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Topic: ZA problem |
Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 6:03 am |
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For some reason, Zone Alarm is preventing my IE from opening. If I close it first, it opens. What's causing this? Win XP os.
ron |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 9:35 am
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I have never seen or heard such a problem before. I can understand ZoneAlarm challenging IE after a fresh installation, while it is being taught which programs are allowed to access the Internet. But, shutting down an Internet application completely is something that is reserved for anti virus/malware programs, like MBAM, Trend Micro, Symantec, Eset, etc.
The only reason a security program would terminate an Internet application was if it contained a pattern of a known or suspected infection. Some malware is known to replace the Internet Explorer executable with a modified version, leading to hostile searches (e.g. MyWebSearch/MyWay/CooWebSearch) and containing adware (pop-ups/pop-unders), keyloggers (there goes you bank account) and other spyware or BHOs.
This leads me to have to ask the question: Have you scanned your entire computer for malware or viruses, using the most recent definitions? If so, what security programs did you scan with?
If you go to C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer and do a virus/malware scan for the file iexplore.exe - is it clean? I would do a full scan now, just in case.
If the file is clean, and no hostile objects are added into/onto Internet Explorer, this is an error on ZoneAlarm's side. Try going to a forum dedicated to ZoneAlarm user topics and see if anybody else is experiencing the same problem.
Try disabling all Add-ons, BHOs and ActiveX Controls being used by Internet Explorer. Close and re-open the browser. If it no longer crashes, the problem lies in one of those add-ons.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 9:57 am
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We were on vacation and got back yesterday. A family member was dog sitting and used the pc. The yahoo tool bars looked different. I was clicking around in the toolbar settings and now I can't get the bar back which has file, tools, etc.
ron |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 11:06 am
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| Ron Victoria wrote: |
We were on vacation and got back yesterday. A family member was dog sitting and used the pc. The yahoo tool bars looked different. I was clicking around in the toolbar settings and now I can't get the bar back which has file, tools, etc.
ron |
Ron;
You can restore the Menu toolbar on your browser by going to Tools > Toolbars > Menubar (click to check).
Your PC is probably infected through your browser. Ask your friend if he/she allowed any "Flash Player Updates" to be installed while visiting a website other than adobe.com, or any search add-ons, like MyWay or MyWebSearch (Trojans/Hijackers).
The only major updates released last week were critical Windows Updates, on July 14, and Apple iMovie and iTunes on the 15th and 16th.
If your PC lacks effective anti virus and anti malware protection, you can get a free virus scan and removal (of most viruses) by using the Trend Micro Housecall scanner. You download a component then let it scan through a browser. Internet Explorer and Firefox are supported.
If the online scanner cannot remove malware infections you should download, install, update and scan with MalwareBytes AntiMalware. You can use it for free manually, or pay a small fee to get realtime protection and automatic definition updates. Sometimes they release updates two or more times a day, so paid automatic updating is a good idea.
If you are having problems using Internet Exploder, may I recommend switching to Firefox? You can import your cookies and Favorites from IE.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 1:00 pm
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| I found out my daughter upgraded to IE 8. I was happy with 7, uninstalled 8, and it's fine. I wish people would just use another's pc w/o changing anything!!!! |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 7:29 pm
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Do you have Spybot S&D installed on that PC? If yes, do you use the complete Immunization button function?
There is a known issue between Spybot S&D and IE 8, when Immunization is applied. It causes IE 8 to crash on startup, often. Removing the "Domains" immunization usually cures that problem. This does not affect previous versions of MSIE. Go figure.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 8:08 pm
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Wiz. Now you have me worried. My desktop is down, and using my laptop this morning (Opera) I had the download the new flash flag come up. It was as I opened Opera and not any internet sites. I clicked on it. Am I in trouble?
_________________
heavily medicated for your safety |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2009 9:47 pm
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Ken;
I don't know how to give you a good answer to your question. The best I can do is to ask if the Flash download originated at adobe.com? If so, the update was legitimate. Nobody else is authorized to make Adobe Flash available for downloading. Web sites can offer a link to get Flash, but are not allowed to supply it themselves. On the other hand, criminals do make fake Flash updates available on their holdings.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 5:40 pm
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I don't recall if it was Adobe. Have to wait and see if I have any problems.
_________________
heavily medicated for your safety |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 9:16 pm
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| Ken Lang wrote: |
| I don't recall if it was Adobe. Have to wait and see if I have any problems. |
Nope. You don't wait to see if you have problems: you can find out tonight. I suggest you use the Trend Micro Housecall online scanner. It will report on anything it finds and can remove many threats via the downloadable removal module.
Adobe Flash is installed on 99% of the Internet connected computers Worldwide. The installed version is outdated and exploitable on about 14% of those computers, as of June this year (13% in USA/CAN). This is a 10% improvement from March.
That many people running exploitable versions of Flash is making a lot of money for Bot herders and fake anti virus makers and distributors. These folks use trickery and driveby downloads to install their Trojans on your PCs, usually disguised as an updated version of Flash. While that is just one point of infection, why leave it open? At the least, run the Secunia Online Software Inspector about twice a month, to scan for outdated, vulnerable software on your PCs. Update as required. More than 98% of Windows computers harbor at least one unpatched, exploitable application, and nearly half contain 12 or more programs at risk from attack, according to a recent Secunia blog report.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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