BleepingComputer.com: Problem running online scans IE8

I was going through a malware removal with m0le and he asked me to run several online scans including BitDefender, Kaspersky WebScanner and ESET Online Scan. When attempting to run these scans they appeared to download the programs, but when it came time to download and or update the definitions files, I got errors saying that the files were unable to be downloaded. (If you want to see the actual error messages given for each program, go here and check out the next couple of posts). While attempting one of these scans, I got a pop-up in the notification area about Data Execution Prevention stopping a program. I'm not sure what that means, but now that the malware is gone, m0le suggested that I try posting here, as he thinks there may be somthing wrong with my Internet Explorer (version 8.0.6001.19019). Anyone have any idea what may be going on and how to resolve the problem? As far as I know, everything else seems to be working fine.

do you have malwarebytes? if so it might be blocking it. try unchecking the enable protection module and then try an online scan again.

Only the free version, it is not enabled for real time protection.

This post has been edited by jimworzala: 07 March 2011 - 06:58 PM

Close IE.
Go Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools, and click on Internet Explorer (no add-ons). Same problem?

I can't even get the scanner to load in the IE with no add-ons mode. It gives a message saying to click the information bar and choose install, and there is no option of install when you click the bar. The only options are manage add-ons, about add-ons, and information bar help.

This post has been edited by jimworzala: 08 March 2011 - 12:14 AM

Yeah, that may be about ActiveX being needed for the scan.
In IE, go Tools>Internet Options>Advanced tab, click on "Reset" button.
Restart IE normally and try the scan again.

I'd also suggest installing Firefox to see, if you have same issues there.

Resetting and restarting IE8 does not do it. I get the page with the EULA for ESET scanner, and when I check the accept box and click start, I get an error message "Internet explorer has stopped working. A problem has caused internet explorer to stop working. Checking for solutions to problem." and then another box saying the same thing but with a button to stop program. When I click the button to stop program, IE restarts the tab again with the EULA on it and the accept box unchecked.

I've never used Firefox, and am not sure how to go about downloading it or using it. Do you have a link? Does it work just like IE?

Yes. It's just another browser.
Personally, I use it exclusively.

Here you go: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

At the same time, I want you to try another on-line scanner, using IE....

Please run a BitDefender Online Scan

• Disable your antivirus program.
  
• Click Start Scanner button.
  
• Click Free scan now button
  
• Allow browser plug-in to be installed when prompted.
  
• Click I Agree to agree to the EULA.
  
• Please refrain from using the computer until the scan is finished.
  
• When the scan is finished, click on View report.
  
• Notepad will open with scan results.
  
• Save the report to your desktop and post its content in your next reply.

See, if it'll run.

ESET scanner loaded fine with Firefox and is running now on the computer in question. I am replying on another computer. I haven't tried BitDefender yet. Any idea what is causing the problem in IE8? M0le cleared the malware he found and it still did not run.

This post has been edited by jimworzala: 08 March 2011 - 01:01 AM

When you're done with Eset, let's see if BitDefender will run on IE.

I'll try, but that will be tomorrow, it's after midnight here and I need to get some sleep.

Going to bed myself

ESET Online Scan ran fine using Firefox, and found no infections.

I then tried to run BitDefender using IE8. It again seemed to start out OK, but after the program loaded, the virus data started to load, got up to 22% and then just hung up. I waited 30 min to see if it was just running slow, but it was still at 22% after 30 min. I tried to stop the process using the cancel button, and it gave me a dialog saying it was cancelling, but just hung there again. After another 15 min wait, I used task manager to stop the application.

I restarted the computer and tried again using IE8 and I got up to the point of accepting the EULA and clicking start scan. When I did that, the screen flashed red with the message to click the information bar to download the program, then just went back to the way it was. The information bar did not show up, so I could not tell the computer to start the download.

I then realized that I had not disabled my antivirus program after the restart, before trying to scan. I disabled the antivirus and tried again, and it gave a message saying that it could not update the signatures, but it started to scan anyway. I then tried stopping the scan and restarting it, and this time it updated the virus signatures and scanned. I'm not sure why it seems to be working at some times and not others, but in any case it finished a scan and found no infections.

I am going to try Kaspersky scan in IE8 now.

This post has been edited by jimworzala: 08 March 2011 - 12:49 PM

Disabling AV program while running online scans is rather important.

It was disabled the 1st time and there was a problem even with it disabled, I only forgot about the fact that when I restarted the computer it was automatically re-enabled, since I had only put it on snooze. I was never able to get Kaspersky scan to run in either IE or Firefox, AV was disabled on all attempts. Any idea why BitDefender would not run one time, and then run the next? Why would ESET only run on Firefox and not in IE? Are there perhaps some other scans I should try? Is this really a problem, or just some kind of an incompatibility issue?