Ed_P Posted August 7, 2004 Share Posted August 7, 2004 I have visited the SingersCreations.com website in the past, he has a neat Weather Watcher utility, but I have never downloaded or installed any of it. Today when I went to My Network Places I found a network connection to the Singer's website!! Creation date was Tuesday, July 27, 2004, 3:32:58 PM.I have firewalls, both hardware and software, and current av software. I don't remember giving permission to anything to install, so how did this get on my system?? :huh:Has anyone else experienced this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 7, 2004 Share Posted August 7, 2004 But are you running spyware preventors? I think that is the missing piece in your puzzle. It amazes me the amount of spywear that sneaks through if you do not.Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted August 7, 2004 Share Posted August 7, 2004 Like julia, I bet running Adaware and Spybot S&D would probably get rid of it.As of how it got on there, i have no idea. Those things are getting better and better at breaking the security on one's machine. Scary I suppose it could be due to a browser exploit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 It's actually a feature of XP called Web Folders. When you log into some web sites that require logins it may create a shortcut to the web site. You can disable this feature: By default, XP periodically scans the computers on the network to find newly-shared resources, such as folders or printers that have just been shared. When a newly-shared resource is found, XP adds an icon for it to My Network Places (if the new share is a printer, XP also places an icon in your Printers and Faxes folder).Not everyone finds this convenient, because it makes the My Network Places folder very crowded, some users don’t have permissions to access some shares that are listed, and many users have no need to access many of the shares that are listed.You can safely delete any of the icons that represent shortcuts to network shares, and you can also disable the automatic search for network shares, using the following steps:1. Open any system folder (My Computer, My Network Places, or Windows Explorer) and choose Tools, Folder Options, to open the Folder Options dialog.2. Click the View tab.3. In the Advanced Settings list, click the check box next to Automatically Search for Network Folders and Printers check box to clear the check mark.4. Click OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozidave Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I put 'all' protection up including no-exceptions and went for a look, I didn't get any whistles or bells and checked a few of the links while I was there. Nothing in my Network Places either. It's a mystery why they would do it although from what I read they want to be part of your network for auto-warnings and general weather reports. Maybe they thought they didn't need to ask? Just for interest, did you right-click the icon and see if there were / is any properties behind it that are 'filled in'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted August 9, 2004 Author Share Posted August 9, 2004 I posted a question in the site's forum and the sw author said he didn't know how it got there. (I tend to believe him) His site doesn't require logging in to be viewedt so I don't think XP automatically added it. Heck if it was going to add something it should add this site. I did RIGHT click on the icon and Properties and the only tab is General and it basically only shows the URL and date it was created. I run ZA and it does show Outbound traffic attempts to the site being blocked about a dozen times since July 27th on ports 139 & 445. No real pattern and could relate to times I visited the site.I had deleted the network icon then restored it to see if I could figure out how & what & etc.I did run Adaware & SpyBot when I 1st saw it but they didn't find anything other than cookies. Well SpyBot found a DSO but it wasn't related or serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 It's most likely because his server is IIS/ASP.NET! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atiustira Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I agree with Julia,and SonicDragon,Ozidave and Peachy :)But may I ask? Are you running the Spybot Search and Destroy hosts file. To blockknown sites that may cause a problem for you. Also did you run Immunize throughthe SpyBot program? Also are you running the other program that plugs into Spyboton the immunization page. JavaCools SpywareBlaster is the name of the other blocking program. The link to it is here if you don't have it and want to run it.http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.htmlOr are you using IE as your browser. If so have you set it to prompt for active Xdownloads?Here is a link to page that has instructions for how to set that. If you need it.http://www.attechnical.com/news.html If you get something from a friend contact the friend and make sure they sent it. And if they are sure that it is virus free(It has been scanned)if not scan it yourself.Also in Internet explorer,Tools drop downlist select Internet Options,then the security tab. Click on the Custom level button and use the radio buttons to make shure that all of the Active X settings are set to prompt.So you will know and be able to chose what is downloaded into your computer.Sorry quoted the whole block as it may be hard to find on the page.I hope this helps and you get your issue resolved. Atius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted August 11, 2004 Author Share Posted August 11, 2004 It's most likely because his server is IIS/ASP.NET! I don't get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Man Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 In addition to atiustira's suggestion for SpywareBlaster, another "must" for me is Mike Lin's StartupMonitor StartupMonitor is a small utility that runs transparently (it doesn't even use a tray icon) and notifies you when any program registers itself to run at system startup. It prevents those utterly useless tray applications from registering themselves behind your backNo more surprises 2 weeks later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 I don't get it? Only IIS web servers will automagically create the Web Folder in the My Networks container of a client machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted August 14, 2004 Author Share Posted August 14, 2004 Oh. Thanks Peachy. Well, since I deleted the icon and have been back to his website several times since, to see if he's responded further and to see if the icon reappears, and it has not. However he has noted that some people have had trouble downloading his weather watch porgram and he's made some changes. He may have been tinkering with IIS when I visited initially. If you visit the site he certainly doesn't sound malicious. As for active spyware utilities I don't run any. I do install them on client pcs who seem susceptible though. I'm pretty careful what I click on. Basic rule of thumb, if it has the word free in it don't click on it. Or phrased another way, if it's free whose paying for the ad? My primary browser is Netscape.BTW for those with broadband connections and an interest in the weather Singer's Weather Watcher and Tropic Design's Weather Pulse are two very competative, and free, utilities. And no malware included. Good replacements for the WeatherBug which is loaded with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corrine Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Hi, EdP. I have WeatherWatch and it works just fine on dialup. Other than the streaming videos on Trop Designs, any other reason for recommending a Broadband connection for these programs? Also, which program have you found to your liking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted September 14, 2004 Author Share Posted September 14, 2004 Hi Corrine, long time no see. I believe they will both work with dialup. The broadband consideration was more for it's always on ability thus allowing for frequent updating of whichever weather software is used. I like the support for Weather Pulse and I like the icon GUI of Weather Watcher. I've seen but never used WeatherBug due to it's load of ingrained malware. I was surprised to find it an install option with Netscape 7.2. I don't know if the malware is included with Netscape, I didn't install it.Have you tried the Weather Channel's Desktop Weather?I notice your signature has gotten longer. Congratulations. :"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corrine Posted September 14, 2004 Share Posted September 14, 2004 Thanks, EdP! The "long time no see" is a direct result of the more lengthy signature! But I do miss everyone here and try to stop in on occasion to see what is going on. I just don't have much time to post. :(It sounds as though for my purposes (just a quick check of the current conditions and forecast without having to navigate to one of the weather sites) Weather Watch will work. I don't have the autoupdate feature set. If there is something serious going on, I'll turn on the Weather Channel and check NOAA online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted September 14, 2004 Author Share Posted September 14, 2004 Me too. The auto update for me is primarily for the current temperature here but I did add http://www.goes.noaa.gov/enhanced.html to Weather Pulse due to the Florida situation. Especially with so many relatives living in Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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