Internet Optimizer - what the devil is it?

[PPRuNe Pop]

It pops up in place of a url. For no apparent reason. Anyone know what it is and how to get rid of it.

[timmcat]

Bit of google ferreting brought this up...

Internet Optimizer is an error page hijacker.

Variants
InternetOptimizer/Iopti: unknown-server errors, page-missing errors, server errors and even password-required errors are redirected to Internet Optimizer's controlling server at www.internet-optimizer.com.

InternetOptimizer/Nem: as Iopti, but searches are hijacked to yoogee.com (a search site run by the makers of InternetOptimizer).

Also known as
DyFuCA.

Distribution
Installed by MoneyTree/DyFuCA.

What it does
Advertising
Suspected. The 'DyFuCA Active Alert' component can open pop-up 'alerts' when directed by its controlling server. These have not been observed but are expected simply to be adverts.

Privacy violation
Suspected. The EULA at Internet Optimizer's web site states the software may send all your browsing information back to its controllers. At the time of writing, however, this has not been seen to happen with the current version of the software.

Security issues
Yes. Can download and execute arbitrary unsigned code from its controlling server, as an update feature.

Stability problems
Unknown; some unclear user reports of it causing crashes.

Removal
Check the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs feature for 'Active Alert' and 'Internet Optimizer'. If these entries are there, using both should result in InternetOptimizer's correct removal. Afterwards, ensure MoneyTree/DyFuCA is no longer loaded.

Manual removal
Open the registry (click 'Start', choose 'Run' and enter 'regedit') and find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Run. Delete the entries 'DyFuCA' and 'DyFuCA Active Alerts'.

Now open a DOS command prompt window (from Start->Programs->Accessories), and enter the following commands (for the Iopti variant):

cd "%WinDir%\System"
regsvr32 /u ..\iopti130.dll
Or, for the Nem variant:

cd "%WinDir%\System"
regsvr32 /u ..\nem207.dll
Restart the computer and you should be able to delete the file 'iopti130.dll' (IOpti variant) or 'nem207.dll' (Nem variant) in the Windows folder, and the 'DyFuCA' and/or 'Internet Optimizer' folders you may have inside Program Files. You can also delete the subkey 'FCI' in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software to clean up if you like.





Hope this helps

Tim

[PPRuNe Pop]

Thanks Tim that did the trick.

In fact, the home page of the optimizer was full of adverts. Big imposition and I would advise anyone to get rid of it. Worst bit is I can't re-call how it came to be in my pooter!

Thanks again.