links on hijacked browser

[SlowMove]

I was just checking on some of the pages on my site, and my browser is showing links that I didn't put there. I clicked on the links and was sent to pages at runsearch.com

Of course, when I right clicked to view source, there were no links. I think they hijacked my browser.

[dmorison]

That's "scumware" installed on your computer.

Get AdAware or something like that.

[SlowMove]

What i can't understand is the lack of security.

[dmorison]

Microsoft gave Windows the the "browser helper objects" API so that developers could add 3rd party tools to Internet Explorer to enhance browsing functionality.

Sadly, this flexibility has been abused by parasitic programs that re-write other sites by changing affiliate URLs, adding their own links and taking over search results etc.

Security would impede those browser tools that really do help, such as the Google Toolbar.

It will be interesting to see what Longhorn (the next "Windows") has to offer in terms of scumware prevention. A simple utility to see what programs have registered themselves as "browser helper objects" would be handy.

[DaveAtIFG]

BHO Demon [definitivesolutions.com] is pretty effective at managing helper objects and the price is just right! :)

[Mohamed_E]

Others have suggested Ad-aware and BHODemon, let me add Spybot Search and Destroy to the list. All three are free.

Also note that Ad-aware at least (the one I use most often) regularly updates their reference file, they have a button you can click to install the newest version.

[hobbnet]

Also try HijackThis or ZeroSpyware