Has Google Been Hacked or Is It Us?

[Si Hunt]

For a couple of days now, we have been unable to use Google. You search for something, but when you click on a returned link instead of taking you there it opens up a new window with some sort of advertising or different website in it.

It actually seemed to be fixed the other day, now it's happening again. Has anyone else noticed? Or is it somehow us?

Update - it can't be google, because Yahoo does the same thing. For example, if I search for "Oasis official" I get the returned link to the official oasis website. But when I click on it a new window opens in front of the existing one and takes me to www.ford.co.uk! Links on other websites, for example The Vervoid, are fine.

Si.

[SiHart]

Google has been fine here Si. I was using it just now and it was OK and of course we use it all the time at work, so i'm sure that we'd have heard if there was a problem with the site by now. You better do a virus scan or something I think, as that sounds a bit odd.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

The odd thing is, we've run Crap Cleaner and Ad-Aware and it doesn't seem to fix it. Unless it fixed it and it came back somehow.

Si.

[Phillip Culley]

Sounds very much like a virus, although I'm not sure which one...

Have you tried scanning with AVG or something similar?

[Wayne]

Google is working fine here & has been all the time. I use it almost everyday.

And FWIW, i can recommend AVG Free.

[Lissa]

CCleaner won't find viruses or other naughtiness - it just searches for things like cookies, caches and recycle bins to empty. It is really good at what it does but it isn't an alternative to a decent virus scanner.

I know you have a V+ box, do you also have Virgin Media broadband? They offer a free security suite for customers. Otherwise AVG as the fine folks above have suggested.

[Si Hunt]

Yes we do have Virgin Media Broadband. I had no idea there was a free security suite. Presumably it'll be available to download on their website or something.

Si.

[Jeff]

I've a suspicion this might be a job for 'HiJackThis' but that is really something you don't want to use unless you know what you are doing because you have to decide for yourself what to remove from the computer. (I discovered HJT when I had a similar problem and searched online for help)

You might try the spybot S&D first if the free security suite from Virgin doesn't do the trick..


If you still have it after both of those, I'd download the free 1 month trial version of Trend Micro's PC-Cillin, and then HJT only as a last resort.

[Lissa]

Virgin PC Guard download page. Hopefully you've got the necessary login spells and incantations.

[Si Hunt]

Well we've run Clam Virus Checker on every file on the hard disk, and diddly squat found. Or rather, it got halfway through before we had to go out and found one apparently infected file (a temporary one), so I manually deleted that and when it ran again it found nothing.

Google and Yahoo continue not to work - everything else is fine. When you click the links brought back in a search, instead of going to the page a new window opens and loads a random website.

The odd thing is, I can still search using Altavista. So far it just seems to be Google and Yahoo search engines that are affected.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Perhaps it's time to try Opera or Firefox?

Best bet would be to clear out your cookies, internet history and saved addresses.

[Si Hunt]

Crapcleaner does all that when it runs...

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Right click on the link from the google results page and see what web address it's pointing you at from the properties.

Also, try ctrl+alt+delete and see if there's any programs with weird titles running. (e.g. Expl0rer, Intern3t or w1n32app).

[Jeff]

It's not a virus so antivirus programs won't work.

It's a form of spyware/adware that has attached itself to your registry. (Usually these things are attached to something you have downloaded and installed on the PC).

HERE is more info on your situation.

Try running Spybot Search & Destroy first (it's free).

If this doesn't work, (and I doubt it will) we'll try resorting to HJT, SmitFraudFix and more complicated procedures.

[Si Hunt]

That spybot link doesn't work Jeff, did you mistype?

Btw thanks, this is quality help...

Si.

[Si Hunt]

It's okay googled it (by pasting the link into the task bar manually!!)

Si.

[Jeff]

Ok. Usually spybot and the like are good for the spyware that sits and watches without interfering, but they often have problems getting rid of the advanced stuff that hijacks pages.

Let me know how it works.

[Si Hunt]

It wouldn't install - kept saying it couldn't connect to the server.

Si.

[Jeff]

I think that may have been a mirror site anyway.

Try http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

(It may look the same as the other site)

There are several download sources to try there.

If it still won't connect you may have to temporarily turn off your firewall/antivirus.

[Lissa]

This thread might help - it sounds like the OP had the same problem and he was talked through it until victory was achieved.

[Si Hunt]

It looks useful, but again the link to the "Blacklight" program they recommend to clean the computer doesn't work.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Still won't connect to the server even with Zonealarm shut down.

Downloading it from a mirror is no good, because it's already downloaded, it just won't install.

Si.

[Jeff]

Okay. Try the following link. Read the directions carefully and print out the page to reference as you do it.

http://siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix_En.php

You'll run a scan and then reboot into safe mode to run the fix before rebooting again.

[Si Hunt]

Thanks Jeff. I'm just trying Malaware and SuperAntiSpyware first from Lissa's link.

I'll report back on Wednesday as I'm in the office tomorrow!

Si.

[Ralph]

And FWIW, i can recommend AVG Free.

my IT guy recommended AVG so I have on my system