Fake Firefox, how to deal with it?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm on a fake browser. I needed to reset my Firefox Homepage when a free download installed Bing's search engine two days ago. I do this probably twice a year without problems. This time though I keep getting redirects and prompts with pages for how to call firefox. I just now tried to go to history to have a link to show the page that shows how to get help from Mozilla Firefox. I got a warning that the computer was infected and the need to address it.

Anybody else experience this? I've never had an issue with Firefox, but somebody seems to have figured out a way to exploit it. I tried to change my password and got even more danger signs.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

1. Wow!

Just now my post had two links in there I didn't intend to be there. I'm running a scan and had better remove this browser.

[arcane1]

2. If you're seeing links in your posts, you are definitely infected with something.

That happened to me once after downloading some free application.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

3. I really am

When I went to reply to your post, I got another page (digital consumer offers) It's so weird because it must have been a sleeper. I haven't downloaded anything since last Friday other than a new getting a new firefox browser. Just removed some programs I missed and am doing full system scan.

What a pain.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

4. Oddly, I'm only experiencing this on DU.

Lots of ads here and no problems on facebook or other websites.

[steve2470]

5. be sure to use two different programs to get rid of any malware/viruses nt

[SleeplessinSoCal]

6. "Computer Help" and your post "Programs" came up with links.

I'm running Windows Defender. Can I have a recommendation for another anti-virus program that won't actually drag in more virus?

Much appreciated.

[steve2470]

7. this is from an earlier post of mine, just google to find the download links

Best Antivirus, dead tree Maximum PC magazine, July 2014:

9-Kick Ass (their best rating): BitDefender Internet Security, Norton Internet Security

9: WebRoot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus, ESET Smart Security,

8: Kaspersky Internet Security 2014, McAfee Internet Security 2014, Avira Free Antivirus, Avast Free Antivirus

7: Panda Internet Security 2014

6: AVG Antivirus Free 2014

[SleeplessinSoCal]

8. Going to run System Restore after the Defender runs completely

It's going to take all day I suspect. It's only here though. Wonder if DU has something?

[steve2470]

9. I've had no problems on DU today nt

[Pharaoh]

11. system restore

then run malwarebytes, you should be good.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

13. I just ran 'malwarebytes' and it wasn't recognized

Don't really know what it is.

Meanwhile, other than trying to remember all the bookmarks and passwords, I'm in the clear. Although Mozilla Firefox seems very different. It didn't recognize its own "appearance" add-on. Hope that's not what gave me the virus in the first place. I had to reinstall the browser (when the bookmarks were saved) a few days ago when I wound up with the Bing search bar.

Fingers crossed.

[Drew Richards]

10. If you have access to a read only cd and a separate computer download malwarebytes

Reboot computer in boot mode with NO internet access install malwarebytes dont worry about updating just run it...it will kill the hijacker.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

14. Don't know "boot mode"

and it sounds like I could get even more malware if I do something wrong. I can barely handle Windows 8 as it is. But thanks!

[Drew Richards]

15. sorry here is boot mode for win 8

If you dont feel comfortable doing it get someone who you trust to help.

Or you can try to install malwarebytes in normal windows mode and see if it will fix you.

Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode)
Applies to Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1
With the Windows Startup Settings screen (formerly advanced boot options) you can start Windows in different advanced troubleshooting modes so you can find and fix problems on your PC. In previous versions of Windows, you could get to this screen by pressing F8 before Windows started up. Windows 8 PCs start up quickly so there's not enough time to press F8.

There are two ways to get to the Windows Startup Settings screen in Windows 8 :

If you're not signed in to Windows, tap or click the power icon Power icon from the sign-in screen, hold Shift, and then tap or click Restart
Or, if you're already signed in:

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Under PC settings, tap or click General.

Under Advanced startup, tap or click Restart now.

On the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.

Tap or click Startup Settings.

Tap or click Restart.

On the Startup Settings screen, choose the startup setting you want.

Sign in to your PC with a user account that has administrator rights.

Some options, such as safe mode, start Windows in a limited state where only essential programs are started. Other options start Windows with advanced features (typically used by system admins and IT professionals). For more info, go to the Microsoft website for IT professionals.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

17. Thanks for the info and time.

Will try it when I have enough courage.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. I lost all bookmarks and passwords

But I'm free of the malware. AVG virus removal shut down my Windows Defender and so I jettisoned it and re-ran the Defender. It found the "trojan" thingy. But after rebooting, the crap was still all over this thread. Having run a System Restore, I have to re-up everything, but feel ever so much cleaner and healthier.

Thanks for being with me through all this!

[gvstn]

16. One quick thought

If you just installed FF without deleting your old profile folder you may still have some bookmark backups.
If you are running the new FF with the Chrome-like three bars at the top right to open configuration then follow the first two steps here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data?redirectlocale=en-US&redirectslug=Profiles

When the profile folder opens see if you have anything in bookmarkbackups folder. If you have some older files that are larger in size then your current bookmarks you can probably import them into your new version of FF fairly simply. See if you have any that you may want to import and I or someone else can help you figure out the steps to import them. (You may want to grab a copy of the entire folder now so that the older versions aren't overwritten. Just exit the bookmarks backup folder and then hold Ctrl and right-click the bookmarksbackup folder and drag it into an empty part of explorer and let it copy itself.)

[SleeplessinSoCal]

18. Saw the folder, but it is dated and timed after I reset and bookmarked all over again.

I will keep this in mind (I hope) for the next, inevitable time it happens.

[gvstn]

19. Newest versions of FF may automatically delete the folder when you reinstall.

It was worth a shot. Just to be sure you opened the actual bookmarkbackups folder and there were only a few files in there dated after you reinstalled? (Mine has ten days of backups--and it used to be if you just reinstalled over-top of an existing installation that folder remained intact.) May not be relevant if you were able to recreate your old bookmarks.

[gvstn]

20. One other program you might try for another time.

Mozbackup is an old program but still works in new versions of FF. I use the Nightly build so am on FF ver. 33 and it still works. It allows you to backup various aspects of FF including passwords and bookmarks (or only these two if you choose). Just make sure to set it to backup to a folder you know how to find--So don't necessarily go with the default but select somewhere that you can find your backups in case you need them. Then if you have to reinstall FF, you can run Mozbackup and browse to your backups and select one that will import your bookmarks and passwords. I only think about running it every 6 weeks to 3 months but I have a decent starting point if I ever have a major problem like you did.

The other idea I had is perhaps there might be another profile in your Mozilla/Firefox folder. I'm not sure how Win8 works but when you open your FF folder in Windows Explorer if you go up one level from wxtvkuyh.default (random letters followed by .default) in Win7 this means looking at the address bar of Explorer and clicking on Profiles folder. See if there is more than one listing. If there is more than one listing then perhaps the other xxx.default folder may hold you previous bookmarks.

[Drew Richards]

21. Good thought

[SleeplessinSoCal]

23. Thanks again. Away fom laptop and problems a few days.

Back tomorrow.

[loribeck12345]

22. 0. Fake Firefox, how to deal with it?

Best Info ..I'm felling good here ..today I get New thing here ...good post

[SleeplessinSoCal]

24. Anybody see problems on Politicus?

No problems here, but the typeset in the articles on Politicus seem to be redacted.

Hope I haven't got another bug.