Anyone encountered this annoying computer program?

[Displaced Flames fan]

spylocked

I can't get rid of this thing. It periodically opens a balloon by my task tray that says I have various spyware programs on my computer and to click on the balloon to install a 'spyware solution'. It takes you to spylocked.com's download page.

I have adware and it's clean now so I am sure this is just a very invasive marketing ploy for somebody's spyware blocker.

Anyone seen this and know how to get rid of it?

[ken0042]

Have you tried booting into safe mode and getting rid of it?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

spylocked

I can't get rid of this thing. It periodically opens a balloon by my task tray that says I have various spyware programs on my computer and to click on the balloon to install a 'spyware solution'. It takes you to spylocked.com's download page.

I have adware and it's clean now so I am sure this is just a very invasive marketing ploy for somebody's spyware blocker.

Anyone seen this and know how to get rid of it?

That sounds like a nasty trojan. Try booting in safe mode and go through your registry.

[FlamesAddiction]

I wouldn't trust it. It almost sounds like blackmail.

"Download our anti-spyware program to get rid of the spyware we put on your computer."

[Displaced Flames fan]

What do I do once I am in safe mode?

Yeah...I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to computers. Not much experience in safe mode.

[photon]

A few things to try there.. careful with this one, some of the sites that I found when googling it were fake-anti-spyware sites offering download tools that are themselves probably spyware.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102...sageID=2435757


Other than Adaware, I also highly recommend the Microsoft one here: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I wouldn't trust it. It almost sounds like blackmail.

"Download our anti-spyware program to get rid of the spyware we put on your computer."

Exactly what I thought from the moment this thing popped up last night. I didn't even think about installing their program.

[photon]

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic85376.html

Some good instructions there I think

[prarieboy]

I use this site to clean-up my machine. It's always cleaned up the adware, spyware and even found a couple of viruses I didn't know I had.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

It's free and it works.

[ken0042]

Start- run- type in "regedit"

File- Export and save the registry. (So you can go back if you screw up.)

Then go into Edit- find and start typing in the name of the program.

Do a search for the exe file with the regular search.

Start- run- "msconfig" click on the startup tab to see if the program is there. Also look in your "startup" folder under Start-Programs

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by photon

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic85376.html

Some good instructions there I think

this is how you get rid of it, and it is tough

if you have the means to remove the hd and put it in another computer to do so, it will be easier.

good luck

[skins]

I've experienced the exact same thing a couple times. I've found that the quickest and easiest way to get rid of it is to do a System Restore.

Go to Start -> Help and Support

then do the following:



then



once the wizard pops up, choose "Restore computer to a previous date", then pick a date before the Rogue program appeared. The only problem with this method is that you will lose any new programs you've installed after the restore date that you picked. It's worked for me everytime.

If you're looking for a good spyware/adware program, I've been using CounterSpy and it works great. It's $20 a year which sucks, but the security is tighter than a virgin on prom night.

good luck.

[PsYcNeT]

Hate to bust the ol' bubble, but System Restore is where alot of viruses hide themselves.

Use a program like HijackThis! and post the log file here.

I'll tell you which regfiles to delete, then run Housecall to finalyl get rid of any remaining debri.

[SaskaBushFire]

Also to add in this thread for anyone reading if you aren't useing Firefox for the love of God switch RIGHT now!

http://www.firefox2.com/ca/

Seriously, it kicks the crap out of IE and is a lot safer.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Use a program like HijackThis! and post the log file here.

I second this. I was going to say the same thing. HijackThis will display everything that runs on startup, so its just a matter of finding it in the list and deleting it.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Thanks everyone, problem has been solved.

System restore did not work, but the instructions photon linked did. It was quick, easy and pain free!

No Mozilla for me....been there done that. Don't care for it at all. Had problems with saving bookmarks and they'd not be there the next time opened a browser.

I'll be more careful next time I'm prompted to download a video codec.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

No Mozilla for me....been there done that. Don't care for it at all. Had problems with saving bookmarks and they'd not be there the next time opened a browser.

That's a pretty old bug now, I haven't had that or haven't heard of anyone having that with recent versions for quite a while now.