GB Website downloaded spyware to, my pc-BEWARE

[AnIndependentTexan]

posted at Kerry/Edwards forum by iowa

http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=105069&hl=

I seen a post here that said the Bush website was down, thought I'd see for myself and went there and it was up. Thought I'd check my ad-aware after, ran it and found some spyware, erased it then with a fresh clean slate, I went back to GB's websites frontpage only, I ran the ad-aware program to find 2 fresh pieces of spyware installed. Once I looked up the security issue at ad-aware the response was this for each

TAC Level: 3

A tracking cookie is data stored on your computer in the form of a cookie and is shared between two or more websites to enable them to track your movements across the web. This will help them gather information about your interests and tailor special marketing for you and gather statistics when visiting their sites. While these tracking cookies are NOT in any way harmful for your computer you might feel they are an intrusion to your privacy. Ad-Aware supplies you with the ability to remove these tracking cookies if you wish to do so.

So be sure and run a program like ad-aware if you visit other (Repub) sites to check up on things.

What I also find VERY puzzling is there is NO MENTION of the fact they are using tracking cookies in their privacy policy.

I can understand one piece of the spyware for tracking across their web if they mentioned that in their privacy policy, but not the second. Hmmmmm. Be careful fellow Kerry forum members.

[MsMagnificent]

1. Did it affect your computers speed at all?

All of a sudden my once-fast computer is running like it's on dial-up. If it's spyware I'm going to personally shove a disk down somebody's (who is at fault, of course ;) throat -- how DARE they fuck with my property?!

I really will be livid, if that is the case... now I have to go spend more money to correct something I never wanted, needed or downloaded?! Something that directly, and hugely, effects my property?

There should be a law...

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Relax, that's not spyware, it's just cookies

Check all the advertising companies cookies on your computer... and they don't expire for decades. I went there and looked at the cookies - they are just there to maintain your session and both expire at the end of a your session online, so tomorrow they will disappar automatically.

It's nothing. Really.


We ship same or next day by first class mail - there's still time to get some of these beauties!
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[MsMagnificent]

5. First thing, I dumped my cookies

and old files
and history.

I dumped everything I could (and more than once) -- still slower than molasses on New Years Day in Anchorage... something happened to this computer, and I don't know what! :(

[Cronus Protagonist]

6. I wasn't responding to your post, just to the thread starter

Apparently you're complaining of another problem. Here's a tip that might help. Deinstall all Real Audio products. And if you have Gator or Comet Cursor, you need professional help to get rid of the spyware they install.

Hope this helps.


We ship same or next day by first class mail - there's still time to get some of these beauties!
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[tkmorris]

9. Free down loads that WILL keep your comp clean

The top 3 are Spybot's Search & Destroy, AdAware from Lavasoft, and AVG antivirus. Between the three they will keep you running smoothly. Whenever you notice a slowdown just run S&D and AdAware and they will clean out whatever nasty cookies and scripts you have picked up. AVG will stop the viruses in between.

If you are one of those folks that regularly surfs the DMZ of the internet (porn, warez sites, hacker sites, file-sharing programs) you may want to have a copy of a program called Hijack This onhand. It will let you repair the damage done to your registry even when the file causing you trouble is relatively unknown. Using it though is not for the novice, you can screw up your system as well as fix it with that one.

[high density]

3. Cookies are not spyware

John Kerry's site uses them, too.

[ParanoidPat]

8. Correction, not ALL cookies are spyware......

.....some ARE used for tracking your surfing habits. If you go to Edit > Preferences > Privacy & Security > Cookies, in the Netscape Mozilla and Firefox browsers you can set your computer to flag you when a site attempts to download a cookie into your computer. You can also set a number of options that will automatically block selected cookies and dump all of them at the end of each session. :)

Highly recommended that you do so.

Check out this link for more information about how bad cookies can really be. :scared:

http://www.grc.com/downloaders.htm

[ParanoidPat]

4. Cookies are required on some sites for your computer to 'remember'......

.....settings such as pages you've already visited and custom view settings. DU uses several of them.

If you use a browser such as Mozilla or Firefox there is an option under the 'Tools' drop down menu that allows you to manage which sites can store cookies or which cookies you wish to accept and which ones to block. :)

The cookie manager also lets you 'remove all cookies' and 'remove all sites'.

[ILeft]

7. As long as your computer didn't sign a loyalty oath, you're OK.

Besides, if the dark forces that make up our current government really want to know what we're up to, the Patriot Act gives them plenty of ways of finding out.