What's a 'DSO exploit' and how do I get rid of it?

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Get one (or more) of several good spyware scanners and run 'em. Recommendations here: http://ask-leo.com/d-recommend

I've never consciously done anything with IE. How can I know if I'm up-to-date?

Visit Windows Update (This'll get you there: http://ask-leo.com/d-winupdate ) and follow the instructions to scan, and then possibly install, any critical updates.

My browser is firefox and I also use Mozilla.
Internet explorer may be somewhwere on my computer.
I use 98lite.
Updates to MS stuff causes me more pain than needed.
SpyBot reports the dos exploit on reboot.
Do I have to update IE in order for SpyBot to stop reporting the DOS exploit.
If I never use IE would the DOS exploit still be a threat. I was not always confused (well Uh maybe).

T(om)

"Do I have to update IE in order for SpyBot to stop reporting the DOS exploit."

As the article states, Spybot has a bug which will continue to report DSO exploit, even after you've updated IE.

"If I never use IE would the DOS exploit still be a threat."

IF IE has not been updated, then yes, it could still be a threat. Even though you use firefox, other applications often use core IE components and could be vulnerable. Also, some sites only work with IE (most notably Windows Update), so you'll be firing up IE at some point anyway.

My best advice: update IE.

Hi, Leo,
Thanks for the link, but 'wow,' they suggest a lot of updates. Many of them are once added/cannot remove types. Should I be concerned about how much space these updates will take?

Also, is it correct to assume I don't have to uninstall anything these update are updating? I ask because when I 'updated' my security to the '04 version, I had some problems and was told I was supposed to have removed the old '03 version first. I had thought an update meant they were working from the same basic material and were only tweaking it.

Thanks for any further help.

Sharon

Great Help !

Hi Leo, have followed you for a couple of years now and think you are the WIZ. I got the SP2 disk since I only have dial-up capability's. I d/l'ed a prog. from MS that told me I need MS 042-038 or close to that and when I d/led it my machine went heywire. Any thoughts thundermoon

hi leo!
I have this problem where i cannot change my homepage for more than a day. There are two sites that like to be fighting over which one is my homepage and they are:
- www.othersearch.com
- www.worldsex.co.yu
Its the worldsex which is the worst because when u start up explorer is begins recieving exploit viruses which are annoying to remove. I also have this annoying search toolbar that keeps on appearing after its been uninstalled.
I hope u can help cause no spyware program can find anything!

I found this thread on othersearch: http://ask-leo.com/d-41031a

This thread is a specific situation that clears up a number of infestations, including worldsex. I'm not sure if it will help you specifically, but it may, and if not the forum there is a good resource.

In general, file sharing programs like Kazaa seem to be the biggest source of these parasites. Avoid installing those types of programs if at all possible.

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