow greyknights instructions here http://www.greyknight17.com/spyware.htm __________________

04-27-2005, 04:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
BMR777 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,398 OS: XP Pro, XP Home, Vista Home Basic, Ubuntu Studio Blog Entries: 2	Try This Your HOSTS file probably got HiJacked. Let's Fix it. 1. Enable View of Hidden Files and Folders - Start>Control Panel>Folder Options>View Tab> ENABLE Show Hidden Files and Folders 2. Navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc" and click on HOSTS and open with Notepad. Delete all lines below the entry 127.0.0.1 localhost If you see web addresses for mcafee and stuff here, this is the culprit. Save the file (File>Save) and exit. See if you can go to mcafee. You may need to reboot before you can go. Hope it helps, BMR777 www.rusnakweb.com

04-28-2005, 09:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,539 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	do an online scan with http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ http://www.everythingisnt.com/hosts.html __________________

04-28-2005, 08:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
joshbrinkley Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 80 OS: xp	must definitly be a virus, b/c i erased the stuff in the host file and restarted and it came right back, have any idea what virus would do this?

04-28-2005, 09:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
BMR777 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,398 OS: XP Pro, XP Home, Vista Home Basic, Ubuntu Studio Blog Entries: 2	Try Installing Microsoft Anti-Spyware as it has real-time hosts file protection. Install from: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...yware/software Install it, and use the program's System Explorers Feature to BLOCK or REMOVE bad entries into the hosts file. See if you can then access those sites. If not, try rebooting. This time, if the virus tries to change the hosts file it should be blocked. You may also want to use system explorers to block any unknown startup programs, BHO's, and processes. BMR777 www.rusnakweb.com