Stupid AIM Spyware thing

[lucrioual]

Alright, I'm trying to help a buddy of mine fix his AIM from my house over the internet and I'm having a hard time getting rid of this thing
Whenever he messages someone it sends this righ tafter

Want to see your buddy's cool new IM icon? Go to http://buddies.funbuddyicons.com/?ZCxdm235XXUS
@[fwpscript]Version:01.03.00.07|Icon:41a@[/fwpscript]

I"ve had him do a full system scan with AdAware with updated libraries and stuff and also had him run spybot

anything you guys can recommend i do?

thanks

- luc

 

[mechBgon]

FunBuddyIcons/SmileyCentral was on a co-worker's home computer that I was helping with. She has kids, and go figure, they were running Administrator-class accounts. Anyway, the stuff was crafty. I scanned with McAfee, Norton 2005 and TrendMicro Housecall, I scanned with Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1, Spybot S&D and Lavasoft, in Safe Mode, with System Restore disabled, in the library with the candlestick and it still tried to creep back in from... somewhere. Oh, and I tried "captive" scans in my own system so it couldn't stealth itself or fight back.

While there were some things found, both Downloader/Trojans and the spyware/adware itself, and Microsoft AntiSpyware's real-time protection put the brakes on some of the stuff trying to reinstall, I never found the master program that was running the show. I ended up Dropping The Bomb On It? and setting everyone up as Limited users so their accounts inherently lack the power to install stuff, good or bad.

If you want to fight a bit more, then uninstall whatever you can using Add/Remove Programs, grab the Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1 software to add to your arsenel, and also some current-generation antivirus software, maybe trialware of McAfee, Norton or Kapersky. Set them up to use every possible option, disable System Restore, reboot into Safe Mode and scan with all of them (that should only take two or three days, right? ). You could also post a HijackThis logfile too.

Good luck, and keep your eye on the big red Nuke It All! button if it proves to be really stubborn stuff

 

[amdskip]

You can try downloading a file called aimfix.exe. I've had great luck with it so far.

http://www.jayloden.com/VirusClean.htm

 

[inspiron8200guy]

Dump AIM. Unsintall AIM and download a real IM platform: Trillian, I just switched today and could not be happier

 

[lucrioual]

thanks for all the suggestions
i'll have him try some of that stuff tomorrow

yea i use trillian myself, however i doubt he'll really want to switch
id rather just help him get rid of it

 

[inspiron8200guy]

He really should switch to Trillian. Although if for some reason he enjoys long starup times with AIM then he should keep it. Personally, Trillian is less obtrusive than AIM. You don't get a popup whenever one of your buddies is away, signs off, signs on, etc.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: inspiron8200guyPersonally, Trillian is less obtrusive than AIM. You don't get a popup whenever one of your buddies is away, signs off, signs on, etc.

You can turn those "alert" windows off easily. I used to love trillian until I had to update it every 4-6 weeks due to one of my IM clients changing their format or program just enough that trillain wouldn't work. Trillian isn't the best program for someone who might need help using AIM.