WHAT THE...? Help! Worried! "Conduit Search" recording Keystrokes...

[Forest Wolf]

:o After the other threads here talking about internet security I opted to download "Tor Browser".
Then I read that it's not that secure, while at other sites they said it is one of the best. These being computer techie sites.

I kept it on my computer just in case as a safeguard, standby browser type deal.
Today, I opted to pull up the IE browser that's still on my computer and as I was typing to go to a website this drop down menu appears beneath where I'm imputing the URL and says - "turn off conduit search recording of keystrokes...." This happened to be a bank url I was about to go to so I stopped.

Then I went into the Search Programs window and imput "Conduit Search" and I get this window that pops up, I guess a history window. I didn't read that header I just panicked when I saw 6 entries all pertaining to TOR BROWSER! And I was in the IE browser when the Conduit Search thingy popped.
So, I click one of the history items because it's like a log thing. I click "find" and enter Conduit Search.
And all the way down this page of text that I have no clue about what it means, there's Conduit Search. Keystroke values. $Conduit Search, etc... row after row.

Does this mean what it says? That something on Tor has spread about and now has copied all keystrokes in the IE browser, its own window, and my default Firefox?
Does recording keystrokes mean what it sounds like? Recording all that I write? Including URLS and passwords?

If so, is there a program that stops that?

I went back to the IE window an started typing the same URL that I was initially entering when that Conduit Search message dropped down. I moused down to the option to turn it off and then searched out Conduit Search in the Regedit window and deleted all entries.
I don't know if that will take it away or not but I hope it forestalled something from continuing to be active on my computer.


Thanks for any help.

 

[C-Man]

It's not an issue with Tor, per se, but a bit of malware you've caught. Your best bet is to download Malwarebytes or similar and do a full scan.

 

[paul1149]

It sounds like it's part of the "suggestions" function search engines have. It is good to uninstall everything conduit. That's the first thing to go here after McAfee/Norton. You might use a deep uninstaller such as Revo, Geek or Iobit.

 

[Forest Wolf]

Thanks a lot guys. I did a bit of research but wanted to ask for the advice the knowledgeable members here have so as to ferret out the right options.

I've downloaded Malwarebytes and Iobit.
I found an advice page for Conduit at Firefox also and checked my system per their advice.

Does the recording keystrokes actually mean exactly that? Someone somewhere is recording every key stroke as a means of breaching your security?
I have Avast on my system. I'm surprised something like this could get through.

I got rid of Tor. That that was added to the file address when I opened my IE file was enough to convince me that wasn't a good thing.

 

[paul1149]

If you have Suggestions turned on, your keystrokes are sent to your search provider, who then sends the suggestions back to you.

 

[Forest Wolf]

How do I find out if I have "Suggestions" turned on?

 

[paul1149]

There should be a setting in the browser concerning searching from the address bar. Autocomplete on the search page itself is a function of the search provider's options.

 

[Forest Wolf]

Thank you.

 

[Christian Networking]

It sounds like it's part of the "suggestions" function search engines have. It is good to uninstall everything conduit. That's the first thing to go here after McAfee/Norton. You might use a deep uninstaller such as Revo, Geek or Iobit.

DON'T uninstall conduit through the programs and features. It could screw up your boot process. Download ADWCleaner and run that AFTER running Malwarebytes or whatever antispy software you have. Stay away from Iobit, (sorry poster no offense) I remove computer viruses for a big part of my living and Iobit is a bit sketchy.

You run ADWCleaner last because it will want to reboot. PM me if this doesn't get rid of it.

Rick

 

[paul1149]

I agree about iobit. I no longer recommend them for anything due to the way they embed themselves into the system. When their uninstaller was in beta it was pretty good, but no more.

 

[boogalaboogala]

that is malware.. i can honestly say that if it were me. i would factory restore.. that would erase your "c" drive completely..
that would do it..