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Two of the more troubling
spyware applications are about:blank and se.dll.
Each of these is a program that hijacks your web
browser, pops up unwanted advertising on your screen,
slows your system, and transmits your personal
information. Both of these are very difficult to
remove from your computer. In fact, they are very
similar to the CoolWebSearch spyware discussed in an
earlier article. Unfortunately, there is no tool
designed to rid your system of these pests at the
moment.
Each of these takes the form
of a DLL, a “library” of little programs that other
programs access to accomplish certain tasks.
Basically, a DLL can sit on your system, quietly load
itself into memory, and patiently “listen” for certain
things to happen while you use your computer. Both
about:blank and se.dll, listen for things to happen in
Internet Explorer. This is how they are able to
take over your browser, and since they are always loaded
into memory, they are very difficult to delete.
Purging your system of these
is a complex process that involves several advanced
techniques. Editing the registry, ferreting out
hidden system files, and the like. Listing all of
the steps that you need to take to accomplish all of
this is beyond the scope of this article, but you can
find lots of very good information about the process on
the web. Some of these sites are:
http://www.pchell.com/support/aboutblank.shtml
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial42.html
http://www.securiteam.com/securityreviews/5RP0L0UD5U.html
There are also many
web-based forums where you can get personalized help
from advanced computer users. Some of these are:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html
http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/wwwboard.html
http://computercops.biz/forums.html
If you plan to undertake
manual removal of spyware such as about:blank and
se.dll, make sure you understand what you’re getting
into. Review the tutorial websites and read other
people’s posts on the forums. This is an involved
task, but if you do your homework and prepare, you
should be able to free your computer from these
malicious programs.
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Tutorials
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