Expert: Carolyn Meinel - 1/29/2006

Question
Dear Carolyn,

yesterday i logged on to my computer, and it displayed a message balloon in the system tray of the tool bar. Assuming it to be an official computer report, i clicked on it, only to be directed to an internet site called "spyware strike". Annoyed, i opened an independant browser window and i was instantly directed to the site www.securtiyenhance.com, and every time i load up a new internet window, would you know it, i end up at the same site, even if i change my homepage.

Present day: a new icon has appeared in the system tray for a NEW adware site. It's displaying balloon windows every 10 seconds and is driving me nuts. This might help, i'm not entirely sure, but when i load a borwser window, before the address appears in the address bar, it says about:blank.

Ms. Meinel, the fate of my computer is in your hands. Please help me!

Sincerely,

Sam Taylor

Answer
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, the paid version of Zone Alarm, from www.zonelabs.com has excellent spyware combating powers.