Hi, this is nothing to do with Mozilla/Firefox. The malware probably got in when you downloaded another program - always use the Advanced or similar option, and look carefully for anything preselected that isn't part of the program you are downloading.

You can try these free programs to scan for malware, which work with your existing antivirus software:

• Microsoft Safety Scanner
• MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware
• Anti-Rootkit Utility - TDSSKiller
• AdwCleaner (for more info, see this alternate AdwCleaner download page)
• Hitman Pro
• ESET Online Scanner

Microsoft Security Essentials is a good permanent antivirus for Windows 7/Vista/XP if you don't already have one. Windows 8 has antivirus built-in already.

Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us. Thank you!

It’s very sad, but many of the software downloaders / installers will trick you into installing not only their program, but other programs as well. You have heard of the fine print in shady contracts, right? Well, some installers you need to look at the itsy bitsy teeny weeny fine print. You are thinking you are giving the installer permission to install the program you want by using the recommended option. But if you use the Manual Option Instead, you discover all kinds of stuff that you do not even know what it is or what it does. From now on, everyone needs to Use The Manual Option to put a stop to this.

To Scribe and FredMcD:

Thank you very much for your replies and for explaining what happened. (Sorry for the false accusation, Firefox!)

I'm usually pretty careful when downloading something--I decline all of those offers to install such-and-such, and I also scan everything with Kaspersky before opening up the downloaded file. So, I don't know how in the H this thing got into my system.

I'll do a scan with Kaspersky and some of the other programs that you kindly linked me to, and I'll let you know what happens.

Again, many thanks.

Beethoven

Hello,

I am glad to hear that your problem has been resolved. If you haven't already, please select the answer that solves the problem. This will help other users with similar problems find the solution more easily.

Thank you for contacting Mozilla Support.

To scribe and FredMcD:

You guys are terrific!

I ran Microsoft Safety Scanner on my C drive. The program turned up 3 infected files--none of which was the one causing the problem.

Next I ran the AdwCleaner, and that did the trick. That first tab no longer opens up to you-know-what (just the name now makes me sick), and I just checked my homepage URL under "Options"--it's the correct one, not the one that those a-holes had substituted.

I did a lot of reading on other sites (while waiting for the Microsoft Scanner to complete its task), and the info was not helpful. (There was a ton of stuff out there on this mess!) I did all of those steps about removing the you-know-what search engine, deleting the extensions, typing in "about:config" and all of that. (I had done almost all of those things before coming to this forum.) Nothing.

I still can't figure out how I picked up this mess. I haven't downloaded a program or file in a couple of weeks (that was the first thing that I checked yesterday), and this thing just turned up yesterday morning. Plus, as I said before, I never just click "OK" when installing; I always read the options and unclick all of those stupid offerings.

Whatever. There must be a special place in hell for the totally inconsiderate, time-wasting SOBs who perpetrate this crap. And there surely must be a special place in heaven for guys like you who help clean up their mess.

You guys are great, and thanks again!

Sincerely,

Beethoven