adserver.adreactor

[Minsc]

I've got this annoying problem when surfing the internet.

Every couple of minutes a new browser window automatically opens up and connects to a site adserver.adreactor.com.

I’ve done the following already to try & prevent it:

1. Deleted temporary internet files and cookies.
2. Enabled pop-up blocker in IE.
3. Cleaned index.dat file with a program (30 day trail version - cannot remember the name right now)
4. Cleaned the windows registry using Trend Micro & CCleaner.
5. Added the site name to the windows host file.
6. Added the cookie name to my Trend Micro unwanted cookies list.
7. Added the site name to the list of Restricted Sites in IE.
8. Ran hijackthis, but could not see anything meaningful to my problem.

I’m not a Windows expert, just followed advice given on various sites. All I’ve managed so far is to stop the window from creating any cookies and connecting to the intended site.

The window unfortunately is still opening up as before.

Does anyone here know how to permanently stop this window from opening up? Maybe there is a freeware program that can clean this up for me?

Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

(Using IE 7 on Windows XP Service Pack 3)

Just found a comment on an older thread recommending "Spybot". The comments were not exactly related to my problem but I will give it a try tonight.

 

[Brandon]

Download & run ComboFix from HERE.

ComboFix is a program, created by sUBs, that scans your computer for known malware, and when found, attempts to clean these infections automatically. In addition to being able to remove a large amount of the most common and current malware, ComboFix also displays a report that can be used by trained helpers to remove malware that is not automatically removed by the program.

 

[Park@82]

you could also try SmitfraudFix


I would also suggest you use firefox web browser instead of IE.

 

[gregmcc]

Also try out MalwareBytes

 

[bdt]

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc has a file called "hosts" (obviously no quotes for the actual file - note that it has NO extension!). Open it, add the following line, save (and, just for the hell of it, reboot):

127.0.0.1 http://*.adreactor.com

..and see what happens afterwards. This is another approach to the problem: it ignores the drama of using all those apps to root out the cause of the infection and, instead, when that domain gets called your PC simply routes that request to 127.0.0.1 - 'home' for every network card on the planet ..IOW the request vanishes up its own arse (as it were!)

 

[gregmcc]

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc has a file called "hosts" (obviously no quotes for the actual file - note that it has NO extension!). Open it, add the following line, save (and, just for the hell of it, reboot):

127.0.0.1 http://*.adreactor.com

Dude - are you smoking your socks!?

1) The HOSTS file does not understand http or any other protocol designations for that matter.
2) You can't use wildcards in the HOSTS file
3) You don't need to reboot after you make changes to the hosts file.

 

[bdt]

Dude - are you smoking your socks!?

1) The HOSTS file does not understand http or any other protocol designations for that matter.
2) You can't use wildcards in the HOSTS file
3) You don't need to reboot after you make changes to the hosts file.

Clearly I'm going to have to experimunt with this ..including getting my sense of humour across (as regards your 3) above)

 

[Minsc]

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc has a file called "hosts" (obviously no quotes for the actual file - note that it has NO extension!). Open it, add the following line, save (and, just for the hell of it, reboot):

127.0.0.1 http://*.adreactor.com

..and see what happens afterwards. This is another approach to the problem: it ignores the drama of using all those apps to root out the cause of the infection and, instead, when that domain gets called your PC simply routes that request to 127.0.0.1 - 'home' for every network card on the planet ..IOW the request vanishes up its own arse (as it were!)

Did that already, what I meant when refering to point 5 in my post

Added it like this (and it works):
127.0.0.1 adserver.adreactor.com

Thank you for all the replies so far.

 

[bdt]

Did that already, what I meant when refering to point 5 in my post

Added it like this (and it works):
127.0.0.1 adserver.adreactor.com

Awww crap ..nothing like a public reminder to read ALL the words!

 

[Minsc]

Awww crap ..nothing like a public reminder to read ALL the words!

np

Ran Spybot last night and up to now ... NO WINDOW Spybot removed some malware & trojans on my PC (12 of them ) so maybe they caused all the hassle.

 

[Conradl]

Spybot is the king of weird **** removal First thing I run when odd stuff starts happening on a PC....