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Virtual bouncer

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 2:34 am
by Van Canna
At start up my zone alarm displays a window as follows
Do you want virtual bouncer V2.0 to access the internet?
I never installed virtual bouncer, don't see it in my programs, don't even know what it is.

Anyone know what this is and how it got into my computer?

should it be removed? And if so, how?

Thanks.

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 2:53 am
by Van Canna
Found this on Google, the claim is it will remove virtual bouncer.

>What does SpyBot-Search & Destroy?
Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too :)<

What do you guys think?

spy ware

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:20 am
by AlanL
http://lavasoft.element5.com/software/adaware/

Van sensei,

I've been trying the free version of the above link. Amazing how much spy ware it removes. The pro version that you can buy will block it from being installed on your PC.

Best,

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:37 am
by Van Canna
Thanks Alan.

So, virtual bouncer is spyware?

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:47 am
by Gene DeMambro
I use Spybot myself, and it's amazing the stuff it find that you never knew was there. It even has an "immunize" function that will block known spyware and other nasty baddies.

I just downloaded it for Mom's new computer. Just remember to Update it immediately after installing it, to get the newest version and the maximum protection.

Gene

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:57 am
by Van Canna
Thanks Gene.

What's the best link to download it? The ones I come up with are confusing. Can you give me some quick instructions on how to?

Thanks, :D

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 4:04 am
by Van Canna
Gene,

See my original post. zone alarm is asking me if I want virtual bouncer to access the internet, what does it mean?

Thanks,

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 10:03 am
by Deep Sea
One URL link that youse guys should have in a convenient place is

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/browse ... x,1,00.asp

Their home page is http://www.pcworld.com/ if you wish to keep abreast of the "PC World."

Never Surf without them.

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 11:01 pm
by Gene DeMambro
I'm no expert in Zone Alarm, but it appears that Zone Alarm is detecting a program on your computer that is attempting to 'net access. ZA is acting as a gate-keeper, and doesn't like what it sees.

That being said, you can get SpyBot directly from:

http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=start .

The program is free, but the author asks for donations.

Save it to the hard rive, then run the program. After it installs, run the installed program again (in "Easy Mode" if it gives you the option), then click "Search for Updates" (need to be on the 'Net to do this). It will then search for updates. Click to download program updates, and then you'll have the updated program.

After that (and after you log off the 'Net), click "search for problems" and the program will look for over 7000 known pieces of spyware or other types of security/privacy compromisers. This will take a few minutes. Then go from there.

After that, click "Immunize".

Hope it helps!

Gene

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:38 am
by Deep Sea
First, Van, who is virtual bouncer and how did it get on your pc???

Using a piece of software (POS) to prevent another POS from accessing the internet is like using a band aid. You need to remove your bouncer completely.

Requesting Zone Alarm to not let the bouncer access the internet seems to me to be a proper approach. You also need to be careful with Zone Alarm because if you deny the wrong things access to the internet you may not be able to do anything with your browser, such as read URL pages.

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:57 am
by Van Canna
Allen,

Don't know who virtual bouncer is, although Google search indicates it might be spyware. Have no idea how it got installed on my PC.

No one really seems to know the answers here, but thanks for the help.

Bet Tony would know but he is among the missing.

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 2:00 am
by CANDANeh
http://www.derkeiler.com/Newsgroups/mic ... /1280.html

Was curious also, your not the first who seems frustrated by this program

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 2:24 am
by Van Canna
Requesting Zone Alarm to not let the bouncer access the internet seems to me to be a proper approach.
The thing is, I did not request zone alarm to do anything. It just pops up a window asking me if I want virtual bouncer to access the internet. Don't know how Zone alarm got programmed to do this. Strange.

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 5:03 am
by Deep Sea
When Zone Alarm pops up with its Alert Repeat Program, click on "No." If everything still works, the next time Zone Alarm rears its friendly head for that dude, check the "Remember" check box just above it before you press the "No" button again. That should dispose of your problem.

If you didn't request your little doodad, Van, then it may be something that rode in on your email or slipped in on one of the web pages that you went to as you were surfing the net. Check your browser security level and make sure you have the latest patches for MS Outlook.

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 5:10 am
by Deep Sea
Thanks for the link. So, Ad-ware is buggy and Spybot hit the bttom on this one, eh?

I have had Norton Ghost for awhile and so far it has sit unused. However, Next time I load a fresh system I will use the Ghost to image the fresh system and whenever I get hosed or if I get something on my system that I cannot kill, the least painful way will be to load the image.