Member Avatar for Dick

I went looking for "HIghJackthis" because everyone was raving about it and I like to learn about computer stuff. I ended up on a forum called "". I had downloaded HJT from a link there and wrote a thread to someone else asking for a .zip opener. I used a spell checker on the TSG site and noticed about:blank on a passing pop up. I quickly disconnected and erased all cookies, temp files ect. I had no trouble getting on line today but when I ran a test of HJT, the setup top line read about:blank. I had just cleaned off my daughters computer and reinstalled everything to get rid of about:blank on her machine. I sure don't want it on my machine. I am running regprotect but since I got that from TSG too, I'm not sure I even trust that.

  • 2 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 201 Views
  • 9 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Dick

Dani AI

Generated

about:blank is a browser-internal address used to show a deliberately empty page. By itself it is not an executable and is usually harmless — it appears for new tabs, blocked pop-ups, or when an extension/installer deliberately opens a blank page. It becomes suspicious only when accompanied by other signs (unexpected services, unknown startup items, changed homepage/search, or unexplained redirects).

Containment and verification steps (the rapid disconnect + temp-file cleanup mentioned by were sensible as immediate containment): run full scans with an up-to-date antivirus and a reputable on-demand anti-malware scanner, reboot into Safe Mode with Networking and re-scan, and inspect startup and browser helper items with a trusted autorun/process utility. Verify browser proxy and homepage settings and examine the hosts file for redirects. To clear transient networking artifacts, the following commands are standard:

netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Notes specific to HJT: security tools and HJT-style scanners sometimes list a window as about:blank when the browser has no resolved URL or an add-on forces a blank page. A lone about:blank entry is not proof of infection. The real indicators are unusual Run/RunOnce keys, unknown services, suspicious ActiveX/BHO/toolbar entries, or files in system folders with odd timestamps. When a log is saved, entries should be researched before removal and changes should use quarantine or reversible actions where possible.

A general precaution echoed by : prefer modern, well-maintained utilities from official sources when opening archives or installing tools. Verify downloads, avoid unknown executables, and keep signatures and the OS patched — that combination is the most reliable defense against ambiguous items like an occasional about:blank.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for TallCool1

I ended up on a forum called "". I had downloaded HJT from a link there and wrote a thread to someone else asking for a .zip opener. I used a spell checker on the TSG site and noticed about:blank on a passing pop up.

I don't think you got a problem from TSG--it's likely a coincidence. It's a reputable site; if I wasn't here, I might very well be there myself. I sometimes check threads there to ensure that I'm not talking out my nether orfice when giving advice.

As far as a Zip opener, WinZip continues to have known , so I recommend the free 7-Zip instead. After installation, run 7-Zip, go to Tools->Options and check all the boxes to associate the program with the filetypes.

Member Avatar for Dick

I don't think you got a problem from TSG--it's likely a coincidence. It's a reputable site; if I wasn't here, I might very well be there myself. I sometimes check threads there to ensure that I'm not talking out my nether orfice when giving advice.

As far as a Zip opener, WinZip continues to have known , so I recommend the free 7-Zip instead. After installation, run 7-Zip, go to Tools->Options and check all the boxes to associate the program with the filetypes.

I let TSG know what happened just in case. I am thrilled out of my mind. I was reading your stuff, found a program you recommended called "about buster", and ran it. Apparently my killing all programs and disconnecting quickly saved my butt. I had no garbage on my machine.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.