Looking for Porn removal software and/or blocking

[Forest Wolf]

I went into my registry today and I can not believe how much porn references there are throughout. I deleted "porn..." keys for over 15 minutes and then scanning more of the registry found tons more. I just don't have that kind of time.

I'm disgusted. What can I do to strip all that out of my computer? And insure it never gets in again?

I had an Avast antivirus, for all the good it did. It started to show that I had some kind of "bloat" files infecting my system but I had to pay to get that clean. And this was supposedly a freeware.

I need something that is truly free and insures I can wipe all porn out of my computer.

Also, I have an emachine computer. When I set this computer to reformat the drive, i.e revert to factory new I guess they call it, does this actually do that? Or does this process build up some kind of problems if that reverting is repeated more than once?

Thanks to anyone that can help.

 

[EphesiaNZ]

I went into my registry today and I can not believe how much porn references there are throughout.

Not sure why you have porn references in your registry unless you have been installing apps that have porn content but anyway, if you have too many you might consider re-installing your OS and starting afresh again.

I had an Avast antivirus, for all the good it did. It started to show that I had some kind of "bloat" files infecting my system but I had to pay to get that clean. And this was supposedly a freeware.

I've always considered Avast to be a good anti-virus solution. If it was asking you to pay for the fully featured version then it was doing it for a good reason maybe. That said, it has never asked me to upgrade to the paid for version before.

I need something that is truly free and insures I can wipe all porn out of my computer.

A fresh install of Windows is the only way to achieve this - sad but true. Apart from this I would,

1. Remove any unwanted programs from the computer
2. Install and run CCleaner to remove unwanted registry setting and files
3. Install and run Malwarebytes to rid your computer of malware etc...
4. Do a full virus scan - make sure you have the latest version of Avast and the latest virus definition files update too.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 if necessary.

If you need to block porn the look at OpenDNS Family Shield or an app such as K9 - there are many more so just google.

Also, I have an emachine computer. When I set this computer to reformat the drive, i.e revert to factory new I guess they call it, does this actually do that? Or does this process build up some kind of problems if that reverting is repeated more than once?

A factory reset will, as it says, revert the computer back to factory fresh and any programs and files you personally put on it will be gone.

 

[Forest Wolf]

Not sure why you have porn references in your registry unless you have been installing apps that have porn content but anyway, if you have too many you might consider re-installing your OS and starting afresh again.

I have never knowingly installed applications that would carry porn. I loathe porn. I have a game program installed; Poker Stars.
I don't know if that would bring porn applications with it.

I've always considered Avast to be a good anti-virus solution. If it was asking you to pay for the fully featured version then it was doing it for a good reason maybe. That said, it has never asked me to upgrade to the paid for version before.

Good to know. I thought this might be typical of a free program that isn't actually free after all.
I remember when I had the Norton AV, this with my first computer, it would always scan and show Trojans and other scary stuff just about the time I had to renew the service.

Aside from Avast what other AV would you recommend ? Free type. I saw the link to Advance System Care in the other thread here.

A fresh install of Windows is the only way to achieve this - sad but true.

In order to do that I'd have to go to the options and simply reinstall the applications that emachines lists, yes?

Apart from this I would,

1. Remove any unwanted programs from the computer
2. Install and run CCleaner to remove unwanted registry setting and files
3. Install and run Malwarebytes to rid your computer of malware etc...
4. Do a full virus scan - make sure you have the latest version of Avast and the latest virus definition files update too.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 if necessary.

I'll give these a look first. I am sickened by the number of porn references that I found in the registry. There's a ton still there. I just didn't have the time to delete what looked like more than 20 entries.

If you need to block porn the look at OpenDNS Family Shield or an app such as K9 - there are many more so just google.

I did Google after I posted this. The issue is what to trust which is why I waited until a skilled IT or some such person like yourself could afford me guidance.

Thank you.



A factory reset will, as it says, revert the computer back to factory fresh and any programs and files you personally put on it will be gone.[/quote]

 

[EphesiaNZ]

I have never knowingly installed applications that would carry porn. I loathe porn. I have a game program installed; Poker Stars.
I don't know if that would bring porn applications with it.

It's more than possible to get stuff like that on your machine. Usually comes via the web browser if you click on a link for something like an advert or a pop-up that may say "You have a virus, click here...". Many ways to trick a user on the net.

I tend to use Firefox web browser with addons such as adblock plus which will block all/most ads a webpage has. Also you could use the Avast online security addon to which shows you what pages are safe during a Google search.

Aside from Avast what other AV would you recommend ? Free type. I saw the link to Advance System Care in the other thread here.

Never used Advance System Care so cant comment either way. Avast has never let me down - having said that I don't really use Windows these days but do install it on peoples systems and they seem quite happy with it. Just remember nothing is perfect, Avast while being good, will probably not be fool proof - getting a paid subscription will give you better protection and other goodies.

I avoid Norton and McAfee like the plague but that's my opinion. BitDefender and Kaspersky have got very good reviews in the last few years but I think you will need to pay for those. One other free one is AVG, have used it in the past but gave me a few false positive alerts.

This page may give you an overview of whats good

In order to do that I'd have to go to the options and simply reinstall the applications that emachines lists, yes?

To get a fresh copy of Windows you would have to do a factory reset/restore - backup any data that's valuable first though! This will complete delete the contents of your hard drive and restore a factory Windows image. Make sure you read your manufacturers instructions well before you attempt this.

 

[Sketcher]

Who else uses your computer? If other people are putting porn on it, you're just going to be chasing your tail with this.

 

[Forest Wolf]

Who else uses your computer? If other people are putting porn on it, you're just going to be chasing your tail with this.

Just me.
I'm thinking maybe I picked up something from Facebook?

I reinstalled Windows 7 home just to be certain because after I installed the CCleaner and ran it I checked the registry again. The porn entries were still there.

I have no clue. But I'm going slowly now with what I have installed and I'm checking the registry via the "find" option to see if "porn" pops in a search. So far so good.

 

[Saleena]

Well if you can just back everything up and reinstall. Avoid the temptations in the future

 

[Saleena]

Now as for websites like google or whatever, it goes based off of your search history so if you looked up porn before it will likely include these results in your searches. Like say for me, if I were to google scratte from iceage. Because of my furry stuff I would end up with rule 34 of her mixed in. Sucks but that's just what happens.

 

[Lovely Jar]

I came into this Computer forum looking for updates on security ware and saw your post.

I installed the Tor Browser Bundle with my Firefox broswer. https://www.torproject.org/ . I read your post and looked for an Add-On to prevent this same issue on my computer.
Firefox "Procon Latte Content Filter" , which is a Featured Add-On in the Add-On's options at Firefox site, was the one I picked to install.

I disabled my AdBlock, which is also a Firefox Tor Browser Add-On, and could not believe the advertisements that pop just on the home page and even prior to log-in.
I enabled AdBlock and they vanished. But, and this is why I write you becuase I think I know where your pornography registry entries came from. At least in part.

When I tried to Log-on here the homepage showed up just fine and then it blinked off. The Procon Latte Add-On blocked this site because it's content violated the rules!
Procon Latte has language filter blocks, which this site doesn't permit foul language in any case. But what evidently was being blocked was something in the advertisements as well becuase Procon Latte is suppose to block pornography and all things deemed unsafe for families.

If you go the route of reinstalling your Windows OS again, or you revert your computer back to factory, I highly recommend loading the Tor Browser Bundle when you get Firefox browser. Add CCleaner to test your registry to make sure no porn sites sneak in in the course of your browsing. Add the AVAST antispyware free version. And absolutely get the Procon Latte Ad-on as soon as you finish installing Firefox. Along with "NoScript", for script blocking, and "AdBlock".

You should be good to go. I sure hope I am after all that. :o

Just me.
I'm thinking maybe I picked up something from Facebook?

I reinstalled Windows 7 home just to be certain because after I installed the CCleaner and ran it I checked the registry again. The porn entries were still there.

I have no clue. But I'm going slowly now with what I have installed and I'm checking the registry via the "find" option to see if "porn" pops in a search. So far so good.

 

[EphesiaNZ]

Just me.
I reinstalled Windows 7 home just to be certain because after I installed the CCleaner and ran it I checked the registry again. The porn entries were still there.

I have no clue. But I'm going slowly now with what I have installed and I'm checking the registry via the "find" option to see if "porn" pops in a search. So far so good.

It may be a good idea to give us a screenshot or name of those porn entries in your registry. This may give us a better idea of what it is.

Just a note to people that CCleaner is a registry cleaner, not a porn cleaner/filter. CCleaner just cleans reg entries that are no longer valid eg, uninstalled program entries etc... CCleaner will clean your internet cache of porn etc - if you have been visiting those sites...

With Windows, you may get infected/compromised if you install pirated software. Even Windows itself, if pirated, can contain all sorts of badness when installed. Pirated software may look free but there can be a cost, a hidden cost. If you use pirated software expect your bank account details to be exposed to criminals at some point if you bank online.

 

[Qyöt27]

Based on the explanation, I'm guessing that it's simply the fact you can see the word 'porn' in your registry entries (or maybe cookies). The word 'porn' showing up in registry entries when you haven't been looking at such or whatnot would point to it being a side-effect of banner ads that might've shown up if you don't have an adblocker installed, or brought in as totally unrelated entries from one of the installed programs that may not have anything to do with porn.

Personally, unless it's redirecting you to porn sites or interfering with your browsing experience or is otherwise a symptom of a larger malware infection, I'd just ignore it since it'll probably show back up again anyway as a consequence of using the Internet. Short of registry cleaning compulsion (like using sed on it - I am not advocating this; you could easily brick your system) or moving to a system that doesn't use a registry at all, there's little that can be done.

 

[Armoured]

I'm curious why it bothers you having porn directories if you never look at it. I get that junkware is an irritant, you seem a little overly irritated is all.

 

[EphesiaNZ]

Short of registry cleaning compulsion (like using sed on it - I am not advocating this; you could easily brick your system) or moving to a system that doesn't use a registry at all, there's little that can be done.

Hmm, sed, i don't think so...

A system without a registry, now what could that be?

Well I was going to suggest the above but I guess someone might accuse me of hijacking the thread.

I think there is currently only one answer to the problem of Windows viruses and malware as far as the average home user is concerned and, I've spoken about it many times - hasn't let me down in nearly 10 years...

 

[EphesiaNZ]

I'm curious why it bothers you having porn directories if you never look at it.

Generally, I think it's the fear of a divorce lawyer...

 

[Jonathan Jarvis]

1 - CCleaner wipe MFT - free download from piriform
2 -Then Recova to overwrite all deleted files- free download from piriform
3 - Then defraggler to do a rewrite over all spaces in registry - free download from piriform
4 - Get a Hobby

 

[EphesiaNZ]

1 - CCleaner wipe MFT - free download from piriform
2 -Then Recova to overwrite all deleted files- free download from piriform
3 - Then defraggler to do a rewrite over all spaces in registry - free download from piriform
4 - Get a Hobby

LOL get a hobby

At least with Linux you could go directly to number 4 (with the option of using BleachBit) and have plenty of time for hobbies.

 

[andy b]

try wearing boxing gloves when your in the Internet

 

[EphesiaNZ]

try wearing boxing gloves when your in the Internet

LOL, I'm tempted to ask why but I think I can guess...

 

[EphesiaNZ]

Porn can be a hobby.

Then if you have Windows repeat steps 1 - 3 (possibly 4) every day.

 

[Lovely Jar]

Hmm, sed, i don't think so...

A system without a registry, now what could that be?

Well I was going to suggest the above but I guess someone might accuse me of hijacking the thread.

I think there is currently only one answer to the problem of Windows viruses and malware as far as the average home user is concerned and, I've spoken about it many times - hasn't let me down in nearly 10 years...

What would that be exactly?

Generally, I think it's the fear of a divorce lawyer...

Since Forest Wolf is a Pantheist I'll not dare speak for her. However, as a Christian I can say porn on my computer is unacceptable. As it should be for Christians generally if they care at all for the word of God.

For my part I happened on the registry after reading this thread and found porn, spelled as "p0rn' as well.
I have no idea how it gets there but I can see how it would be an issue for someone who is opposed to the video hore industry gaining entry into their system and for various reasons. Which I won't go into because it appears for some people they are overly concerned with Christians being opposed to pornography.