Does Spyware problem constitute a Travel Tech issue?
 

Everytime I log onto Flyer Talk I seem to open the door to Tribal Fusion, etc and the spyware rushes in.....I clean up with my Ad Aware...

Is there any way to block this flood? I guess it comes embedded with Flyer Talk....

This has probably been discussed earler...

Yes, it has been discussed. Do a search on TribalFusion on the "Technical Issues" board.

Bottom line is that, unless you're willing to build some pretty exotic code into your system, it's a cost of using FT.

You should consider adding a spyware PREVENTING program to your arsenal of anti-spyware protection. Ad-Aware is good, but it only finds what's already there.

First off, you should install and run Spybot Search and Destroy alongside Ad-Aware. Be sure to execure the "innoculate" function - this actively protects your system when the spyware first tries to knock on the door, so to speak.

For further protection, consider a commercial anti-spyware product. I use pest Patrol (recently acquired by Computer Associates).

With these multile layers of protection (including antivirus and personal firewall software as well), my system remains spyware and malicious-program free.

Thanks! I shall try this.
dede

point tribalfusion.com -> 127.0.0.1
 

There's another very simple solution to this. In your hosts file, make an entry like this:
It will point the URL for tribalfusion, back to your local machine.

Don't do this manually, use one of the anti-spyware programs to do it. Spy Sweeper (one month free from webroot.com) will do this (Shields > Hosts File > check 'Common Ad Sites Shield', ... and 'Hosts File Shield' while you're there). I believe SpyBot S&D and Ad Aware SE will do also. I use all three, but only use one (Spy Sweeper) to modify the hosts file.

Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
 

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
List of sites was last updated December 24, 2004.

What a big waste of time. No spyware / virus problems using Safari yet.

I made a hosts file that has the following entries in it:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 tribalfusion.com
127.0.0.1 a.tribalfusion.com
127.0.0.1 speedera.net
127.0.0.1 tribalfusion.speedera.net


and I haven't seen an ad here or had any problems since. I don't like most of the pre made hosts files, they block many sites I want to get to, but these four entries (the last four in the file) have worked wonders for me here for a very long time.

Thanks Cordelli. Works great.

-David

huh, what is tribal fusion.....maybe it doesn't register on firefox.....

I have Spybot installed, and a week or two ago I started finding FT was trying to load Avenue-A... SpyBot asked me if I wanted to block the download, but (unlike Avenue-A on other sites), no matter if I said yes or no, all I got from FT after that was a blank screen.

I have had to temporarily disable the browser download blocker and clear cookies, any better ideas ?

How do you use a hosts file with XP? I see a hosts file in c:/I386, but that doesn't work.

In XP the hosts file is here:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

-David

How do I edit my hosts file (Win2K)? Do I need one of the programs JadedTraveler references?

I've been using Adaware (free version) and am considering buying up. Which version should I get? SE Personal?

Help
 

I have tried to edit my hosts file (XP Pro) and seem to be unable.

I am running SpyBot SD 1.3 and I have AdAware Pro 6.0. I tried to go in Windows manually, but the file type is not a standard one. I opened the hosts file with NotePad, but then when I save the edited file, it saves as a TXT file.

I do not see anywhere in SpyBot that allows me to change the file. It looks like SpyBot just edits the hosts file itself.

Any advice is appreciated greatly. Happy New Year!