Warning

I was directed to this page by someone today. I think I may have found an explanation for the behaviour of my laptop which prompted the purchase of this little netbook.

I recall that the problem started when I allowed FireFox to do an automatic update. The update included an new version of FlashGot (which I never use, but hey) and a prompt to download the latest Adobe Reader, which I did. Firstly, FireFox started behaving strangely, freezing or closing at random, forgetting passwords and so on. I even deleted the program and installed a fresh download, but with no success. A week or two later, it started really buggering me about. Google searches were redirected to sites I didn't want, and after closing the Google page (the only way out of the problem) and retrying the search, I got a blank screen with the message from Google that my machine was sending out automated requests and that no further searches were possible. A full restart was the only way round it - until the next time.

I identified this as a browser hijack, although I wasn't able to find the name of the virus. It must have been one doozy of a program, as it was impervious to all attempts to remove it. I spent a day doing this sequence:

1. Update all AV and similar programs with latest definitions
2. Disconnect network cable
3. Run Avast and AVG anti-virus programs
4. Run Adaware and Spybot S&D anti-malware programs
5. Run Avast boot scan from cold start.

I found and eliminated quite a few nasty-sounding bugs. Then I did 2 to 5 again. More bugs. Then 2 to 5 once more, and everything came up clean. I reconnected to the internet and all was well for about 24 hours. Then it all started again. So I did the whole routine again. Same result. Bear in mind that through all of this, I had Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm firewall enabled, and I had either or both of the AV programs running at all times.

When I read the advice linked above, it all made sense. In my case, it was Adobe Reader rather than Flash that was the bait, but everything else fits. It seems as though I was fooled into downloading and running a virus, when I thought I was updating programs I trusted. I feel pretty foolish, as although I am by no means an expert in these things I am usually quite smart about checking things, not opening unrecognised programs and so on, and my PCs have been free of any serious virus attacks for several years.

So, if you run FireFox and it prompts you to upgrade anything after it has finished updating, pause and follow the advice in the link. It may save you a lot of hassle.

Avast Ye!

Edited to remove superfluous and tedious detail.

I think I have been hijacked. My computer has been behaving strangely recently. Firefox, normally a superb bit of kit, has become unstable and crashes randomly. Today, I realised I had a full browser hijack on my plate. Google wouldn't let me search, as it detected my computer was sending automated messages, and every attempt to go to an anti-virus site resulted in a visit to a gambling den or travel agent.

I have wasted the entire day downloading various bits of software, sometimes using Anna's computer and a memory stick to get round the redirects, and then scouring the hard drive with electronic Brillo to get rid of the unpleasant stains. I think I have succeeded: Internet Explorer hasn't flashed up a window unbidden for hours now, and Google is Googling merrily away.

I'm still not sure what happened, but it looks as though downloading and running an anti-virus program called Avast has done the trick. AdAware, Spybot S&D, ZoneAlarm and CWShredder didn't find anything, but as soon as I ran a full scan with Avast (and it removed three files only) the abnormal behaviour stopped. And (touch wood) it has not restarted.

Update: I wrote the above and then went to eat my dinner, as we Northerners put it. I come back to the lapdog, and Google won't let me search any more, and my queries are being redirected to strange places. I wanted to print off my car insurance certificate and clicked on the Swiftcover link in Google (this was before it threw me out) and I ended up at somewhere called 'Getaquote.com'. Typing in the URL directly did the trick, so it seems only to affect Google clickthroughs.

Back to Avast for another thorough Brillo-pad-and-Domestos session, I think. See you later.

(Coda: Strange. I'm not a prude, but I am quite relaxed about all this as the sites I was being led to were all games, gambling, travel or other bland advertising. If they had been porn pages, I would have felt very differently, I think.)