Check your proxy settings under 'Internet Options'. Have you tried Firefox to access SSL sites and did it work?

Another possiblity is spyware.

If ya want, post another thread in the Spyware forum and Ill take a look at it later tnite.

O ya, be sure to post a HJT log too if ya post in the Spyware forum:

Download HijackThis (current verison is v1.99.1)

or here (Alternate 1, a self-extracting zip file)
or here (Alternate 2, an *.exe file)

Make a new folder to put your HijackThis.exe into.

(Anywhere on your hard drive is fine other than your Desktop or the Temp folder. Suitable examples are:

• C:\HijackThis\
• C:\Programs\hijackthis\
• C:\Windows\My Documents\HJT\

but feel free to use any name.)

Extract and save the HijackThis download to the new folder you made. Then navigate to it and run HijackThis from there. (This is to ensure it makes the necessary backups for recovery if fixes are made) Then, doubleclick HijackThis.exe, and click Scan.

When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button. Press that and copy & paste its contents in your reply. Most of what it lists will be harmless or even essential, don't try to fix anything yourself.

Thanks.