Spam, ahh!

[Greg Perkins]

So I have never had an issue before a few weeks ago, but now I can't seem to avoid about 30 popups happening everytime I change websites. I have firefox, and the popup blocker is enabled, but for some reason it keeps getting by. Does anybody have an idea as to whats going on and how to stop it?

[Greg Needel]

run a virus scan. I bet you have one.

[Lowfategg]

Get Avg Free, Windows Defender, and Adware SE, install them, run them, and be happy!

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Originally Posted by Lowfategg

Get Avg Free, Windows Defender, and Adware SE, install them, run them, and be happy!

Lowfategg has the right idea!

When you visit sites, you often unintentionally allow third parties to download information onto your computer. Some of this information is, in theory, harmless. Most of it will slow down your computer and cause pop-ups, if not create sketchy access to your computer.

1) Download those applications ( I strongly recommend Adware) and run an initial test. Get rid of everything you can that is spyware, virus, etc.

2) If you don't already have a back-up (you might consider doing this prior to downloading anything at all) - make a back-up drive or CD of all of your important documents. Stuff for school, work, family, etc...whatever you need and feel is important to you.

3) If you are running into a particularly unique virus that you can't get rid of, try to find a good tutorial or instruction for it online. There are often multiple resources for this - make sure yours is credible. Be careful with editing your registry as well, especially if you have not done so before. You could destroy your computer.

4) Lather, rinse, repeat! Vigilance is key. Good luck!

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Greg Perkins

So I have never had an issue before a few weeks ago, but now I can't seem to avoid about 30 popups happening everytime I change websites. I have firefox, and the popup blocker is enabled, but for some reason it keeps getting by. Does anybody have an idea as to whats going on and how to stop it?

Sounds like a virus.

The popup banners aren't being launched by the websites you visit, they are being launched by system calls to the default web browser.

Depending on the virus, it may be "too deep" into the operating system to be fixed by a virus scanner. Since some viruses install themselves in multiple locations, processes, and registry locations, it may be impossible to fully remove it and may require reinstalling Windows (and wiping the hard drive first) to totally eradicate.

If you do wipe Windows and start over, make sure any data you remove from the computer before hand is fully virus/spyware/malware scanned before you restore it. And be careful about viruses creating "virus seeds" on any kind of storage device, which can automatically spread the virus if plugged into a new computer. If that's the case, get a good Linux or Mac virus scanner (make sure it also scans for Windows viruses) and check it there, as any auto installing viruses from Windows most likely won't attack either of those OSs.