I got SPYWARE?

[sfdtux]

Folks - I have read numerous articles on this subject and scoured various forums but I DID get hit on my 1 month old PCLOS 2012.08 version PC  - which is fully updated.

When I open Firefox, I get an applet running just below the Search box. It changes every time I close the Browser and open it again. It's usually some silly animation or mini-game.

I have disabled JAVA Add-on  but that did not help. I cleaned out all my history and cookies but I still see it when I open Firefox.

Ok - so what happened here and how can I get rid of it. I have my Windows running just fine and I expect to get "hit" there, but I know how to deal with it - it's part of my living. But I am at a loss on my Linux machine. What do I need to do, short of a re-install, if even that would help ??

[wyohman]

This is the first I've ever heard but I would check your browser extension and add-ons.

Cheers.

[The Chief]

And look for nasty tool bars...  View/Toolbars, and look for something you don't recognize.  There are only 4 built into Firefox - Menu Bar, Navigation Toolbar, Bookmarks Toolbar and Add-on Bar.

[rastus]

Is this of any use? (Ignoring the references to Windows)

[DeBaas]

Swich of Firefox
You could remove/rename the ~/.mozilla/firefox  folder to check if it's inside your settings.
Start Firefox it should be clean now.
Carefull put them files and folders back and check everytime, or delete them all the easy way.
So you can find out where your problem is stored.

~/ is your home folder /home/yourname/
.mozilla hidden folder made vissible by Alt-.

[µT6]

you are describing a addon on firefox, uninstall it on firefox options

if that doesn't help, you can export the bookmarks on it and then just rename the .mozilla  folder in your home folder

it is hidden so enable show hidden files in the file manager

firefox will create a new .mozilla folder and you can import bookmarks again

[YouCanToo]

Folks - I have read numerous articles on this subject and scoured various forums but I DID get hit on my 1 month old PCLOS 2012.08 version PC  - which is fully updated.

When I open Firefox, I get an applet running just below the Search box. It changes every time I close the Browser and open it again. It's usually some silly animation or mini-game.

I have disabled JAVA Add-on but that did not help. I cleaned out all my history and cookies but I still see it when I open Firefox.

Ok - so what happened here and how can I get rid of it. I have my Windows running just fine and I expect to get "hit" there, but I know how to deal with it - it's part of my living. But I am at a loss on my Linux machine. What do I need to do, short of a re-install, if even that would help ??

Why don't you post a screenshot of what you are talking about so we are not trying to guess what your problem might or might not be. 

I find it very hard to believe that you have spyware on your Linux system. If it is spyware you will have been the first to post about it that I have seen on the forum! 

[Georgetoon]

I agree.  Sounds more like an Add-on than Spyware.  Don't most spyware programs require an executable?

[Rudge]

"I got SPYWARE?"

Unless you downloaded something, gave it "executable" permissions and then, executed it, it is highly doubtful.  

However,

In addition to the above suggestions,

What page do you use as your "Home Page" ?

It could be something that is supposed to be there based on the HTML for that page.

I ask this question simply because you haven't said what page it is.    

[sfdtux]

My Home page is Google.  I am not at my PC now so I will post a screen shot when I get home tonight. When I open Firefox,  the page opens with the familiar Google Logo and the Search box, but under the Search box I get an applet appear about the size of a banner with an animation of sorts - different each time I open FF. In very light  text just under that applet, are the words "This Ad is not part of Site"

  I say "Spyware?" with a question mark because I always understood spyware was not a factor on a Linux system and I was surprised. Something got into the FF Browser somehow - executable, Java vulnerability, - whatever.

  This is a new system just installed about a month ago !
 
  I'll follow suggestions here about the FF profile etc but first I want to try to understand how and why this is happened.

[µT6]

the only executable inside firefox is firefox, from it all you can have is addons

that is why we point to that direction, some addon you installed voluntarily or involuntarily, please try the suggestions mentioned previously to see if it helps you

[smileeb]

Being the biggest dummy on the forum, I think you clicked on either an infected java or foxit
item and that could be the cause.

[menotu]

Additionally, I would of thought the last thing spyware would want is to show you it's installed, so............

[sfdtux]

Hi folks  - I included a screen shot  so you can see what I was talking about. I used the word "Spyware" in quotes only because I did not know what else to call it at the moment.

I did also  rename the .mozilla folder in my Home directory  and restarted FF without issue and without the "Gremlin" (  ) !!

I still have no idea how or why it got there. As I stated earlier - this is a recently built system and only used to sync up some dropbox music files I had on my office machines and do some Internet guitar shopping for now. I am still tailoring this PC for more heavy usage.

Anyway - although the issue seems to be resolved, I would still like to know how it got there for future ref.

[YouCanToo]

Hi folks  - I included a screen shot  so you can see what I was talking about. I used the word "Spyware" in quotes only because I did not know what else to call it at the moment.

I did also  rename the .mozilla folder in my Home directory  and restarted FF without issue and without the "Gremlin" (  ) !!

I still have no idea how or why it got there. As I stated earlier - this is a recently built system and only used to sync up some dropbox music files I had on my office machines and do some Internet guitar shopping for now. I am still tailoring this PC for more heavy usage.

Anyway - although the issue seems to be resolved, I would still like to know how it got there for future ref.

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