Pop up windows/pop up blocker/n-CASE question (1 Viewer)

[bluesky100]

Hi - hope I got this in the correct forum..

Not sure if anyone can help - thought I'd ask though before doing anything. Lately our computer has been getting bombarded with pop up windows. My Mum just re-instalted Net Nanny's Ad-Free - which thus far seems to be working 3 times now a little blue window at the bottom right hand corner has displayed which say "blocked by ad free".

Here's the problem - and window has popped up - n-CASE alert - apparently this program which isn't even shown in our control panel is now saying "the system has detected that a third-party application has removed n-CASE, possibly w/o you consent. This may cause some programs not to run as expected. Please choose an option below". There are 3 options -

1) Re-install n-CASE so that your programs will run as expected. Requires Internet connectivity

2) Leave n-CASE un-installed, and clean up any n-CASE files or setting that remain

3) Remind me later

- Okay so I looked up on the net to see what n-CASE is, the following gives me reason to believe that this n-CASE was the cause of all those pop up windows and therefore I should leave n-CASE un-installed.

"It will cause pop-up advertisements or can add shortcuts to the desktop or startup or both. It can update itself. Whenever Windows starts, because of being at startup, it calls itself and runs on backend causing pop-ups".

So - should I leave it un-installed?? -

 

[sunny]

- adware, uninstall it and make sure it says off. Hell you shouldn't have even installed the program that got n-case installed.
- get a adware detection program like lavasoft's adaware (free)

and of course n-case doesn't want you to uninstall it - they make money when its on your computer.


http://www.spysweeper.com/n-case-removal.html

 

[bluesky100]

Thank-you so much - I have just un-installed it - seems the Internet is running a lot more efficiently too. I'm not all that good with computers so wasn't sure - thank you. It started about 2 weeks ago, I was on a yahoo groups site then that is when the pop ups started - only 2 days ago the computer started getting 'bombarded' with pop ups.

About installing a program - only programs we installed recently (end of December) was SonicStage and Net MD Registration (which I registered with) - which was for the mini discman. Well, looks like Net Nanny somehow detected it - I think - my Mum said that window showed up when she re-installed the Net Nanny!!

Will download the lavasoft adaware - do I get that off download. com?

 

[sunny]

Yep thats the one!
http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

I'd suggest a firewall too by the sounds of things! A popular and free firewall:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?lid=zadb_zadown

Be very conscious of what gets in and out of your computer!

 

[bluesky100]

I *think* we have a firewall - is that what spybot is? We have this installed on our computer - if it is a firewall obviously it's not very good.

One more question (yep - I'm computer illiterate) was this n-CASE/adware thing technically a trojan horse??? I was reading the link you gave saw the part about "trojan horse" - which I then googled - pretty alarmed at what I've been reading.

On a final note - I thought the computer technician who upgraded our computer 4 month ago was a bit 'paranoid' having all these anti-virus and anti-spyware programs and firewalls and whatever other programs are out there to prevent things damaging your computer - now I understand why!!

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[sunny]

Adware and spyware are very closely related! Adware tends to give you ads forcefully (hence, ad-ware). The other, spyware (ie, spying on you), peeks at your usage usually on the internet.

Who would do such a thing?! Data mining companies! All this mined information about users are invaluable for people that want to sell you things! So they first spy on you to try and find out what you like, then target you with ads from that category in hope you'd buy something.

Spybot and Ad-aware are programs that detect adware and spyware (amongst many other programs). Your spybot might not have detected n-case because it might be out of date, or you simply didn't scan your computer.

Firewalls usually restrict access to your computer from networks like the internet. Handy for keeping hackers out, and stopping adware and spyware trying to dial home (sending information about you outwards) without your knowledge!

Thats all for todays lecture, remember to do your homework!

 

[bluesky100]

Thanks for explaining all that - bit confusing. Have yet to install the firewall - apparently we had one (Norton) but had to remove it cos' it was mucking up with our Internet connection, making it run really really slow. I'm not sure - but it was either not compatible or couldn't run with our Internet provider company, something like that. My Mum did a scan with spybot this evening and told me that is when the n-CASE Alert came up - re: updating I know we can update spybot w/o installing anything - computer guy did that last time we had the comp checked out.

Anyway - I think we'll probably take the computer to our technician and have it checked out and get another firewall installed - and hopefully get and few other things installed to 'protect' the computer. But yeah, as I said, the computer is running so much better after uninstalling the n-CASE - faster, no pop ups thus far (although it usually is worse in the morning/afternoon - so I'll see how it runs tomorrow), not freezing up all the time.

 

[hurrotisrobbo]

The problem with having a firewall is you have to know how to use it. Just clicking 'allow' to everything will be the same as having no protection.

And it doesn't stop spy/adware coming in, since it's allowed with the regular web traffic.

 

[sunny]

Thats only if they're stupid enough to click "allow" for everything Any intuitive user would bother to look up something they don't recognise randomly trying to connect in and out. Plus they're getting smarter nowdays! I installed Norton firewall for a new computer the other day, it did a good job of auto configuring itself with common applications. Yes theres a risk of the common applications being hijacked, but lets not get into any long discussion here

I had only suggested a firewall by guessing how protected bluesky's computer was - not for stopping adware/spywares getting in. Them dialing home and how they do it differently is another question.

 

[anti]

The easiest way not to install spyware is to not install anything which you're not absolutely certain is spyware-free.

Sites usually trick you into downloading/installing something you don't need by using nice popup windows - use something like google toolbar or mozilla to stop that...

 

[jm1234567890]

netcaptor is good also but not free

 

[cro_angel]

zone alarm is cool.. how it give u a map of if anyone is trying to hack u..