Spyware Removal Tricks and Advice

Combating Browser Hijackers
It seems like almost all new spyware software programs are now browser hijackers. These types of spyware will change your browser start page, search page, and/or favorite settings. The reason that this is done is to get extra traffic for the sites of certain websites. Since websites depend on traffic for success, browser hijacking is becoming a very large problem.
In some cases, you can return your browser setting back to normal with just a few clicks of the mouse.
1. In Internet Explorer, click on the Tools heading. Then click on Internet Options. Under the general tab, you will find a place to type in what you want to be your home page when your web browser starts up.
2. You will need to reset the search page. Do this by clicking on the Menu tab called Programs. Then, click on the button labeled as Reset Settings. You will get a prompt asking if you want to proceed. There is a box in the right-hand corner that says Reset Start Page. By clicking on this box before proceeding, you can reset your settings.
3. Open up the Favorites section in Internet Explorer. Delete all the spyware bookmarks.
Unfortunately, not all browser hijackers are this easy to fix. If the settings keep on going back to the spyware hijacked settings, then you will have to change it in the registry following these steps.
1. Click the Start button on your computer and then select Run. Type in the command regedit and then hit enter.
2. Your registry editor will appear. You need to find the Start Page which will be located in this path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
3. Double click on the Start Page entry. You will be able to enter the startup page that you want.
4. Now, you will need to reset your search pages. They are located in the same area as the registry editor and are labeled as such:
 Search Page
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 Search Bar
5. Fill in the entries for the Search Page and Search Bar.
6. You will also need to check these paths and make sure that they are set to the right search engine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search
To save you the trouble of doing this each time your registry gets hijacked, you can download the tool anti-jack.reg. This is a file which will edit your Windows registry. The file will contain paths for the files which you changed above. Just change the files in anti-jack.reg to reflect your preferences. Whenever you want to default back to those settings, you can just double click on the anti-jack.reg file.
Running Hijack This Against Registry Hijacking
There are a few reasons that registry hijacking is such a nuisance. First of all, many antispyware software programs don’t reset your browser to something which is safe. Then, when you go to open up Internet Explorer, you are directed to the malicious site and your computer is instantly re-infected with the spyware program.
After running antispyware, you should NEVER open up your internet until you have changed your browser settings. Another option is to run the antispyware tool called Hijack This first. The utility will reset your Internet Explorer back to the original settings.
Hijack This is also a great tool for removing any bits of spyware which other antispyware software may have missed. Hijack This is a completely free antispyware tool. Its only downside is that it is a bit difficult for novices to use. However, you can find a great tutorial that will take you through the processes of using Hijack This here: http://hjt.wizardsofwebsites.com.
Chapter 18Chapter 18Chapter 18Chapter 18:
Spyware that Prevents You from Running Antispyware
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One of the most common new complaints with spyware is that it actually prevents the user from running antispyware against it. There are a few ways that this problem shows itself such as the user cannot visit antispyware sites, cannot download any antispyware software and/or cannot update antispyware software.
These traits are not just limited to spyware. The famous Conflicker worm will restrict a user’s access to websites dealing with computer security. This prevents the user from gathering information which is necessary to fight the infection. Some of the websites which Conflicker blocked include AVG, McAfee, Symantec and F-secure. Other infections may give users restricted access to security sites and thus prevents them from downloading or updating any security-related software.
There are a few options that can be used to cure this type of spyware infection:
1. The easiest option would be to use an uninfected computer to download antispyware software. Then, use a removable disc to transfer the download onto your computer. If you know what type of spyware you are infected with, it is also recommended that you spend some time in forums to find out