Unauthorized program Install?

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Can anyone tell me if it’s possible to have a program installed as a program file without knowing it? Is it possible to visit a Web site, and without your permission have them actually install an accessible program on your computer (i.e., not spyware, but something put there that you interact with)? This program shows up as an item on the Start menu, and in the control panel list. When you access it, it brings up a dialog box with a phone number to call to get the password (which you also enter into the dialog box) 0r to see the pictures in the file (or it may be to link to a site to see the images). I know enough to think that this is just not possible (i.e., they may be able to give you a link to download the program, but to actually install the program to run on your computer, you need to do something from your end,), but not enough to be completely confident of that answer. Any ideas?

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If you didn’t install it and you don’t know what it does, chances are good that you don’t want that on your system another minute !! If there is an uninstall option anywhere (the program itself, Add/Remove programs in Control Panel) use it. Then run AdAware and Spybot to see if it left anything else behind.

It is amost certainly spyware or adware that came onboard when you downloaded something else like a screensaver or a game or utility. Done anything like that lately ???? Let us know what you find and what you are or are not able to do with this little piece of business.

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If you didn’t install it and you don’t know what it does, chances are good that you don’t want that on your system another minute !! If there is an uninstall option anywhere (the program itself, Add/Remove programs in Control Panel) use it. Then run AdAware and Spybot to see if it left anything else behind.

It is amost certainly spyware or adware that came onboard when you downloaded something else like a screensaver or a game or utility. Done anything like that lately ???? Let us know what you find and what you are or are not able to do with this little piece of business.

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Yes, it is easy to install programs on to systems that are not well-protected. The usual mechanism is to use ActiveX controls.

Consider running AdAware and Spybot for removal (may or may not work), plus consider installation of Spyware Blaster to prevent this in the future.

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Thanks, everyone. I have taken the proper steps to get rid of it, and to make sure it doesn’t come back.

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Thanks, everyone. I have taken the proper steps to get rid of it, and to make sure it doesn’t come back.

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Yes, it is easy to install programs on to systems that are not well-protected. The usual mechanism is to use ActiveX controls.

Consider running AdAware and Spybot for removal (may or may not work), plus consider installation of Spyware Blaster to prevent this in the future.

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Yes, it is a porn program. Something we really don’t want people downloading at work. The person is in trouble for visiting sites, but I need to determine, if I can, if he deliberately downloaded a program to be run for the start menu. It looks like it could be done without his knowledge, so we can’t really know for sure.

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It would be difficult, at best, to determine if this person deliberately downloaded something to run at startup. But it is unlikely, since they are now in trouble for an activity they knew from the outset would get them in trouble, they would more likely have tried to cover up their activity, rather than make it so “in your face”.

The porn sites are notorious for sneaking things “in the back door” and that is probably how this got there. A not so subtile marketing technique employed by these lovely folks to perpetuate their intrusive business model.

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It would be difficult, at best, to determine if this person deliberately downloaded something to run at startup. But it is unlikely, since they are now in trouble for an activity they knew from the outset would get them in trouble, they would more likely have tried to cover up their activity, rather than make it so “in your face”.

The porn sites are notorious for sneaking things “in the back door” and that is probably how this got there. A not so subtile marketing technique employed by these lovely folks to perpetuate their intrusive business model.

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Yes, it is a porn program. Something we really don’t want people downloading at work. The person is in trouble for visiting sites, but I need to determine, if I can, if he deliberately downloaded a program to be run for the start menu. It looks like it could be done without his knowledge, so we can’t really know for sure.

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