From: Doug Pensinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
All right, experts, when I try to go to Google I get a web page that reads in part:
I'm not as expert as some on this list are, but I'm up at 3AM, so I'll add my 2 cents...
<<Are you trying to get to Google?
Your computer is running software that doesnt allow you to use Google.
Youre seeing this page because your computer is trying to send you to a website that is pretending to be Google. Over the past few weeks, you may have seen a website that looks like Google, but launches pop-up windows and does not work like Google. That page is not affiliated with Google in any way and is intended to deceive you.
Interesting - when you try to go to google, you see this message? Is what it says correct, were you getting pop-ups, and was "google" behaving differently than normal?
Why is this happening?
Most likely a program was installed on your computer automatically and without your knowledge when you downloaded an otherwise harmless piece of software. Or you may have been tricked into clicking on a disguised download button while visiting a website.>>
Might you have done this?
The page goes on to tell me how to fix the problem and several web sites to go to to find out more about the problem. It occurs to me, however that the solution proposed might be something that compounds the problem or spreads it to others. Thus this call for assistance. Suggestions?
Doug
The advice it gives seems very reasonable to me. It does seem odd that the fake google you're getting redirected to would be warning you about it, though. I'm unsure who the "we" is in the message - was it from Google? Possibly, the real Google contacted the ISP of the fake Google site, and replaced it with the message you saw. That's my first guess. Or maybe, some nice hackers replaced the fake google page with the message you saw, to warn people
Thinking about it, I just now googled for "fake google" and found this site:
http://www.markcarey.com/googleguy-says/archives/discuss-spyware-presents-fake-google-homepage.html
It sounds a lot like what you're seeing.
Anyway, I checked my hosts file, and it only has a single entry in it, for "localhost". I think removing any google entries should fix your problem, at least in part. I'd probably be suspicious of any other entries in that file (besides localhost) as well. There are valid reasons for entries in there, but it seems unlikely that would be the case.
Also, AdAware, and Spybot Search and Destroy are both good programs. I've used both and prefer spybot, but both are reputable.
It might also be worth getting BHOcop to make sure your browser isn't infested with any sneaky/annoying BHO's.
The most common anti virus software unfortunately seems to ignore spyware and its ilk, so a virus scanner won't detect/fix this kind of thing, but it's still important to have one, anyway.
Good luck!
-bryon
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