random pop ups.

[0R1()N]

I have a friend that uses att as his service provider and a cable modem and he's using xp pro, heres the deal....when he logs on he gets these random advertisements and porn pop ups, like he'll start internet explorer and recieve pop ups out of no where or when I took a look at it I tried clearing the cache out of his browser and I got an yahoo instint messenger ad. does anyone know what is causing this? btw he has nav 2003 with all the updates and virus definitions, so I don't think its a trojan. Even when no browser is open the pop ups will occur. I tracerted the ip address that it gives when the window for the pop up comes up, but it says that it is coming from her service provider. I think that I have fixed the problem, but I'd just like to know what could be the source of this or if anyone has heard about this kind of thing before.:drool:

[Maxpowers]

get some anti spyware utility and run it, a relatively good one is Ad-aware 6. what u probobly have is some spyware that is messing up your registry and giving you the popups

[Wiggo]

Run this on it, http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ ;)

[asklepios]

yes you definitely have a adware on that machine. btw how did you solve the problem?
anyways i would address the thing you said about getting a yahoo instant messenger advertisement as soon as you logged in. it is know as yahoo insider. get rid of it by clicking on "Login --> Preferences".
Click on general and in left window uncheck the check box saying "Show yahoo insider when I login".
Click on Apply and then Ok.

[0R1()N]

I used em all and then some: spybot search and destroy, lava soft adaware, and no back doors, a utility that scans for back doors, I found a whole buch of stuff. I also installed norton internet security and a buch of microsoft security internet updates, and the unpnp, and socket lock. Despite what people think, if raw sockets aren't needed then I disable them. So I think his machine is all patched up, thanks anyways guys.

I still wana know is this a new thing? (yahoo instint messaging) with theses porno pop ups and advertising....?:mad:

[asklepios]

i gave you a tip about switching off yahoo insider. btw yahoo will never give you porno advertisements.
i feel that this friend of yours is a regular chatter in so-called not so good rooms and people send mass porno links to you from there!
these links usually come as offline messages and not as some kind of pop-up. the only pop-up yahoo messenger provides is yahoo insider and that too only once, i.e. as soon as you login!
i feel that those porno pop-ups you were getting with yahoo were cos of some spyware and as u have got the PC all patched up now, you should be out of mess! :cheers: