Malware

April 8, 2004 12:05 AM

Anybody else familiar with the program Golden Palace Casino? Its malware that is forced into your computer that is next to impossible to get rid of. In fact, I had to call them and they had to SEND ME a file to completely remove it. I asked to speak to their legal department, and they said they didnt have one. My question is:

Are there law firms fighting the rights of people receiving malicious software such as this, and do they have a website?
posted by Keyser Soze to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

We're all too familiar with it. My partner has had to remove it from her laptop twice now by scouring the registry. I don't know of the legalities, but my guess is no.

I wouldn't mind a copy of that file if you've still got it on hand.
posted by answergrape at 12:41 AM on April 8, 2004

i've found that cwshredder will get whatever you can't do with ad-aware and uh, that other one.

mostly right now, I lock stuff down on my pc, or i'll just hit it up with the mac, which, so far, has been pretty immune to hijacks.

sorry that this doesn't directly address your question, but maybe it'll be of help to folks searching for info on removing spyware/browser hijacks later.

(also i'd suggest taking it to Google Groups if you've got a *really* bad instance).
posted by fishfucker at 2:31 AM on April 8, 2004

It's Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy. If those don't work, do like fishfucker said and run cwshredder, which he just linked to.

Those got rid of Golden Palace for me (although not, unfortunately, before the program crashed my fragile six-year-old computer).
posted by grrarrgh00 at 5:11 AM on April 8, 2004

Neither ad-aware nor hyjack-this worked to get rid of "searchxl", which totally crippled my laptop. I had to manually remove it from the registry.

Linux is looking better and better these days.
posted by bondcliff at 7:28 AM on April 8, 2004

Try not accepting unsigned ActiveX (or any, unless you *need* it), for future reference. Doesn't really answer the question, but might prevent another occurrence.
posted by trondant at 8:36 AM on April 8, 2004

The other question you want to ask yourself is "How are you getting infected?".

I've never been hit with any spyware (aside from cross-site cookies, which I don't really count), and I use windows.

-Keep windows update on autoupdate or check regularily.
-Crank security settings in IE/Outlook, esp. those related to activeX. Or better yet, use Mozilla/Firefox.
-If you absolutely must install "free" software like p2p apps, read up on the app first, find out what spyware it includes, and be ready to remove it afterwards.
-Never blindly say "ok" to a dialog box on a web site, and never open random email attachments.

Specific to this app:
Symantec Write Up
Transmission
This adware program must be manually installed.
(which probably means it piggy-backed on some other app you installed).

I'm interested in the answer to the legal question as well, but I can't help there.
posted by malphigian at 8:39 AM on April 8, 2004

I'm broken-recording here, but have you thought about using something other than IE?

And, no, unless you want to take them to court personally, or unless you can convince the FBI that they want to investigate what looks like computer crime, you're SOL.
posted by bshort at 9:12 AM on April 8, 2004

Response by poster: Family computer. I have an aunt that just got a computer. Unfortunately, she is one of those meth head people who arent what you call educated. That is talking so much shit, but I honestly feel that way. Anyways she sends us about 500 emails worth of trolled crap from all her computer hijackings. Shes such a crackhead when I tried to help her over the phone she said people are trying to look in her computer and find out what shes doing, I told her that if she put up a firewall and some adware programs it would stop. No, she keeps everything the same. Probably plays poker palace casino with her credit card too, thinking shes actually gonna win (?!?!?!?! ITS FUCKING SOFTWARE DEALING WITH ODDS ARE YOU FUCKING RETARDED).
posted by Keyser Soze at 10:56 AM on April 8, 2004

Keyser, are you drunk or something? Tone it down.
posted by clever sheep at 3:35 PM on April 8, 2004

Oh, great. Now I'm channeling my mother. Time to log out and go take a walk.
posted by clever sheep at 3:36 PM on April 8, 2004

Keyser, Ross Perot called. He wants his crazy aunt back, the one you keep in the basement.
posted by PrinceValium at 8:11 PM on April 8, 2004

Now, don't you go picking on Ross. We don't hide our crazy people down here in the South. We bring up out to the parlour so everybody can enjoy them. ;)
posted by dejah420 at 8:17 PM on April 8, 2004