Have you ever been tricked by a dialer?

Question

I want to know more about this problem. I hear this hide dialers can manage to redirect my internet dial up conexion withouth my permission. I need details to learn about this problem.

Answer 1

No, i always have had dsl. And so far It is only possible with modem for isdn or voice telephone connections.

Yes it is possible to redirect You.

Mechanism: they either socially manipulate You so that You do not understand what You install or they use system insecurities.

Counter measures: You do not install software that You do not know. You do not open unsolicited files that come with Your mail and messenger programs. You use a firewall and You allow only specific programs to connect to the Internet.

You use a browser that white-lists or does not use activeX components. AFAIK IE7 is the first IE that white lists activeX
but I am not sure I stopped to use IE on a regular basis some 3 or 4 years ago. I am sure that Firefox, SeaMonkey and K-Meleon browsers white list btw. do not use activeX out of the box.
I am fairly sure that Opera only uses certain activeX components.


There are programs that can function as anti dialer guard. But I only have first hand experience with YAW (yet another warner).
I often installed that program on friends' PCs. Several of my friends had been tricked - so all were very keen to have it installed and updated. I had dsl and downloaded the new versions.

You will find more info via 1.) They also seem to have a link to the successor of YAW program.

p.s. I am German - we had a massive problem with dialers about 3 years ago. Some countries like Germany have very strict laws about/against dialers. Check what You local laws say.

thx for reading my post

Answer 2

Install the following and you should never get infected with a dialer.

Windows Defender (free) provides active spyware protection.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

Install the following 5 malware detection and removal programs.
Run weekly or as needed.

Ad-Aware SE Personal (update + full scan)
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

Spybot Search & Destroy (update + immunize + scan)
Enable SDHelper, do not optional tea timer. After installation: update + scan + immunize
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

SpywareBlaster: Update then open and click “enable all protection”. http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

SUPERAntiSpyware free version: (update + scan)
http://www.superantispyware.com/

CCleaner: Set to run when computer starts. Removes tracking cookies.
Place cookies you want to keep in the save list. Do not run “Scan for Issues” (registry cleaner)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Other tests run at least monthly:
Microsoft update: Run in “Custom Mode”, Install everything. http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

Microsoft OneCare Live, run “full service scan”
Updates windows, virus and spyware scan, disk cleanup, disk fragmentation (if needed), backs up registry and then cleans registry, and checks for open firewall ports.
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

Malicious Software Removal Tool (run “full scan”)
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Answer 3

Everything you could ever want to know about spyware, adware and dialers