[Scrufox86]

Hi I am not sure what is going on with my laptop. I tried to type in a web address and when I typed the first letter it gave a list of random websites I had not visited. I tried other letters at random and it did the same thing. Random websites I had not visited.

Could anyone help please. I have used Norton 360 and did a scan but it only found tracking cookies which it labelled low risk.

Also my cursor was getting a blue circle next to it every 5 or so seconds until I deleted temporary files and did the scan.

What could this be? Should I use the Microsoft essentials thing?

[Sambda]

Go to malwarebytes and download their free scanner. Run a scan and see what it gives you.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

Go to malwarebytes and download their free scanner. Run a scan and see what it gives you.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Hi well at the moment I am trying the Microsoft security essentials... is that any good or should I still try the malwarebytes thing too?

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Hi well at the moment I am trying the Microsoft security essentials... is that any good or should I still try the malwarebytes thing too?

I'd try the malwarebytes too afterwards. Basically, if both run successfully and both say nothing, then your problems are elsewhere.

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

I'd try the malwarebytes too afterwards. Basically, if both run successfully and both say nothing, then your problems are elsewhere.

I'm confused what it could be. I just tried to type in c and it came up with a list of websites beginning with c that I have not visited. It has only recently started doing this. Is it malware?

Edit - also Norton 360 found no threats other than 29 tracking cookies. And a recent update by Microsoft does a maleware scan thing each month and the monthly scan was only a few days ago.

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

I'm confused what it could be. I just tried to type in c and it came up with a list of websites beginning with c that I have not visited. It has only recently started doing this. Is it malware?

I don't know. Do the two scans we are talking about before you panic.

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

I'm confused what it could be. I just tried to type in c and it came up with a list of websites beginning with c that I have not visited. It has only recently started doing this. Is it malware?

Edit - also Norton 360 found no threats other than 29 tracking cookies. And a recent update by Microsoft does a maleware scan thing each month and the monthly scan was only a few days ago.

I believe the History/Back feature of browsers is open to manipulation by websites via Javascript, so they may have primed your History list or something.

This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocom...n_web_browsers) says the matches come from your history list. So do a test and see if you can find one of the suggestions in your history. Things could, for e.g., get in your history by being popped open by another website. Have you, or somebody else, been cruising porn sites with lots of redirects and popups, for example? (Assuming your malware scans come back clean).

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

I don't know. Do the two scans we are talking about before you panic.

Ok the essentials scan came back clear as well as Norton 360

I am stuck on downloading the malewarebytes though. It says it is going to download soon but it isn't. And a list of other anti spyware things are listed.

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Ok the essentials scan came back clear as well as Norton 360

I am stuck on downloading the malewarebytes though. It says it is going to download soon but it isn't. And a list of other anti spyware things are listed.

The other listed stuff is because malwarebytes uses CNET (general software site) for its downloads.

On the link: http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebyte...=dl&tag=button

Click the green "download now", then save (if the browser asks). Save the exe file to e.g. your Desktop, then run it.

[mred2000]

Originally Posted by Sambda

I'd try the malwarebytes too afterwards. Basically, if both run successfully and both say nothing, then your problems are elsewhere.

I dunno what browser the OP is using but Chrome certainly does this as standard and it's not malicious. Just tested it on both my Mac and Win PC and it does the same - begin typing in something in the URL box and it begins to give a list of suggestions, some previously visited, some not.

Still worth the OP running MalwareBytes etc. though...

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by mred2000

I dunno what browser the OP is using but Chrome certainly does this as standard and it's not malicious. Just tested it on both my Mac and Win PC and it does the same - begin typing in something in the URL box and it begins to give a list of suggestions, some previously visited, some not.

Still worth the OP running MalwareBytes etc. though...

Hang on so the suggested list thing may not be a virus?

well I will try to download the malwarebytes thing. Is it safe to use?

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by mred2000

I dunno what browser the OP is using but Chrome certainly does this as standard and it's not malicious. Just tested it on both my Mac and Win PC and it does the same - begin typing in something in the URL box and it begins to give a list of suggestions, some previously visited, some not.

Still worth the OP running MalwareBytes etc. though...

Strange! So Chrome uses entries other than those you have visited for its autocomplete suggestions in its URL bar?

Never knew that. IE just seems to be places you have already been.

[mred2000]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Hang on so the suggested list thing may not be a virus?

well I will try to download the malwarebytes thing. Is it safe to use?

Possibly not - what browser are you using?

Malwarebytes is safe to use and it's definitely worth doing a scan with it if you haven't already.

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

Strange! So Chrome uses entries other than those you have visited for its autocomplete suggestions in its URL bar?

Never knew that. IE just seems to be places you have already been.

Oh I recently downloaded Internet explorer 10 because it came in an automatic update. Do you think that has anything to do with it? What is autocomplete is that what it is doing?

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Oh I recently downloaded Internet explorer 10 because it came in an automatic update. Do you think that has anything to do with it? What is autocomplete is that what it is doing?

But is it IE10 that is giving you the places you have never been to?

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

But is it IE10 that is giving you the places you have never been to?

Yes. I have opera on my laptop as well and that is not doing it. I type the letter "C" for example and it does not bring up any random websites.

But in IE10 it lists websites I haven't even typed into the address bar. Is that autocomplete?

[mred2000]

In Chrome I just assume it uses Google search to guess what you're trying to type in, combined with stuff in your history plus stuff you have bookmarked. With IE it'll probably be using Bing Search and doing something similar.

Autocomplete does what it says on the tin. With Autocomplete switched on, whenever you have a text box and start typing, autocomplete will try to autocomplete what you're writing. Basically...

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Yes. I have opera on my laptop as well and that is not doing it. I type the letter "C" for example and it does not bring up any random websites.

But in IE10 it lists websites I haven't even typed into the address bar. Is that autocomplete?

Yes. As I say, it might just have been an avalanche of popups that did it. Carry on with testing with Malwarebytes. If you can't download it on the PC in question, try anothe browser on the same PC, or download it on your laptop, copy to a USB key and bring it to the problematic one.

[Sambda]

A-Haaaa..

Read this: http://superuser.com/questions/48736...-never-visited

It seems like this is a new IE10 thing.

So you are probably OK, but the Malwarebytes is still a good idea.

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

Yes. As I say, it might just have been an avalanche of popups that did it. Carry on with testing with Malwarebytes. If you can't download it on the PC in question, try anothe browser on the same PC, or download it on your laptop, copy to a USB key and bring it to the problematic one.

Oh so I may have been panicking for nothing?

Well Norton 360 and Microsoft essentials both found nothing. And the malwarebytes is currently still scanning. It is taking ages.

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

A-Haaaa..

Read this: http://superuser.com/questions/48736...-never-visited

It seems like this is a new IE10 thing.

So you are probably OK, but the Malwarebytes is still a good idea.

Ok so it came back with results and found exploit.drop.gsa

I think it removed it. But what is that?

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Ok so it came back with results and found exploit.drop.gsa

I think it removed it. But what is that?

You can look it up for yourself. Just get the software to get rid of it. It may well simply be remanants of some old attack, rather than an active new one - Malwarebytes is sensitive to old bits n pcs left behind. Your autocomplete issue is probably not related.

Then do the instructions to disable the autocomplete at the link I mentioned (if you so want).

[mred2000]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Ok so it came back with results and found exploit.drop.gsa

I think it removed it. But what is that?

Erm, potentially a biggie but I've not read into it: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ex...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Scrufox86]

Originally Posted by Sambda

You can look it up for yourself. Just get the software to get rid of it. It may well simply be remanants of some old attack, rather than an active new one - Malwarebytes is sensitive to old bits n pcs left behind. Your autocomplete issue is probably not related.

Then do the instructions to disable the autocomplete at the link I mentioned (if you so want).

Oh it seems to have been removed. malwarebytes said it would remove it. Yeah I read your link and I have disabled autocomplete. It appears to have worked.

Now thinking about it I think I had this with Internet explorer 9 when I first switched from IE8 and I think I remember disabling it before.

Thank you for your help everyone.

[Sambda]

Originally Posted by Scrufox86

Oh it seems to have been removed. malwarebytes said it would remove it. Yeah I read your link and I have disabled autocomplete. It appears to have worked.

Now thinking about it I think I had this with Internet explorer 9 when I first switched from IE8 and I think I remember disabling it before.

Thank you for your help everyone.

Now relax! LOL.

Oh btw, uninstall Malwarebytes now you're done. You've already got two AV packages on that PC and a third might cause trouble (and will slow it down in any case).