Please help me - My system got attacked by spywares

[chennaisakthi]

Hi friends!

Last week I've downloaded the nero software's torrent file, its all started from there when I download that.

My system got attacked by spywares, so far I formatted my system more than five times and even deleted the complete partitions couple of times and I've also used the different hard disk to escape from those spywares. but I failed.

I've used ca internet security, ad aware, norton and avg. All the anti-spam, virus softwares are detecting and removing the tracking cookies and mru objects. But again when I connected to the internet spywares comes again.

It shows as MRU object. spywares like atdmt.com, zedo.com and tracking cookies.

Please friends.. Please help me how to remove all those tracking cookies and mru object completely from my system.

Thanks in advance.

[jholland1964]

You should be able to remove these items with a program like Spybot Search & Destroy and also using something like ATF-Cleaner or CCleaner. Tracking cookies are temp files and also can be deleted by using the built in Disk Cleanup.
MRU means Most Recently Used and really is not malware. Usually MRU's contain information such as the names and/or locations of the last files you have accessed. They are located ALL OVER your registry, and for almost ANY file type, not necessarily malware.
Your KEY phrase is torrent file which means that you have used P2P file sharing. If it was a Nero torrent then this means you wanted to get a paid program for nothing and you ended up with more than you bargained for which is a risk you take by using P2P.
A reformat is not usually necessary to remove spyware and really a drastic step to take. This is usually only recommended when valuable system files have been damaged beyond repair.
The best way to NOT get spyware is use safe surfing practices, if you still end up with spyware then the best way to begin to remove it is to follow all the steps given HERE
You also state that you used

ca internet security, ad aware, norton and avg.

The absolute rule is ONE anti-virus program on the computer, if you are running all these at the same time then you probably are lessening your protection. They all will fight against each other.
Proper setting of the browser for one thing will reduce or protect against tracking cookies. It must be set to accept 1st Party Cookies only...these are the actual cookies from the website you are visiting.

[chennaisakthi]

Hi friend!

Thank you so much for the help you provided. I'll defintiely try this and let you know the results.

Yes it is my mistake that I downloaded the torrent file. I learned a lesson, I never do that again.

Please advice how the spywares comes again even after I format the complete system . What is the possibility? Where its comes from?

Thanks,
Sakthi

[jholland1964]

Hi friend!

Please advice how the spywares comes again even after I format the complete system . What is the possibility? Where its comes from?
Thanks,
Sakthi

I believe I answered this in my post.

Proper setting of the browser for one thing will reduce or protect against tracking cookies. It must be set to accept 1st Party Cookies only...these are the actual cookies from the website you are visiting.

Go online and you can get spyware, period. If you NEVER go online, NEVER email, etc., then no you will not get spyware or viruses or trojans unless somebody gives you a disk, flash drive, etc., which carries an infection, then it would pass from that disk, flash drive or whatever to your computer. But essentially you have to GO ONLINE to get spyware/malware.

A reformat does NOTHING to stop spyware from coming into the computer, it just wipes the drive clean and reinstalls the operating system, yes of course it will usually remove any remaining spyware but it does not stop it from coming back if you don't use proper precautions when you are on the internet. Go online and you can get spyware on a brand new computer just out of the box or a 10 year old computer...makes no difference. The KEY is SAFE SURFING, good protection programs, proper security settings in the browser. I also stress again MRU's are NOT necessarily spyware. I say again;

MRU means Most Recently Used and really is not malware. Usually MRU's contain information such as the names and/or locations of the last files you have accessed. They are located ALL OVER your registry, and for almost ANY file type, not necessarily malware.

These of course CAN come from the internet BUT also....a recent Word Document, and Photo that you have worked on, music you have listened to...ANY type of file. Generally, IGNORE them. If you don't want them on the computer remove them with something like Spybot which gives you the option of keeping them or removing them.

Read THIS STICKY at the top of the page, it gives you complete instructions on how to keep the computer clean.