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Having wasted better part of a day on a Vundo infection, which none of the antivirus/antispyware solutions I normally use came even close to handling (one of them actually compounded the problem due to a partial fix, causing all browsers to seemingly lose connectivity after a few seconds), Exterminate It! fixed it in a single pass and one restart.
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Alexa
Aliases of Alexa (AKA):
[Panda] Adware/Alexa-Toolbar
How to Remove Alexa from Your Computer
You can effectively remove Alexa from your computer with Exterminate It!.
After installing the program, run a scan to display a list of the files associated with Alexa in the Scan Result screen and remove these files. For information about running scans and removing malware files, see the Exterminate It! Help.
Alexa Categorized as:
BHO
Browser Helper Object, or BHO, is a dynamic link library (DLL) that runs whenever Internet Explorer is started. Generally, BHOs are included in installation of third-party programs where they are offered as enhancements of the browser functionality. For example, many Internet Explorer plug-ins are in essence BHOs.
BHOs can be installed silently or “legitimately” when a user fails to read the fine print included in the freeware program’s EULA (End User License Agreement).
Because BHOs are small programs, they can do anything that other programs can do. It’s not easy to detect the BHOs installed on the computer. This enables hackers and other malevolent users to employ the BHO functionality in their interests, for example, secretly install adware programs or gather various statistics on the user’s browsing trends.
Hijacker
Software that seizes control of a computer’s resources to proliferate itself or use them for other malicious purposes.
There are several types of hijackers. The most common are:
- Browser hijackers – Alters the existing Internet browser settings so that a user is redirected to unwanted or malicious Web sites. These include programs that change the browser Home page or replace a popular search service’s home page with its own fake copy, whose search results point to particular malicious or irrelevant sites.
- Autorun hijackers – Automatically run certain programs on start-up of a user’s computer.
Toolbar
A third-party toolbar that provides additional functionality or enhancements for a user’s browser.
Some toolbars are useful; others may camouflage installation of a trojan or spyware to a user’s computer or act as adware bombarding a user with pop-up advertisements.
Hacker Tool
Hacker tools are utilities designed to help hackers gain control of remote computers in order to use them as zombies (in DoS attacks, for example), download other malicious programs into those computers, or use them for other malicious purposes.
Adware
Software that is designed to launch advertisements, frequently pop-up ads, on a user’s computer and/or to redirect search results to promotional Web sites. Adware programs are often built into freeware or shareware programs, where the adware creates an indirect ‘charge’ for using the free program. Sometimes a trojan can silently download an adware program from a Web site and install it onto a user’s machine.
Hacker tools, or Browser Hijackers, can also download an adware program by exploiting a web browser’s vulnerability. Browser Hijackers may tamper with the browser settings, redirect incorrect or incomplete URLs to unwanted Web sites, or change the default home page. They can also re-direct a user’s searches to “pay-to-view” (often pornographic) Web sites.
Typically, many adware programs do not leave any marks of their presence in the system: they are not listed on Start | Programs; they add no icons to the system tray; and they don’t show up on the task list. In addition, adware programs seldom provide an uninstallation procedure, and attempts at manually removing them frequently result in failure of the original carrier program.
How Did My PC Get Infected with Alexa?
The following are the most likely reasons why your computer got infected with Alexa:
- Your operating system and Web browser's security settings are too lax.
- You are not following safe Internet surfing and PC practices.
Downloading and Installing Freeware or Shareware
Small-charge or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like Alexa. Sometimes adware is attached to free software to enable the developers to cover the overhead involved in created the software. Spyware frequently piggybacks on free software into your computer to damage it and steal valuable private information.
Using Peer-to-Peer Software
The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) programs or other applications using a shared network exposes your system to the risk of unwittingly downloading infected files, including malicious programs like Alexa.
Visiting Questionable Web Sites
When you visit sites with dubious or objectionable content, trojans-including Alexa-, spyware, and adware, may well be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer.
Detecting Alexa
The following symptoms signal that your computer is very likely to be infected with Alexa.
PC is working very slowly
Alexa can seriously slow down your computer. If your PC takes a lot longer than normal to restart or your Internet connection is extremely slow, your computer may well be infected with Alexa.
New desktop shortcuts have appeared or the home page has changed
Alexa can tamper with your Internet settings or redirect your default home page to unwanted web sites. Alexa may even add new shortcuts to your PC desktop.
Annoying popups keep appearing on your PC
Alexa may swamp your computer with pestering popup ads, even when you're not connected to the Internet, while secretly tracking your browsing habits and gathering your personal information.
E-mails that you didn't write are being sent from your mailbox
Alexa may gain complete control of your mailbox to generate and send e-mail with virus attachments, e-mail hoaxes, spam, and other types of unsolicited e-mail to other people.
Check now if your PC is infected with Alexa
Also Be Aware of the Following Threats:
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