Spyware - and the hell it causes...

[tommys67]

So I'm helping my ex-wife with her computer (insert joke)...

A few weeks ago, she had spyware attack her system, and she actually saw people buying music on the iTunes store website in real-time, she could see the songs being added one at a time.

She spent the better part of an entire day on the phone with Dell tech support to clean out the spyware and make all kinds of "changes" that added programs to her main system.

Since then, the usability of her little Dell laptop has gone down the tubes.

I'm not a tech wiz, but I can troubleshoot a PC.  Here's what I'm dealing with:

Microsoft Vista.  A full-time SpyWare blocker.  A Linksys router - with a configured secure wireless network.  iTunes not connecting to the iTunes store (even after a re-install AND running cmd (as admin) > ipconfic /flushdns), now Firefox won't connect, but IE will...  Turning on or turning off the Windows firewall does almost nothing for connectivity on the machine.

Taking the LAN feed straight from the cable modem to the PC - no change in internet connectivity either.

I run through multiple permutations of all the stuff in the last two paragraphs trying to get both iTunes to connect to the store AND get Firefox to connect... and nothing I do seems to work.

What else - she runs a secure connection to her work servers (BIG company) so she can work from home.  It works.

I spent 3 hours of my day being a good guy trying to trouble shoot her PC.  This all started last week when she tried to download the 2.0 iPhone software, and the PC blocked it.

I'm really NOT looking for any thoughts here, just wanted to share my hell.  It's a war of pride for me.  I will fix this problem.

THIS is why you protect against spyware!!!!!!!

[roy-nexus-6]

As you specifically said you weren't looking for opinions/advice etc, I'll just confine myself to saying 'good luck'!

[somegirl]

I was working on a customer's computer running one of our systems, trying to deal with the registry which had gotten corrupted , and noticed there was no anti-spyware or anti-virus software on there.

I mentioned it to the customer, who is at a university where any number of users can access the computer, and there is no global firewall.

His answer?  He didn't need it, as he told the other users not to install software, and just to use Firefox.

[tommys67]

As you specifically said you weren't looking for opinions/advice etc, I'll just confine myself to saying 'good luck'!

Thanks - I need it!

[fwtcc]

I am a big fan of I'll figure it out my damn self once it has become a pretty good challenge.  So much more rewarding.  You get to do some cussing and shouting, maybe even a couple WTF! screen smacks.  Have fun with it!

[muscle_cars_only]

download super spyware remover. A lot of people I know have used this and it cleared them up.

[il d00d]

Ignore this:
I am not sure that spyware would allow control of the PC or her iTunes account - I am saying there may be something more nefarious afoot.  This sounds more like an exploit of some kind.  A clean reinstall might take less time/effort than exorcising all the bad registry entries etc.  More unsolicited advice available upon request.

Begin paying attention:
Good luck with this - fight the good fight...

[erkishhorde]

I'm kinda with il dood. I don't know how itunes works since I avoid anything Mac related like the plague but I would assume that if someone is buying stuff with her account you should set her up on your computer for now so that she can change all of her passwords and whatnot. If she's got enough stuff on her computer that someone else can remotely control it they've likely got a keystroke recorder as well.

You probably got that far already but I just thought I'd think out loud. My solve all is to just grab the data I need and wipe the system.  Good luck!

[Dxomas]

Good luck... 

































I run a Mac... Runs everything except spyware and viruses...

[tommys67]

I'm kinda with il dood. I don't know how itunes works since I avoid anything Mac related like the plague but I would assume that if someone is buying stuff with her account you should set her up on your computer for now so that she can change all of her passwords and whatnot. If she's got enough stuff on her computer that someone else can remotely control it they've likely got a keystroke recorder as well.

You probably got that far already but I just thought I'd think out loud. My solve all is to just grab the data I need and wipe the system.  Good luck!

Guys - that's the past. 

The spy ware that caused the iTunes theft problem was already solved a few weeks ago.

SpyWare tracking / blocking / blasting software was installed and NOW there are problems throughout the system.

I blame Vista, I blame the SpyWare software, I blame Linksys, and I blame iTunes... in that order.

I will attack it again this weekend.

[tommys67]

Good luck... 

I run a Mac... Runs everything except spyware and viruses...

Yeah, here's the bitter irony...

We bought an iMac back in 2002 while we were still married.  Still runs perfectly.  I bought a MacBook in 2006 after we were separated.  It runs flawlessly.

She got a Dell so she could run her office connectivity software (Citrix) and work from home.  Nothing but problems.

She is promising to get a Mac, get VMWare Fusion, and run Windows XP when she gets her bonus.

In the meantime, I have to get this thing to work - it's a personal ego challenge!

I know I didn't ask for advice, but there is some good advice here!  Thanks all!

[il d00d]

She got a Dell so she could run her office connectivity software (Citrix) and work from home.  Nothing but problems.

I CAN'T STOP
Is Citrix not working on the iMac?  There was a Citrix client that worked OK for me on my G4 iBook.

FWIW, I have never worked with a software firewall that has not caused more problems than it has fixed.  Good luck.  Again.  Additional good luck...

[Pakhan]

try removing or lowering security 1 piece at a time and test to see if things are working or not.

My overall advice though, she is your ex, drop the ego trip, tell her to call geek squad and use your time for you.  From things you have told me I wonder if she will blame you if you can't fix the computer issue in the short or long term.

[tommys67]

From things you have told me I wonder if she will blame you if you can't fix the computer issue in the short or long term.

  Oh that's right, I did tell you that story...

Actually, she did question me strongly yesterday after I re-installed iTunes and it still didn't work.

[trenner]

She is promising to get a Mac, get VMWare Fusion, and run Windows XP when she gets her bonus.

When running Windows, that'll have the same spyware vulnerabilities.  The bonus is that you'll be able to run Windows less.  That'll reduce exposure, at least.

I dual-boot Mac OS X and Vista.  I use Vista only when I have to, and consider Firefox, AVG Anti-virus, Spybot S&D, and Ad-Aware to be my special Windows buddies.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
http://free.avg.com/
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html
http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php