Address Bar Clutter

ECR · 02-24-2005, 01:09 PM

I recently updated my home page ( MY YAHOO! ) and noticed my address bar is always cluttered with symbols, numbers, etc.. Whenever I click on a link and that link takes me to the web page, my address bar is full of clutter. I can't figure this out. I have Windows XP Home. I've also noticed my navigation bar is also cluttered with very long paths to the web site I'm visiting. Can anyone give me a clue to what I've done wrong? Thanks.
ECR

greyknight17 · 02-25-2005, 09:58 AM

Welcome to TSF.

Are there any toolbars you don't recognize there? It may be spyware lurking here. For those long addresses, did you by any chance bookmarked them into the links folder?

Try running these two programs and see if they remove anything.

Please download Ad-aware SE and install it if you don't have it already. Make sure it's the newest version and check for any updates before running it. Also go here to get the plug-in for fixing VX2 variants. To run this tool, go into Ad-aware->Add-ons and select VX2 Cleaner. Then click Run Tool and OK to start it. If it's clean, it will say Status System Clean. Otherwise, you will have to click on the Clean button to remove the VX2 infection. Also make sure to customize the settings in Ad-aware for better scan results. Run the scan and fix everything that it finds.

Download and install Spybot S&D. Run Spybot and click on the 'Search for Updates' button. Install any updates that are available. Next click on the 'Check for Problems' button. Let it run the scan. If it finds something, check all those in RED and hit the Fix Selected Problems button. Exit Spybot. If you keep getting the DSO Exploit entries, even after you updated Windows and fixed them, then download the Spybot DSO Exploit Fix and install it over the current Spybot installation.

ECR · 02-26-2005, 03:47 PM

Thanks for the help. Before I perform the tasks mentioned, I need to know if Microsoft's AntiSpyware, which I've very recently installed,along with Symanted/Norton Anti Virus which I've been using for some time, will be incompatible with the software you mention ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by greyknight17

Welcome to TSF.

Are there any toolbars you don't recognize there? It may be spyware lurking here. For those long addresses, did you by any chance bookmarked them into the links folder?

Try running these two programs and see if they remove anything.

Please download Ad-aware SE and install it if you don't have it already. Make sure it's the newest version and check for any updates before running it. Also go here to get the plug-in for fixing VX2 variants. To run this tool, go into Ad-aware->Add-ons and select VX2 Cleaner. Then click Run Tool and OK to start it. If it's clean, it will say Status System Clean. Otherwise, you will have to click on the Clean button to remove the VX2 infection. Also make sure to customize the settings in Ad-aware for better scan results. Run the scan and fix everything that it finds.

Download and install Spybot S&D. Run Spybot and click on the 'Search for Updates' button. Install any updates that are available. Next click on the 'Check for Problems' button. Let it run the scan. If it finds something, check all those in RED and hit the Fix Selected Problems button. Exit Spybot. If you keep getting the DSO Exploit entries, even after you updated Windows and fixed them, then download the Spybot DSO Exploit Fix and install it over the current Spybot installation.

greyknight17 · 02-28-2005, 07:19 AM

Hi ECR, there should be no problem running them. Just try to run them separately, in other words, don't run them all at once.

02-24-2005, 01:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
ECR Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 2 OS: XP	Address Bar Clutter I recently updated my home page ( MY YAHOO! ) and noticed my address bar is always cluttered with symbols, numbers, etc.. Whenever I click on a link and that link takes me to the web page, my address bar is full of clutter. I can't figure this out. I have Windows XP Home. I've also noticed my navigation bar is also cluttered with very long paths to the web site I'm visiting. Can anyone give me a clue to what I've done wrong? Thanks. ECR

02-25-2005, 09:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
greyknight17 Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York Posts: 14,327 OS: Windows 98 & Windows XP Home/Pro My System	Welcome to TSF. Are there any toolbars you don't recognize there? It may be spyware lurking here. For those long addresses, did you by any chance bookmarked them into the links folder? Try running these two programs and see if they remove anything. Please download Ad-aware SE and install it if you don't have it already. Make sure it's the newest version and check for any updates before running it. Also go here to get the plug-in for fixing VX2 variants. To run this tool, go into Ad-aware->Add-ons and select VX2 Cleaner. Then click Run Tool and OK to start it. If it's clean, it will say Status System Clean. Otherwise, you will have to click on the Clean button to remove the VX2 infection. Also make sure to customize the settings in Ad-aware for better scan results. Run the scan and fix everything that it finds. Download and install Spybot S&D. Run Spybot and click on the 'Search for Updates' button. Install any updates that are available. Next click on the 'Check for Problems' button. Let it run the scan. If it finds something, check all those in RED and hit the Fix Selected Problems button. Exit Spybot. If you keep getting the DSO Exploit entries, even after you updated Windows and fixed them, then download the Spybot DSO Exploit Fix and install it over the current Spybot installation. __________________ Please do NOT PM me. Post whatever questions you may have in the forum and we will take a look at it when we get to it. If you have waited for more than 3 days, you may then and ONLY then PM me for assistance. I will take a look at it. Adaware :: CWShredder :: HijackThis :: Panda ActiveScan :: Spybot S&D Anti-Spyware Tutorial :: Spyware Prevention Tools

02-28-2005, 07:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
greyknight17 Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York Posts: 14,327 OS: Windows 98 & Windows XP Home/Pro My System	Hi ECR, there should be no problem running them. Just try to run them separately, in other words, don't run them all at once. __________________ Please do NOT PM me. Post whatever questions you may have in the forum and we will take a look at it when we get to it. If you have waited for more than 3 days, you may then and ONLY then PM me for assistance. I will take a look at it. Adaware :: CWShredder :: HijackThis :: Panda ActiveScan :: Spybot S&D Anti-Spyware Tutorial :: Spyware Prevention Tools