Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked :(

[Nibbler]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

Naw. It was just crap and inevitably doomed.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

I totally agree.

I had a nasty root kit virus and the guys at Malwarebytes spent weeks helping me get rid of it, and I only had the free version. Their helpdesk was stunningly helpful.

I always use malwarebytes :nod: and Opera Next as my browser (I've never got on with FF or chrome for some reason)

I started using Malwarebytes probably 10 years ago, but I hadn't installed it on my new(ish) laptop since I hadn't had cause for concern. I use Esset Internet Security which I've used since 2001 when I gave up on big names Norton & McAffee.

As you have found out this is a classic ploy of adware of various sorts. Smartbar and the like are the culprits and the impact on speed and browser bandwidth is enormous! Unfortunately some of the major antivirus manufacturers do not protect against this as there is not necessarily a virus involved (technically a virus propagates itself - smart bar is installed by a person). We classify all such software as "Potentially Unwanted Programs" and block them in our AV. Malwarebytes as you were advised is one of the best after-the-event cleaners. This is free to private users but do consider making a donation to them if it has been helpful. The are good guys!

Indeed, the other AV didn't pick up those PUPs because they are not considered as a virus, although if I ever installed SmartBar it must have been in my sleep as I'd never have done such a thing, not knowingly. :nono: It is possible that it got installed while someone else was using my computer while I was asleep, this only happened after I had guests (night owl types) staying over a few times. People may not always be aware that they are installing something. :ohwell:

The problem with MBAM is that it's also picking up other executables as 'PUPs' and quarantined some files required to run Photoshop and Dreamweaver as well as the automated cloud back-up utility. I've just realised that, for that reason, the nightly back-up hasn't been running as it should, leaving me exposed in a different way. I have now changed the MBAM settings to ask me rather than just moved files into quarantine. Older versions of the free MBAM used to run only on demand, unlike this one which runs in the background alongside the other AV so I wasn't aware it had been blocking some useful files.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

Short of getting rid of the malware or adware, the better option would have been using a fresh profile for Firefox. It's likely the original problems you had quoting etc were profile or security software related, not some intrinsic to Firefox. Firefox 36 and 37 post here fine with no problems.

I still have problems quoting in FF which is why I've been using IE just to post on here. Otherwise I only use it for site testing purposes or when I'm logged in on FF and I want to view a site as a guest without having to log out, I use IE. :nerd:

The world moves on. Go back a few years and Chrome was slow and creaky and IE was the corporate gold standard. In the last 6 months IE has been getting steadily worse and both Chrome and Firefox are now working well. Now we find IE brings a machine down if left running with too many tabs which is its deathnell in my book, let alone the disaster which is compatibility mode!

IE has ALWAYS been the corporate 'Gold Standard'. That's purely because it comes built into Windows and IT departments are reluctant to install anything else that's not part of a company's software package. Big corporations tend to used specially 'packaged' versions of software, mainly MS Office and other proprietary programs they need, and they don't allow installation of freely downloadable software like FF. Even when technically IT staff would have the permissions to install it, it would be against company policy to do so other than on their own testing machines, where they run all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

It appears that LB and ComputerGuru have more influence than previously thought. Microsoft have now announced the phasing out of Internet Explorer altogether! This thread was clearly the last straw...

I'm very pleased to have started the ball rolling....

[Nibbler]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

I still have problems quoting in FF which is why I've been using IE just to post on here. Otherwise I only use it for site testing purposes or when I'm logged in on FF and I want to view a site as a guest without having to log out, I use IE.

If me I would be trying to diagnose why Firefox is acting like that, because as said is fine here - both in Linux and Win8.1 and Win 10 (in VM).

[ostell]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

It may help to go to control panel and look at add/remove programs (or whatever itereration your version is using). Sort the programs by date, with the latest at the top, and you should see if anything has installed itself under the covers..

[Crazy council]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

have you checked you add onns in FF. disbale them

Run MWB again, full scan, reboot and run again ( this will get any hidin in memory between reboots ). Make sure your hosts file has not been disabled. Uninstall any odd software from task manager.

Make sure you dont have something like search conduit installed as a browser re-director

[ComputerGuru]

Re: Internet Explorer seems to have been hacked

have you checked you add onns in FF. disbale them

Run MWB again, full scan, reboot and run again ( this will get any hidin in memory between reboots ). Make sure your hosts file has not been disabled. Uninstall any odd software from task manager.

Make sure you dont have something like search conduit installed as a browser re-director

Just reviewed your image of how the quotes appear and this is certainly how conduit and similar behave. You would normally see it on other pages too though so that is odd. Try running IE in safe mode and see if it goes away. If this work that proves it is an add in to IE causing it.