I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed a problem I've had within the last 2 or 3 months. Anytime I search for song lyrics and go to the site to get the lyrics, something tries to download and install a virus on my computer. This hasn't happened on any other type of site I've visited. It's weird. Does anyone know a good 'clean' lyric site? I'm running Zone Alarm for a firewall and SystemSuite5 from VCOM for anti virus.
Joe
song lyrics and viruses
Moderator: Wiz Feinberg
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Mike Headrick
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: 26 Mar 2001 1:01 am
- Location: South Pittsburg, TN, USA
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Had it happen just the other day. It was a site named "Cowboy Lyrics", or something like that. It just flooded the adware into my computer and really screwed it up. Fortunately I was on a Sony with VAIO recovery and I got it cleaned up. It might as well have been a virus for the damage it did.
Try "cowpie.com" for lyrics.
Try "cowpie.com" for lyrics.
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Smokey Fennell
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- Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Wiz Feinberg
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Joe Babb;
You will need to tighten up the security level for ActiveX controls, in the Internet Zone, for Internet Explorer, or else do what I did; switch to using Mozilla Firefox as your browser and be done with driveby downloads (no ActiveX at all).
Anyway, back to MSIE: Assuming that you use version IE 6.0+ with all current patches and Service Pack 1 installed, click on the "Tools" menu item, then on "Internet Options," then on "Advanced," on the Internet Properties page.
When the Advanced Options tab opens UNCHECK these options:
1: Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)
2: Enable Install On Demand (Other)
3: Enable third-party browser extensions
Click APPLY, but, DO NOT click OK yet!
Next, click on the "Security" tab. Select the Internet Zone Globe, if it isn't already selected. This activates either the Security Level Slider, and/or a button labeled "Custom Level." Use that button to SELECT the following "radio option" choices:
1: Download signed ActiveX controls --> Prompt
2: Download unsigned ActiveX controls --> Disable
3: Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe --> Disable
4: Run ActiveX controls and plugins --> Prompt or Enable. I use Enable with no problems, because "Prompt" will drive you nuts with popup challenges for legitimate controls. If you never intend to use a ActiveX control, like used by Windows Update, and several online virus scanners uses, then Disable this option. I wouldn't disable this option as long as you keep up to date with Microsoft patches.
5: Ditto for Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting, Enable, or Prompt.
There are other otions that can be tightened up, or not, according to whether or not you use a firewall, and if you are up to date with all critical patches, hotfixes and service packs.
When you are done selecting the safety level of you choice, click OK, then APPLY, then OK, to close the Internet Properties box.
Close all open IE browsers, then re-open to put your new restrictions into action.
Download the current version of, install and Update SpywareBlaster, from www.javacoolsoftware.com . It is like a flu shot; it innoculates IE against ActiveX driveby installers/downloaders/xxx Dialers, etc. Tell it to enable ALL protection for Internet Explorer!
Also download, install and update the newest version of Spybot Search & Destroy, found at - http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
After checking for and downloading all available updates, click on Immunize, and Immunize all unprotect items. Also select to protect Internet Explorer against Bad Downloads. Then, click "Search & Destroy" and "Search For Problems" - Select ALL, then click "Fix Selected Problems."
Wiz<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 26 November 2004 at 10:41 AM.]</p></FONT>
You will need to tighten up the security level for ActiveX controls, in the Internet Zone, for Internet Explorer, or else do what I did; switch to using Mozilla Firefox as your browser and be done with driveby downloads (no ActiveX at all).
Anyway, back to MSIE: Assuming that you use version IE 6.0+ with all current patches and Service Pack 1 installed, click on the "Tools" menu item, then on "Internet Options," then on "Advanced," on the Internet Properties page.
When the Advanced Options tab opens UNCHECK these options:
1: Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)
2: Enable Install On Demand (Other)
3: Enable third-party browser extensions
Click APPLY, but, DO NOT click OK yet!
Next, click on the "Security" tab. Select the Internet Zone Globe, if it isn't already selected. This activates either the Security Level Slider, and/or a button labeled "Custom Level." Use that button to SELECT the following "radio option" choices:
1: Download signed ActiveX controls --> Prompt
2: Download unsigned ActiveX controls --> Disable
3: Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe --> Disable
4: Run ActiveX controls and plugins --> Prompt or Enable. I use Enable with no problems, because "Prompt" will drive you nuts with popup challenges for legitimate controls. If you never intend to use a ActiveX control, like used by Windows Update, and several online virus scanners uses, then Disable this option. I wouldn't disable this option as long as you keep up to date with Microsoft patches.
5: Ditto for Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting, Enable, or Prompt.
There are other otions that can be tightened up, or not, according to whether or not you use a firewall, and if you are up to date with all critical patches, hotfixes and service packs.
When you are done selecting the safety level of you choice, click OK, then APPLY, then OK, to close the Internet Properties box.
Close all open IE browsers, then re-open to put your new restrictions into action.
Download the current version of, install and Update SpywareBlaster, from www.javacoolsoftware.com . It is like a flu shot; it innoculates IE against ActiveX driveby installers/downloaders/xxx Dialers, etc. Tell it to enable ALL protection for Internet Explorer!
Also download, install and update the newest version of Spybot Search & Destroy, found at - http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
After checking for and downloading all available updates, click on Immunize, and Immunize all unprotect items. Also select to protect Internet Explorer against Bad Downloads. Then, click "Search & Destroy" and "Search For Problems" - Select ALL, then click "Fix Selected Problems."
Wiz<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 26 November 2004 at 10:41 AM.]</p></FONT>
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Leon Grizzard
- Posts: 280
- Joined: 21 Apr 2003 12:01 am
- Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Just wanted to comment that this is still the case with Roughstock/Cowpie. I logged on to get some lyrics, and immediately my spyware and antivirus software started setting off alarms. It was just incredible how many viruses and other malicious code came at me. I finally got it cleaned off with the above listed programs, plus one specific for coolweb adware, which the other (free versions at least) did not get.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
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George Redmon
- Posts: 3529
- Joined: 8 Apr 2005 12:01 am
i too got clobbered by that cowboy lyric site. My puter went nuts. It started downloading trash at will. Porno, and free trial softwares, my desk top, started filling up with all kinds of icons to. What a mess...i had to take it in, and get that trash off of there. He said it was hijacked. As it was down loading, i tried to stop it no luck. Went off line, then back on...it started again...even gave me a new home start page..nasty.....my spyware did NOT catch it...and would NOT get rid of it either....over 250 trojans it said...my puter doesn't work like it use to either.....
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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....
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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....
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Gary Ulinskas
- Posts: 145
- Joined: 6 Jan 2003 1:01 am
- Location: San Diego, California, USA
Try this one: http://lyrics.astraweb.com/
They may not have as many country songs as
cowpie, but I've never had a virus or spyware problem with them. Best searching is
done using the singer's name.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 15 July 2005 at 10:23 PM.]</p></FONT>
They may not have as many country songs as
cowpie, but I've never had a virus or spyware problem with them. Best searching is
done using the singer's name.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 15 July 2005 at 10:23 PM.]</p></FONT>