Does Your Computer Download Stuff Automatically for No Apparent Reason?

by kolled

Posted: 11 years ago 13 replies

OFF TOPIC

*Sorry if this post comes out looking weird, the problem is explained below. Please help if you can.*

My laptop is downloading something continuously. Whatever has possessed the machine seems to accelerate the speed to what I never achieve when browsing normally (this makes the ISP a suspect?).

Is there any way I can tell what is being downloaded? I've installed Zone Alarm Firewall software and added some of the offending IP addresses, but the addresses keep changing. Every time I block one, another kicks in after a few seconds.

Some of the most notorious addresses are:
90.84.60.168
90.84.60.193
90.84.53.169
This 90.84.***.*** series has been HELL. It changes between the series soo fast, you block one, another opens and the downloads continue.

Others are:
81.52.201.1 - 81.52.201.255
80-239-221-51.customer.teliacarrier.com - quite a bother, alternates between addresses a23-63-101-9.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com - another notorious source, also alternates

The ports used to connect by the offending IP addresses alternates between 80 and 443.
For example
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP Nakuru:1307 90.84.59.162:443 ESTABLISHED
TCP Nakuru:1081 90.84.60.193:80 ESTABLISHED
TCP Nakuru:1176 80-239-221-51.customer.teliacarrier.com:80 ESTABLISHED

The sad thing is that other than losing a lot of costly bandwidth, I've managed to lock myself out of websites I like to visit. Infact, this very forum loads like a 'furless cat'. Only the text loads, no graphics, except the images in signatures. Many others like facebook don't load at all.

Am now trying to unravel another mystery whereby Zone Alarm is not taking new addresses (so no more blocking additional IPs) and it is not releasing those I already blocked that I need to unblock. The only solution is to shut the program down, but when I do, all hell breaks lose as the downloading picks up again.

By the way, I've disabled all program and OS updates and uninstalled many programs that I don't use often. The problem still persists. Any advice?

How can I tell what is being downloaded? Is there a tool that can block the specific data coming in? Am at my wit's end here. Kindly assist.

#computer downloading

HeySal 11 years ago

If I were you, I'd consider it to be a keylogger or trojan, etc -- download TDSSKiller and run it to make sure your computer is clean. Dump off your system restore files, too. Then see if you are still downloading something.

If you are you can find it by hitting control + alt + delete and seeing which programs are running on your system at the time. It might be something that is okay but just annoying - but at least if you know what it is you can stop it from automatically downloading.
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Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path
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yukon Banned 11 years ago

Your computer is infested.
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- HeySal 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by yukon
  
  Your computer is infested.
  
  Just looked at your avatar and I think mine is now, too. Holy cripes - that's scary.
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
  2 replies
  
  Signature
  
  Sal
  When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
  Beyond the Path
  
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  yukon Banned 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by HeySal
  
  Just looked at your avatar and I think mine is now, too. Holy cripes - that's scary.
  
  Lol, it's a mugshot I found online.
  
  Here's the avatar I had yesterday.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  HeySal 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by yukon
  
  Lol, it's a mugshot I found online.
  
  Here's the avatar I had yesterday.
  
  Boiled frog technique? By the time we see your real pic we'll think you're handsome no matter what? Good plan. That's why my dog is on mine now. :rolleyes:
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Sal
  When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
  Beyond the Path
  
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  kolled 11 years ago
  
  Thanks HeySal. That's one of the security software I haven't tried. Getting to it right now.
  
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seasoned

11 years ago

First step, ********GET OFF THE INTERNET and ALL OTHER NETWORKS********! SECOND, get tools to clean the system, on a VIRGIN system. THIRD, ****USE THEM****!

Steve

Thanks
1 reply

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kolled

11 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

First step, ********GET OFF THE INTERNET and ALL OTHER NETWORKS********! SECOND, get tools to clean the system, on a VIRGIN system. THIRD, ****USE THEM****!

Steve

Any suggestions on effective tools? Here's what I've tried so far without seeing results:

Avast antivirus - currently on the system, regularly updated and running.
Microsoft Security Essentials - regularly updated and running.
Comodo Cleaning Essentials - latest version
Zone Alarm Firewall - some of the offending addresses have been blocked successsfuly
Advanced System care 6 - latest version
CCleaner
TDSSKiller - scanned and found 3 'threats' that were not actual problems

Having tried all these, is the goose cooked? I'm thinking of setting this machine for a while and use the old desktop instead. This sucks!

Thanks
1 reply

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by kolled

Deciding which tools can be difficult. You sound like you have what is called a rootkit. Rootkit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia They can be NASTY! The absolute BEST way to remove them is to get a nice rootkit killer that can boot from another drive.

The problem is that a rootkit could, in theory, be IMPOSSIBLE to remove on a running system and may even be running a virtual system made to look like the real thing. Booting from ANOTHER drive will bypass all that.

Steve

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twister85 11 years ago

1. Download TCP view, a small application to see what programs or port are using your connection.

2. If you find the application remove it or the software it is associated with.

3. Download avg pc tune up and clean your pc, its lot more good than the regular windows cleanup and cleans up registry as well. Very good software and the trial version will do the trick.

4. If problem continues, install a good firewall and block all but necessary programs you use.

5. If the problem is serious, reinstall OS. But I think you will not have to go that long.

Good luck!
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waterotter 11 years ago

Spybot - Search and Destroy along with Malwarebytes - Anti-malware are two fantastic programs that compliment each other. Both are free. Download and update both before doing a scan. You need to run both programs as what one may miss, the other will catch.

If you do a search of the OT Forum, there's plenty of threads that support this.

Best of luck!
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Nerd y 11 years ago

One word 'PRISM'
They're on to you. Follow the white rabbit....
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garyv 11 years ago

Whenever I run into a problem that doesn't seem to go away with the latest updates, then I'll just format and start over. It's not always the best solution, but it always works.
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Does Your Computer Download Stuff Automatically for No Apparent Reason?

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