PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: mistybear on July 14, 2006, 09:23
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I have installed the new Mozilla Firefox Beta 1, but I had to uninstall all the add-ons that I had with the older version, as they were incompatible.
I would like the email notifier toolbar, but have been unable to find one. I would really appreciate it if anyone knows if there is on available. I don't seem to be able to find any site at Mozilla just for the Beta Add-ons, if anyone knows if one exists that would be greatly appreciated as well. :D
The reason for the new Beta version is for security.
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Personally, I wouldn't recommend using the Beta versions, as, by their nature, they are unfinished products. Stick to the official full releases and you should be OK with most of your plugins. I would suggest you go back to the previous version, which you can download from the link in my sig, and your plugins should then start to work again. :)
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Thanks Simon, but after being inundated with adware and spyware, I'm a little nervous about going back.
I discovered that SpyBot only protected IE and not knowing how to adjust FF to stop all the spyware, I uninstalled it and Zone Alarm and started again.
I've added SpyBlaster as it says that it protects FF as well as IE and reinstalled Zone Alarm.
If I reinstall the other version, what do I need to do to make sure it has all the security it needs?
Do I need to uninstall the Beta version to reinstall 1.5.0.4 , or can I keep it for future needs.
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I'll come back to you in more detail later, but 1.5.0.4 has all the security you will need.
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Thanks Simon, there's no hurry, I'm off to bed.
I obviously didn't have the first version set up right. Even though it would say it had blocked a pop-up it would still be there. And after being on the net for a couple of hours, a SpyBot scan showed at least 15 items. Last one was 28.
Bit scarey as I had been doing some banking as well. :(
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OK, first download Firefox 1.5.0.4 from the link in my sig. This will take you to the official site, so there will be no risk of getting any spyware bundled in with the download, which can happen with third party download sites.
I think you may be under a mis-apprehension that Firefox has spyware protection built in - it doesn't. It is, however, more secure then IE, because of the way it has been written, and due to the fact that spyware / trojan writers tend to target IE, as it is still (unbelievably) the most popular mainstream browser.
The default Firefox settings should be fine, and shouldn't really need adjusting, but just make sure that the Pop Up Blocker is enabled (Tools > Options > Content), and that you have allowed pc-pals.com by using the Exceptions button, or you may find problems logging in, like you did before. Also remember to go to Tools > Options > Privacy, and using the Exceptions button again, allow pc-pals.com cookies. The Pop Up Blocker may not block every single pop up (there are some pop-unders that can fool it), but it will certainly block most of them, and I don't believe a pop up can install spyware on your computer, just by 'popping up'. To safely remove a pop up, click the red X to close the window, rather than clicking OK, or any of the other buttons which may appear.
If you found you were inundated with spyware before, then you will need to use third party spyware protection, such as Spyware Blaster, which you said you have now installed. You must make sure that you Enable All Protection for Firefox and IE, and you must also remember to periodically check for updates, unless you want to pay the small amount to enable Auto Updates, which is worthwhile in my opinion. That should really be all the protection you need, especially if you don't make a habit of visiting 'dodgy' websites, and periodically using Ad Aware and SpyBot to scan for any spyware which slips through, should keep your PC nice and clean.
Of course, you still need adequate Anti Virus protection, and a Firewall to block intrusions, and if you have all these installed, updated, and running, you really shouldn't have any problems.
Check out our newly updated tabs at the top of the screen, for lists of available Anti Virus and Firewall applications. You will find that there are still a few free ones available.
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Thanks Simon,
I also added Adblock and No Script.(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv200%2Fxxkyootekiraxx%2Fmf.gif&hash=bcced9cb4e985a63d8074cf0d0b1424f6840aaba)
I checked the cookies and there are quite a few that are already blocked and yes I added pc pals to the allow list.
So with AVG, AdAware, A squared, SpyBot S&D, SpyBlaster and Zone Alarm, I think I'm now covered. And yes I have updated all of them.
A very nice selection of Anti-Virus and Firewalls.(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techhelpers.net%2Fe4u%2Fcomp%2Fcomp17.gif&hash=b2c519b052c2329490cc4a92115c9a157d3fd776)
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Sorry to be a pain with this, but I can't get the Email Notifier to work.
I have be trying different things and uninstalled it and reinstalled it a few times.
Now I have Movie Toolbar, but I have realised that the email notifier part is probably the same on all of them so not much point in swapping them.
One thing I did find and block in the cookies was users.effectivebrand.com, then I read on the Mozilla forum that it's part of the toolbar. (information gathering and not Spyware) :? So I unblocked it nothing changed, they all still say failed.?
I don't know if this has anything to do with it but I also installed Cookie Safe, Password Maker and No Script all of which I have now disabled, in case any are causing a problem. :?
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You really don't need all those other third party applications, such as Cookie Safe, and No Script, as Firefox clears all your cookies when you exit, apart from the ones you have saved, and I don't think you need to worry about scripts with Firefox, but what you may have done, with No Script, is block JavaScript, which a lot of websites use, and is relatively harmless.
*Please note: The E-mail Notifier Toolbar collects anonymous usage data but it DOES NOT spy on your browsing habits. Please see our privacy policy here:
http://emailnotifier.ourtoolbar.com/customtemplmngr.aspx?ctl=clientprivacy&ToolbarId=CT227176&version=1.0.1.17
I don't think this is anything to be concerned about. In fact, I suspect many programs we all have installed, Microsoft included, function in this way, but don't bother to tell us. At least the developers of E-mail Notifier are being honest and up front about it. I would guess that it no longer works, because you have blocked the cookie, or one of the other third party applications has blocked a script it needs to function. Simply disabling these programs may not work, so try uninstalling them and see if that helps, and also re-enable the effectivebrand.com cookie.
The Password Maker should be OK, as, I am guessing, this is not connected with Firefox, as such, and therefore shouldn't affect anything.
Oh, where did Movie Toolbar come from? Is that part of Email Notifier? :?
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https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2545/
This is the Movie Toolbar, I thought if I changed toolbars, maybe I could find one with an email notifier that worked.
But I'm guessing no matter which Toolbar you select with an email notifier included, the email notifier in it self is the the same in all of them.
I"m not sure if this is related, I had a look in Tools>Options>Privacy>Passwords, there aren't any email addresses in there.
I have uninstalled No Script and Cookie Safe and I uninstalled the Movie Toolbar and reinstalled the Email Notifier, no change.
I had actually deleted the user.effectivebrand.com, so I added it again.
I'll reboot and see if it makes a difference.
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Yes, it seems that the Movie toolbar incorporates Email Notifier, and it's the same as the stand alone extension. Not having used it myself, I don't really know how it's supposed to work. Were there passwords stored in Tools > Options > Privacy > Passwords before? At what stage did you have to input your email passwords when you originally set it up? Is there an 'Options' within Email Notifier, which allows you to set it up again? I'm not generally a fan of toolbars, but if you don't manage to sort it, I'll install it myself and see how it works. When you say it's not working, is it just not doing anything, or do you get some sort of error message?
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Not sure about the passwords Simon, first time I've looked at it. That's what happens when you can't get something to work, you start looking into everything. :laugh:
As soon as I installed the Email Notifier I add my email addresses, and when I wasn't recieving any notices I checked it and it has red X's next to them all saying "failed". Say's it all really.
But when you add your email addresses you have the option of testing it, a little box comes up with Establish network connection, green tick.
Find mail server. green tick
Login to mail server red cross
Failed testing mail account red cross
This happened before I deleted the Add-ons and after. I've uninstalled reinstalled the same Email Notifier Toolbar and then the Movie one and back.
I have readded that cookie and unblocked it.
I had IE open with hotmail before when I tested it and it asked me to close it, which I did and msn as well, then I tested it again, still failed.
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Are you sure you have used the correct log in and passwords for the email accounts? It seems that it's finding the servers, but not allowing you to log in, which is usually down to an incorrect user name or password. :?
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Just in case the Password Maker did anything strange or in case I've suddenly forgotten email addresses and passwords I've had for ages, I tried logging in through the hotmail site, no problems, and no problems with msn and IE.
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I have just installed Email Notifier myself, and with no adjustments to cookies, or anything else, once I had set up my Gmail account, it worked fine. Sorry Kate, I'm at a loss as to what else to suggest. It worked when you first installed it, so something must have stopped it working between then and now. The only other thing I can suggest is to uninstall it, remove the effectivebrand.com cookie, then restart Firefox, re-install Email Notifier, remove any accounts which are still there, and start again.
Oh, just one thing I suddenly thought of - did you say you are using Zone Alarm firewall? I would be surprised if this is the answer, but it's possible that may be blocking it, so check in the programs list in ZA (sorry, I don't have it installed, so I can't tell you where that is), and see if Email Notifier is listed. If it is, remove it, and when it next asks for permission, allow it, and tick the box to remember the answer for next time. ZA does sometimes block things for no apparent reason, and it can be difficult to persuade it to allow the desired program again.
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I tried that Simon and still it doesn't work. :( :?
But in looking at what ZA is doing, which is very difficult to understand, I found this being blocked, sychost.exe. From what I've read it's a virus, but my scans have been clean?
Under Program Alert it is being blocked as Incoming.
Under Firewall Alert it is being blocked as outgoing.
The incoming doesn't worry me, but the fact that there is an outgoing, doesn't that mean it is already on my computer. I did a search for it, full computer, and it doesn't show anywhere.
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Are you sure that doesn't read svchost - with a 'v' rather than a 'y'?
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Oops :blush:
Time for new glasses I think, or maybe I should just clean these ones. :laugh:
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Am I allowed to post a link to another forum, as I found a whole thread on svchost.exe and what it does. I'll post it and you can always remove it.
:?
http://impend.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/272.html
I think I've found the problem, it actually came up as I was researching it. Didn't ask permission to block it, it just did.
So is it safe to unblock it. :?
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Don't unblock it - remove it, Kate, then it should ask for permission again, and should give you some details as to which program it is relating to. If it's Generic Host Processes, that should be OK.
Is this also the solution you have found for Email Notifier? Unfortunately, ZA has been known to cause inexplicable problems such as this.
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Simon I think I probably have changed too many things on it now, and I'm tired and can't remember what exactly I did change, so I think it would be easier if I simply uninstall ZA and start from scratch.
At least now I now a little more about it and what is needed, so a clean install might be the way to go.
I'll do that tommorrow.
One thing I don't understand, well one of many really :blush: , is what a server is, and what programs should be given permission as a server.
Messenger is one, are there any others that should be given that access?
I guess if I knew what programs require what type of access it would be easier.
With Firefox having an email notifier, does this mean it needs the same access as messenger. And what if IE has a email notifier, is it the same for it.
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Well, I suppose that's an option. Basically, a server is a computer that handles requests for data, email, file transfers, and other network services from other computers, i.e., it's what transfers data from one computer to another. Most programs which require online access, use a server, but there are obviously good and bad programs, which is why you need a firewall, so that the data traffic going in and out of your computer can be monitored, and, if necessary, blocked. You could think of an email server as a 'sorting office', where all the mail is sent to, from where it is collected by the 'postman' (your email client), then put through your letterbox (your Inbox). :)
Unfortunately, most firewalls speak in fairly advanced terminology, but if you have just installed a new firewall, most of the programs it will ask if you want to allow network access, will be familiar programs that you have installed, such as your email client, web browser, etc. If something suspicious pops up, you can usually gather some information by Googling the .exe, then you can decide whether to allow or block it. Sorry, but there's not really an easier way, and once the firewall is 'trained', it shouldn't bother you too much, unless there is reason to do so.
Just a suggestion, but if you're going to uninstall ZA, why not try a different one, such as Outpost Free (http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/index.php), and see if it's any easier to understand. I don't, however, think you'll get anything much more user friendly than ZA.
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Thanks for the explanation Simon.
I ended up uninstalling it and with just the XP firewall I tried the Email notifier again, still comes back failed? So I suppose I can safely assume it wasn't the ZA firewall then. So I reinstalled it, I thought about your suggestion of the Outpost one but I think it would be too confusing to try to learn a new one.
Under Program Control, it has a list of programs and then two headings. And then the two columns of trusted and internet. In those columns you can have either a green tick for allowed a question mark for ask and a red cross for denied. For the Generic Host Process svchost.exe, it is the only one with three green ticks, two in Access, one trusted under Server and that is the only program that has a green tick for that. But in the next column where all the rest are question marks it has a red cross. I don't understand why is it set up like this for this one program?
Access Server
Trusted Internet Trusted Internet
While I was typing this a ZA Security Alert popped up, same as last night, sayng that it has blocked Internet Access to 203.12.160.** [DNS] from your computer. Wouldn't happen to know what this means.
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This pop up warning, is it definitely saying it's blocked OUTGOING data? That's usually a sign that something is trying to 'phone home', or trying to access an external server. Now, without seeing it, I'm only guessing, but it could be Email Notifier that is trying to check your mails, and is being blocked, thus not working. Is Email Notifier in the Program Control list? If so, it should have all green ticks.
What you should be aware of is that if it isn't email notifier, or any other program, or windows application that you know about, it could be a trojan trying to transmit data, which is bad, but not that bad, as ZA has blocked it. The chances are, it's just something you have installed trying to update itself. Firefox checks for updates, so it could even be that, but I would have thought it would have given the program name. Are there no details other than the IP address?
Another thing I thought of today is that when I was trying out all the different security suites, before settling on F-Secure, I found that Zone Alarm Internet Security caused problems with my Mail Washer, which is a similar program to Email Notifier, in that it checks for emails for multiple email accounts, before you actually download them. Email Notifier also checks multiple accounts, and I am wondering if ZA has some sort of general objection to this type of program. I know you said you uninstalled it, and Email Notifier (EMN) still didn't work, but did you reboot after uninstalling ZA? If not, it may have still been blocking access. Can you remember, did EMN work properly before you installed ZA?
Later, when I have more time, I will have a look on the ZA forums, and see if anyone else has posted a similar problem.
Unfortunately, I do suspect a conflict, and you may have to choose another firewall if you want to continue using EMN.
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OK, I have looked on the ZA support forums, and there does indeed seem to be an issue with Mailwasher, when checking multiple mail accounts simultaneously. Their suggested remedy is to enable Mailwasher to check each account sequentially, i.e. one at a time, rather than all at once, however, in the thread I was reading, this didn't seem to solve the problem for that user. I realise EMN isn't Mailwasher, but it is a similar type of program, so I am speculating that ZA might indeed have a problem with simultaneous mail server checking. When I installed EMN, there seemed to be limited options, and sequential account checking wasn't one of them, as I recall. Sorry Kate, but in my opinion, ZA is your problem. :(
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Thankyou for all your work on this Simon.
I uninstalled EMN, not much point having it if it wasn't working.
I did find another program called E Prompter http://www.eprompter.com/
just to see what would happen, if it has the same problem. It works fine, it asked for permission to update and unlike EMN, it appears in the program list as a seperate program. Maybe that is why it is difficult to workout what EMN is doing as it's a toolbar attached to FF, not a sperate program.
And yes EMN worked fine before the ZA firewall.
I would rather have the EMN back so I might look at another Firewall.
And as far as the program trying to phone home, is it possible that it's WGA notifier. When I had to reinstall Windows, the updates wouldn't just automatically run, but it asked that I install the WGA notifier and then the rest just flowed.
That pop up warning happened again when I turn on the computer this afternoon, again no other details other than the IP Address. But according to the log 3 attempts were made in the space of 50 seconds to three IP Addresses 203.26.24.211 203.26.24.212 203.26.24.213
Last night it was svchost.exe trying to contact dns1.tpgi.com.au which is our service provider?
All of these have been blocked without me having any control over it.
OK I know what the first three are for and I have now given permission for AVG, ZA and EPrompter.
The last one seems to be Blue Soleil.exe and no other information other than it's data.
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It seems that you may have the security settings in ZA set too high, Kate. It appears that almost everything is being blocked, until you allow it, and that's not really the easiest way for it to operate. If you look in the options for Security Level (or similar, as you know, I don't have it installed on mine, so I am partly using guesswork), and if it's set at HIGH, reduce it to MEDIUM, which I think should be the default settings. It should then allow most Windows programs automatically, and at this point, it might even be worth trying EMN again.
I think Blue Soleil is bluetooth software, as I had it on mine once. Do you have a bluetooth cordless keyboard or mouse, or do you have mobile phone software installed?
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Internet Zone Security was set to High so I reduced it to Medium.
I uninstalled the E Prompter and reinstalled EMN and rebooted. It is on Failed, but I'll leave it for a day and see if it changes. I remember when I had the Hotfix Toolbar, which is the same EMN (Effective Brand) it would occasionally say failed but it would later indicate new emails, and seem to function ok.
This computer does have Bluetooth, I honestly don't know what it does. :?
And yes I have cordless keyboard and mouse, it's part of the Medion 8383XL package.
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That High setting may have been a big contributor to the problems. Is EMN listed in the Program Control list? You may have to remove it from the list, and allow it again to unblock it. At least your Windows programs should work OK now, and you should receive less alerts.