Expert: Carolyn Meinel - 6/21/2005

Question
For some reason (I assume a virus) my dial up connection keeps getting replaced by some other one.  My username and password are replaced and the dial up number is 15 digit number. Every time I enter my old username etc. info the next time the I log on it reverts back to the foriegn one. I am running windows 98. I've run an old virus software which came up empty.

Answer
Wow, you certainly are correct in seeing this as a serious problem. As you have already determined, antivirus software often doesn't handle this kind of threat.

First: thanks to this malware, you are going to get a huge phone bill soon. However, if you live in the U.S. or anywhere else with decent laws, just tell the phone company what happened and they will delete the bill as fraudulent.

Second: how to get rid of this malware. For instant free help, try Ad-aware, http://lavasoft.element5.com/software/adaware or Spybot Search and Destroy, free from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/ You can use both together if you wish because they are compatible. In addition, if you are more of a power user, you can install BHODemon. It is free from http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm It enables you to control the "browser helper objects" of Internet Explorer (IE). Adware and spyware and some viruses and worms exploit IE.

To avoid future infections, you can use a safer browser such as Firefox, free from http://www.mozilla.org

Also, you will be safer if your old one, as antivirus programs tend to fight each other. I recommend the free version of Avast! antivirus, from http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html or AVG, free from http://free.grisoft.com/doc/Get+AVG+FREE/lng/us/tpl/v5

Also, it helps to install a firewall. Even if you use the Windows XP firewall, Zone Alarm, free from ZOnelabs.com, woirks better.