SYMPTOMS
You do a search via Google or Bing, you click a result…next thing you know, you are looking at some weird advertisement and the URL says “Fast-Find” or one of several other URLs including just freaky IP addresses. If you go back and click your search link again, it takes you to the expected result… but then you find yourself having to play this game of trying search results more than once.
CONGRATS
If the above is true, you have a nasty installed on your machine. Don’t worry, I won’t judge you because…I visited that same website and got that same nasty also! Hahaha.
REMOVAL
I have Symantec… I did a full scan, it found nothing
I have Spybot Search and Destroy…I did a full scan, it found nothing
I have Malwarebytes… I did a full scan, it found nothing
I have HiJackThis… I deleted all the registry keys I could safely remove… to no avail
So I did a search, and eventually found a product called ComboFix. You can get it here at Bleeping Computer – It Worked! So I donated $10 to the guy and posted this article, in the hopes it will help you too.
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS
Please note, once you run ComboFix it tells you what to do and what not to do. Please follow the instructions. Keep in mind, there are over 50 phases that it goes through – so just be patient, LET IT restart your machine and finish properly.
DISCLAIMER
Use this or any similar software at your own risk. Just because it worked for me, doesn’t mean it will work for you (although I hope it does!). And, even though it didn’t break my machine doesn’t mean it won’t break yours (although I hope it doesn’t!).
Happy Hunting!!