Strange browser problem. - Tech Support Forums

trueman · December 19th, 2003, 12:47 AM

My browser seems to be doing something strange that I think might be related to spyware. After doing a search in Google I will often open many of the search links in new windows. But it seems that after a certain amount of windows is open the next window will not open to the link, but instead open a page called "Umax search.com. The search word is listed in a text box and under this is a message "This account is closed due to abuse." The other site that also opens sometimes is coolwebsearch.com.

Im guessing this might be spyware or adware what do you think?

HeadBand · December 19th, 2003, 01:16 AM

i dunno but if it is make sure to run adaware and spybot with newest updates

**RicheemxX** · December 19th, 2003, 01:19 AM

i'm not certain I'm getting this one right but lets see after doing a google you open several of the links on the page or just one link several times?? If its several different links and none of them ever open with the problem your talking about then I'd say no its not spyware but more than likely dead links that go to odd hosting/search pages. IMO it doesn't sound like spyware to me but it might be.

its always good to have both adaware and spybot installed and updated and run frequent checks if you don't have at least one you should and run the updater spybot has some new updates this week.

trueman · December 19th, 2003, 05:32 AM

I am opening many different links in new windows and every 5 or 6 links that I choose goes to the search page. If I click the same link again it will then go to the correct page so I dont think its because of dead links. Some of them are links to well know websites.
Also the coolwebsearch page has a list of search words such as porn, Sl&ts, FU%$#ng etc which has nothing to do with the search word I typed in the first place. Thats what makes me think its spyware related.

**RobRich** · December 19th, 2003, 05:37 AM

Welcome to the world of hijackware. You likely have one of these nasty little apps....

http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/datanotary/
http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/cws/

Spybot should be capable of removing this problem.

http://www.safer-networking.org/

Might also want to stop my TrendMicro for a quick free virus scan as well.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Hope this helps,
Robert Richmond

ToiletPaperMCSE · December 19th, 2003, 05:56 AM

I had a similar hijacker recently. Ad-Aware and Spybot couldn´t get rid of it (it popped back up every day after logging in), but CWShredder did the trick.