Please help with internet link bug

[Ironman5000]

My laptop seems to have picked up a bug where any google search result links redirect me to random pages and any troubleshooting seems to try and encourage downloading untrustworthy software.

 

The general consensus seems to suggest malware has corrupted the browser somehow and the only way to solve it is by downloading an anti-malware program...even though I have norton antivirus active which should have blocked this in the first place and won't detect anything with a system scan.

 

Can anybody help me out here because it's really frustrating trying to find a legitimate fix elsewhere, I get suspicious that some guys are trying to purposefully trying to encourage harmful downloads - I tried getting a registry cleaner the other day which looked legit but installed a browser which was a pain in the arse to remove called "funmoods" which turned out to be quite well known as a hijacker virus, i'm still not 100% if it's all gone :confused:

 

Anyway the OS is win7 using google chrome, if you need more info ask me. I can't be 100% where the malware (if it is) might have come from it's mostly my girlfriend that uses it.

[Lawlacaust]

Oh god i remember funmoods it was a pain in da butt to get rid of...i use avg or Avast or try spybot search & destroy i get all my download from http://download.cnet.com/windows/ no more legit site then that one

[M48A5]

I used StopZilla for quite awhile, until I had a problem with McAfee and their tech support said it was interferring with McAfee Security Center. It seemed to do a good job, also.

http://www.stopzilla.com/

[hoofhearted4]

whatever you decide to use. put it on a flashdrive from a different PC and install it in Safe Mode. if you install it in regular mode, the bug could slip past the program since it was there to begin with.

[Ironman5000]

@Lawlacaust: I no longer trust cnet as it's where funmoods came from so don't think i'll be using that site again.

 

@M48A5: It interfered with your security? That's not good, I hardly trust mine as it is.

[Dan3345]

cnet is a safe site to get software from, the thing is though it depends on what you are downloading. And when you install any software always, always, always check custom installation so that you can stop the install software from putting bloatware on your computer.

 

Also hoof is right, put the cleanup software on a flash drive, and then boot into safe mode. Once there then install the software. This will bypass the bloatware/malware from doing its thing.

 

To be specific, any software that interferes with the users average methods in a hostile way as you describe is malware, and must be treated as such. Its not necessary either, but once you get the malware off make sure it hasn't compromised your network look for anything it may have left behind. A lot of the time people get malware that they think is benign. This is because they are unaware of what the malware could have possible done to their network. A good example and a common one is a backdoor. Harmless (but annoying) malware like an internet explorer toolbar gets on your system. You remove it and think it's gone, but the malware leaves behind a method in your network for other viruses or some sort of hacker ( I hate using the word hacker based on how poorly used it is in society today) to exploit your system.

[FMod]

Most worms and trojans today are much simpler than polymorph virii of the 90s. So they lack special mechanisms to defeat removal programs, mostly counting on infecting another PC anyway or you not trying anything.

 

Most of the time you can just run antimalware on an infected PC straight up. It will work and it isn't always possible to install in safe mode anyway.

One of the better programs is this: http://www.malwarebytes.org

 

If nothing helps, reinstall your OS. Using the file and settings transfer wizard makes the process relatively painless... it's not much longer than safe mode workarounds.

Also, install Microsoft Security Essentials that time, and never DL and install anything without googling it first.

Edited November 22, 2012 by FMod

[hoofhearted4]

i use MSE, Malwarebytes, and Spybot S&D on my computers. just as a point of reference as to what works for me

[Ironman5000]

Thanks for feedback I will post here again if I run into any further trouble :thumbsup:

[Ironman5000]

Well I tried it and the malware program found nothing after a full scan :confused: FYI I have norton antivirus and that hasn't picked anything up too.