This spyware called "Instant Access" found its way on my PC...

[brigden]

What do I do?

 

[oniq]

I choose D. Not enough information

 

[SmoochyTX]

Maybe this?

http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/instantaccessdialer/index.phtml

Bad porn! Bad bad porn!

 

[parsley007]

google works wonders

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: parsley007
google works wonders

So does asking you geeks.

 

[jjyiz28]

run them both on safe mode. may or may not work, might as wel lgive it a shot.

or "cwshredder". but thats more of web site fave thing, but wroth a shot

 

[brigden]

There is no mention of the program in Add/Remove. RegCleaner finds no mention of it either. I run Ad-Aware and SpyBot in safe mode and still no dice.

The program is running in the taskbar.

How do I get rid of this thing?

 

[SmoochyTX]

Have you run regedit yet? http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/instantaccessdialer/index.phtml

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: SmoochyTX
Have you run regedit yet? http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/instantaccessdialer/index.phtml

Yes. No mention of it.

 

[mdcrab]

I have been using a program called Spy Sweeper by Webroot Software

There is a version you can try for free, but you can not update your subscription.

It roots out most of the spyware and background programs left by some of the others including Adaware.

mdcrab

 

[Sluggo]

Did you check out this thread in the software forum?

 

[brigden]

I cannot find any mention of this program anywhere on my PC. No files, no directories, no registry entries, nothing. Yet it continues to load each time I start Windows.

What can I do?

 

[SmoochyTX]

cable or dial-up modem?

 

[mdcrab]

Have you tried a System Restore to an earlier version of your registry?
Might work in eliminating "Instant Access"?

mdcrab

 

[JBT]

did you try "spyware blaster" yet? It does a great job for me.

 

[SmoochyTX]

Let's start from the beginning....

How do you know it's spyware? What program told you it was? What is your operating system?

 

[xXped0thugXx]

msconfig, stop it from starting, then see where its starting from, just a thought

 

[jjyiz28]

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=33&threadid=1258310&enterthread=y

 

[brigden]

I'm using XP, and I'm on cable. I know Instant Access is spyware because there are several sites pertaining to it's removal. It's a dialer.

I eventually found a single mention of the program in the registry. I deleted it and the program seems to have been wiped out, but I'd still like to be totally sure. I'm assuming there are still files somewhere on my PC, like an .exe or .dll.

I don't know where to begin...

P.S. Big thanks to those who replied and tried to help! :beer: