Tech: Question about Shortcuts

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 07:05 AM

My just previous to yours mentioned something that I used to use which should do that job again - sorry - forgotten what it was.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 02:56 AM

What I'm seeing a lot more of, since the popup blockers got more common, are more animated ads placed/embedded directly in the main window, with essentially the same sort of stuff that used to open a separate "popup window." Since the stuff is a part of the page you want to see, there's no good way (yet) to block them and still see the wanted material. Of course you can block all animations with most browsers, but that affects how you see other stuff, some of which you may want to see - or not.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 11:14 PM

'lot of web sites have started putting the "popups" directly into the page scripts, instead of as linked ads that can be blocked'

I used to use something before the old box died and I started on this new one - can't remember what it was called - but the name Webwasher comes to mind, or was it part of Norton's which I no longer use - it used to allow you to stop ad displays embedded in a page by automatically editing the HTML page before displaying it to put comments around offending lines of code that had links to particular sites and particular external directory structures on external sites like '/ads' ....

Perhaps it's time to go find that again...

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 10:46 PM

well, I have the SP2, but I 'can' enable pop-ups if I choose, by turning off my settings...now & then there is one that is useful...maybe every 2 months,,

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 08:45 PM

S**T ... no wonder your server co-op is zero this week. No need knocking at doors that arn't there.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 06:01 PM

Actually, Bill, the new WinXP SP2 popup stopper seems to be quite effective. I was using the Google Toolbar blocker, and it hasn't seen a popup since I did the SP2 thing.

Quite a few malware producers seem to have started including Anti AV and Anti blocker "infections," so it is possible to have an "infected" blocker.

Unfortunately, now a lot of web sites have started putting the "popups" directly into the page scripts, instead of as linked ads that can be blocked. More trouble for them, but the same old shit for us.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 05:46 PM

How can you 'infect' a popup stopper? *sigh*....there are SO many good ways to battle pop-ups....I will once again suggest The Proxomitron and the built-in safeguards in Firefox/Mozilla

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:48 PM

Possibly not the best thread for this info, but since it touches on shortcuts and toolbars:

A "bug" has been found in the new(est) Google toolbar, if you use the new option to index your own stuff. Since the indexing is done as the document is loaded/created, and password and/or encryption is not applied until you save, the Google toolbar search index will include, and can retrieve, all of the content of documents you may chose to "protect" by hiding them behind a password. Anyone who can use the Google search on your machine can see everything – including stuff you may not want them to.

Google says it's by design, and they don't think it's a "bug." There are workarounds. Details, for those interested, at Security Watch: Too Many Google Results PC Magazine bulletin.

I suspect not many people are actually using this new "feature," and the feature is still in "beta;" but it might affect whether you want to try it out; and there's no indication that Google intends to change it when they "officially" release the toolbar.

Note: the article linked also includes incidental comment on a couple of new vulnerabilities in Apple Quick Time and Real Media Player.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:15 PM

I didn't go there......the tech said it was my pop up stopper (Panicware) that was infected.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 03:07 PM

So what's up, Bill and Sorcha--did the program work for one of you and not the other?

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:34 PM

They should all be killed in the most painful way possible!

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:30 PM

It was a goddamn trojan......

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:16 PM

here is another program I have added to my arsenal of protective devices...System Safety Monitor
(note..although the program is fine & safe, this page is in Russia and tries to set a bunch of cookies, including some which are not related to the domain...be prepared)

"System Safety Monitor (SSM) is an application-firewalling tool (it is not a "firewall" in traditional understanding, so there shouldn't be any conflicts with your network firewalls). SSM controls which programs are running on your computer and what they are doing. For example, SSM can prevent so called "DLL Injection". Also, SSM will notify you whenever a program you want to start was modified. In addition, SSM can constantly check your registry and alert you, when an important modification was made."

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:58 PM

Now, I even have a hardware firewall and the option comes up to Allow or Deny the change......curious to know what they find.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:52 PM

If it was just one or two shortcuts, the most likely explanation would be that the target file got moved, or its name changed. This would imply that maybe "a user" was shuffling things around.

Sadly, the most likely cause, if it was a bunch of icons and shortcuts, is probably an invasion by one of the "hijack" type slimes. The shortcuts are executed by one of those .dll thingies. I don't know offhand which one. A few types of "hijack" malware programs attempt to modify the "shortcut manager" so that you get their stuff when you click on a shortcut to something of your own. I'd have to do research to be sure, but I believe the same "shortcut manager" that works the links on your desktop also works web navigation links.

Some of the malware in circulation is quite "professional" and often works as intended by the vermin who distribute it. A lot of it is "amateur" cut and paste by idiots, and sometimes it just breaks things.

An "incomplete" removal by a "protection" utility can also leave a broken file or two, which may make your sytem "work different" or not work at all. Unfortunately, with the current rate of appearance of "new kinds" of crudware, no single program can manage them all.

This is just guessing, of course, based on your limited information. I know you've said you've got - and use - all the "protection goodies." They're generally pretty good, so it must be your "adventurous cruising" that exposes you.(?)... (just teasin')

It could also be that something in your setup could be adjusted. When you get it back from hospital, I'd suggest a visit to the Norton Security Check site to let them "probe" you and identify where you may have a hole or two. I've posted a link, and have it in my favorites, but will look it up later.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:40 PM

did you go to the folder and try to launch from there? What did happen when you tried? An error message? Nothing? The only reason I can guess is that the 'properties' had changed...that is, the stated locations were different than the shortcut said.

Subject: Tech: Question about Shortcuts
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:16 PM

I'm not asking you to help me fix it...it's back in hospital, but does anybody have ANY idea why my desktop shortcuts and Quick Launch Icons stopped working? Or worked intermittently??