bing and google problem

[highnote]

Hi -- after typing in a search term in bing or google I get a list of links. Almost everytime I click on a link I get redirected to scour.com.

If I redo the search and click on the same link I am taken to the expected site. This only seems to happen the first time I click the link.

I can't tell if this is a virus or adware or trojan or if this is just because I tend to click on the links that are displayed at the top of the screen.

Also, I bought some things online and a few weeks later I got a call from my credit card company saying that my card number was stolen.

Not sure if the redirection of my search results and stolen credit card number are coincidence.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[wilderness]

The latest and heavily active Win32.TDSS (Alureon) infects the hard drive root and is difficult.

Many softwares claim to remove it, however in most instances their removal references are to the older versions of the virus/malware.

After many efforts to remove and many reappearances of the thing, I had to reformat (a last resort for me).

[bigmack]

Hi -- after typing in a search term in bing or google I get a list of links. Almost everytime I click on a link I get redirected to scour.com.

Redirects can be nasty little buggers.

Scan with this, then restart:
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro

[Grits]

Hi -- after typing in a search term in bing or google I get a list of links. Almost everytime I click on a link I get redirected to scour.com.

If I redo the search and click on the same link I am taken to the expected site. This only seems to happen the first time I click the link.

I can't tell if this is a virus or adware or trojan or if this is just because I tend to click on the links that are displayed at the top of the screen.

Also, I bought some things online and a few weeks later I got a call from my credit card company saying that my card number was stolen.

Not sure if the redirection of my search results and stolen credit card number are coincidence.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

This has happened on my desktop, repeatedly for months now. So much so that I rarely turn it on anymore. I'm ready to toss it. I've used my laptop, tablet and phone instead. I've not used the desktop for purchasing anything-- shoes at Zappos, books at Amazon, etc. I thank you SWJ for posting this note. The card theft may not be related, still its good to know. Thanks.;)

[senortout]

Try running an instance of Spybot Search and Destroy, its free...be sure and run as administrator

[highnote]

Hi Wilderness... took your advice and reformatted my harddrive ... after backing up everything first.

Thanks everyone else for your comments. I figured it wasn't worth the trouble trying to remove. Easier to kill it.

Pain in the ass, but the computer runs much faster. It's probably a good idea to do this every once in awhile anyway.

The latest and heavily active Win32.TDSS (Alureon) infects the hard drive root and is difficult.

Many softwares claim to remove it, however in most instances their removal references are to the older versions of the virus/malware.

After many efforts to remove and many reappearances of the thing, I had to reformat (a last resort for me).

[ArlJim78]

The latest and heavily active Win32.TDSS (Alureon) infects the hard drive root and is difficult.

Many softwares claim to remove it, however in most instances their removal references are to the older versions of the virus/malware.

After many efforts to remove and many reappearances of the thing, I had to reformat (a last resort for me).
I picked up this alureon bug on my work computer about a month ago.
just like Swetyjohn all my searches were taken over and getting redirected, and I kept getting a "debugger" error message oh about every 15 seconds. I figured this was bad because I noticed it was still popping up even as windows was all but closed going into shutdown.

Our IT people zapped it with something they got from Kaspersky (sp?)

[wilderness]

The latest and heavily active Win32.TDSS (Alureon) infects the hard drive root and is difficult.

Many softwares claim to remove it, however in most instances their removal references are to the older versions of the virus/malware.

After many efforts to remove and many reappearances of the thing, I had to reformat (a last resort for me).

Previously I provided an incomplete explanation.

After running a google on "scour.com" I located a reference which provided that it was the Win32.TDSS (Alureon).

The following were completed multiple times and after some 30-hours of working, and the virus reappearing each time an internet connection was established reformat was eminent.

ViperRescue three-times

ComboFix half-a-dozen times.

Windows Malicious Removal (the newest is much better than the earlier versions and must be run deep) three times.

SpyBot- multiple times deep

MalwarwBytes- multiple times deep

Avira- multiple times deep

All failed to remove the virus permanently.

Once again for the soothsayers, this recent version of Win32.TDSS (Alureon) is far stronger than earlier versions.

In the past fifteen years I've caught just two virus' and two worms, all the while not using any AV software. The two virus have been in the last eighteen months.

Today I use GESWAll (despite it being a PITA) and Avira simultaneously.

[wilderness]

FWIW, the term "root" that is being used actually refers to FAT.

[PaceAdvantage]

Redirects can be nasty little buggers.

Scan with this, then restart:
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanproThis hitmanpro can be a real miracle worker. It worked for me when everything else failed (malwarebytes, MS Security Essentials).

Always keep hitmanpro in the back of your head if you should ever run into any of these little buggers again...

I didn't even have to run it in SAFE MODE...but it is probably a good idea to do that just to be sure...

[highnote]

I don't know how I picked up the virus. I probably (stupidly) clicked on a link that was in an email from a friend. The virus is on my main computer and I only do safe surfing on it, but apparantly, not safe enough.