strange behavior

[shapavi]

I am running Limeware 4.8.1 on Windows 2000. Yesterday
Limeware behaved very strangely. Without me requesting
it Limeware seemed to update itself and change its behavior
in the following ways.

1. It started using WMP to play some of my mp3 files.
Previously it always used the internal mp3 player

2. The saved files in my library temporarily disappeared.
I was able to restore them with Refresh

3. Search changed to display genre, artist and album windows
after clicking on search. Clicking on "back to search" restores
the search window which is what I far prefer. I have no interest
in the genre, artist and album windows and previously they
were never displayed after the search. I can't figure out how
to return to the previous behavior

4. Some of my settings like upload slots "magically" changed
and I had to manually restore them

5. Perhaps worst of all, shortly after I started using Limeware,
a sort of browser window opened. It changed the title
to "Enabling Open Information Sharing" and hung limeware
for about 30 seconds. My Limeware now has the new title.
I checked the date stamp on my Limeware executable and it has not changed, but things certainly are different.

Can anyone explain this behavior?? Is there some sort of automatic update over the internet taking place? Is it documented anywhere?

[shapavi]

oops ... I meant LimeWire, of course, not LimeWare ;-)

[fabion]

It sounds more like a virus, trojan, or worm. They are malicious, and alter programs without any warning.

I would suggest you update and run your anti- virus software now if not sooner along with any spy-ware and adware programs you may have.

If you think your anti-virus software has been compromised, you can get a free virus-scan from this link. http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/d...d=ie&venid=sym

[shapavi]

I used the symantec site to test for viruses. My system
was clean except for some adware and one virus that
was not in an executable that I run or that Windows uses.
I could not find any documentation on the Symantec site
for what the virus was. I think it's highly
unlikely a virus did what I described. I do run a good
virus scanner on my system and it gave a clean bill of
health.

[fabion]

Hmmm that is odd. As far as I know you have to update LW yourself. You may receive a message that an update is available. but that is it as far as know.

Maybe another member might know. It still sounds like what I said before, or someone else did it without your knowledge.

[ukbobboy01]

shapavi

I am inclined to agree with fabion, only some sort of virus or spyware would really cause the problems you are experiencing. It seems that something has got into your computer, made some changes, and I believe has possible given control to someone or something else.

Apart from taking fabion's advice, I would suggest the following:

1) Completely uninstall Limewire, deleting all remaining folders. If you want to keep your existing library then move the files to a newly created folder before deletion.

2) Run your anti-spyware software, I use MS Anti-Spyware, Ad-Aware SE (Personal) and Spybot V1.3.

I would also suggest that you delete all unnecessary temp files, both those found in the temp and temporary internet folders. I was able to find an additional spyware cookie after I did this.

3) Update and run your anti-virus again.

4) Defrag your HD.

5) Download and reinstall Limewire only from the official site:

http://www.limewire.com/english/content/home.shtml

Now your HD will free of any hidden spyware or virus and your copy of LW will be uninfected by the problem you had before.




UK Bob

[shapavi]

Thanks for the advice!

I will try to follow it as soon as I get the
chance. I don't have spybot but I've been meaning to get it. It
would definitely be nice to get rid of the adware which is a hangover from when I installed Kazaa (the adware is all
Gator, which I know is from Kazaa with one occurence
of Cydoor) The virus is Remacc.Radmin. I have no idea
what it is, but as I said it infected a few files I never execute
which I think I will blow away to be certain.

best regards!