Searching for websites within Internet Explorer has become hijacked. When I search for a particular keyword(s) using Google or Bing the proper list of search results are returned, but clicking on any of the links redirects the browser to either an internet dating site, shopping site, or dodgy “your computer is infected” site. This behaviour seems to indicate some kind of malware infection, but a thorough scan using Norton 360 (fully updated) does not find any infections. The computer is running Windows Vista Home Edition with Internet Explorer 8. (more…)

My computer is running Windows XP Home Edition with CA Antivirus and SpyHunter Antispyware installed to provide protection. Both security products are regularly updated. After I recently updated the antivirus definitions a message appeared from CA Antivirus informing that “Windows\system32\verclsid.exe” had been infected with “Win32/AMalumZZOCA” and the file had been quarantined. I completed a System Restore to roll-back the computer to a previous point when it was not infected, but shortly after the messages proliferated and I had 25 instances of the infection warning affecting files ranging from system32 and service pack files to a range of randomly named files such as ZZNPB, ZZOKH, ZZOAZ, and ZZNRA. Finally, a message appeared from Windows File Protection saying “Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files. Insert your Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 CD now”. Since I do not have the required CD this advice could not be followed, and attempts to use system restore produce a message that the system cannot be returned to any of the available restore points. Is there anything I can do to make the system functional once again? The messages have not been reappearing but I am wary of using the computer for banking until I am sure that the problem has been resolved and the computer is virus-free. (more…)

When starting my computer the following error message appears on the screen: “Error loading C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bin\M3PLUGIN.DLL. The specified module could not be found”. I don’t know why this problem is occurring or how it can be fixed. The computer is running Windows XP. (more…)

I have been attempting to install Ad-Aware Free on my Windows XP computer. When I visit the Ad-Aware website (www.lavasoft.com) to download the product I follow through the prompts, but at the end when I am about to commence downloading the product a message appears saying “This website has been reported as unsafe. We recommend that you do not continue to this website”. Why is Internet Explorer reporting that the Ad-Aware download is unsafe, and how can I download this product? (more…)

Recently I have been receiving a lot of unwanted (spam) email messages. These messages are not just unwanted, but they are also not addressed to my email address! Looking in the “To” field on the email message these are addressed to other people, but I am still receiving the messages. Is there any way that I can stop or divert these email messages? The computer is running Windows XP Home Edition and AVG Antivirus Free 8.0. (more…)