SPYWARE, and how it could be beaten.

Discussion in 'Computer Science & Culture' started by Undecided, Apr 11, 2004.

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  1. invert_nexus Ze do caixao Valued Senior Member

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    err.... This is a personal computer right? If it's a work computer these might need to be in there. If it's your computer and you didn't put them in there, then you've been hijacked. I've never seen a program alter the hosts file. It's obsolete now ain't it? Just in for compatibility?
     
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  3. Idle Mind What the hell, man? Valued Senior Member

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    It's a personal computer, so no worries there. Thanks a lot for your help.
     
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  5. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    HOSTS file hijacking is on an increase. HOSTS file play less of the role they use to thanks to DNS servers, however they are still utilised in certain instances, like making sure the domain you type in is the one you want by placing the correct IP address in there with them.

    They are also useful for giving your own computers on an LAN network petnames, so you can contact them through the browser if they are serving things like websites etc.
    (i.e. Rather than typing 192.168.0.2 for another machine, you can write a name like "Comp2" and it will find it, but only if it's rigged up for the protocols supported by the browser)

    HOSTS files are also used in configuring linux boxes with things like Sendmail, and Apache. Useful for creating internal subdomain names that don't work outside of the servers structure.
     
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  7. Undecided Banned Banned

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    I d/l adware, but I am not sure on how exactly it works. Also I know I have been hijacked or something of that nature due to the fact this:

    res://mshp.dll/index.html#37049

    is my homepage, how do I get rid of that? Also I have this annoying thing called readme Acid Skip...I am computer retarded, so please baby step by baby step. Thank you.
     
  8. Captain_Crunch Club Ninja Valued Senior Member

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    If you think thats bad, they are going to start and put chips in your clothing that will record details about your spending patterns. Mental stuff.
     
  9. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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  10. A4Ever Knows where his towel is Registered Senior Member

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    So although I already use Adaware, I installed Spybot yesterday.

    But it won't update. Program locks up if I try. Probably because you need to define a proxy. But I don't know anything about those things. I don't think I have a "proxy" (can one have a proxy?

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    ) I am logged in through a university intranet, which also gives acces to internet.

    How can I update Spybot?
     
  11. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    Well the Univerisity computers are more than likely to run through a Proxy (In this case, server systems that Cache what you view online on a server at the University, the idea is that if everyone in the university was all going to look at a page, they wouldn't all pull it from one site they would get it from the Cache saving bandwidth)

    This means that your connection to the actual net is routed through it (ergo named proxy).

    It's more than likely the case that you won't be able to get any information on the installation of the system at University (since they like to try and stop people mucking around with the settings too much)

    If your having problems though, I doubt it would be down to a proxy setting, it's more than likely that the University has stopped .EXE files from being downloaded from the internet and executed on the computers, you would have to attempt to find a .ZIP version of the files to update.
     
  12. invert_nexus Ze do caixao Valued Senior Member

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    Or you could try changing the default update server. I think the default is somewhere in europe and I've heard it get's overwhelmed sometimes. Never actually had the problem myself though.
     
  13. A4Ever Knows where his towel is Registered Senior Member

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    invert nexus: thanks! Updates come in from Australia without any problems or proxy settings

    Stryderunknown: thanks for not assuming I was making such a dumb mistake

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  14. invert_nexus Ze do caixao Valued Senior Member

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    no prob, now I have confirmation that this does help sometimes.
     
  15. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    No prob, A4Ever. The reason I didn't look at the simple usage of a different location is I've seen some universities block file types to try and stop their systems getting things loaded onto them. (Although there is always a work around)

    Seems the admins at such places lock the systems up and then pretty much forget about them because they believe they've dealt with the issue, meanwhile the students circumnavigate left right and centre. There probably best off allowing the students full access, and stopping the ability to lock people out, at least they would have to stay on top of things, but it's not like anyone will ever listen lol
     
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