Originally Posted by directhex
you simply CAN NOT BROWSE THE INTERNET WITH INTERNET EXPLORER AND NOT PICK UP CRAP. internet explorer will install all and any spyware that asks it for permission, without any intervention. no firewall will save you, no antivirus wil save you. your only option is to use another web browser - even CERT, one of the largest security advisory groups, has thrown up its hands and said "screw IE, it sucks".
you need to run through ad-aware, spybot search and destroy, and cwshreder to try and regain some control of your pc, but this will happen AGAIN AND AGAIN if you persist in using internet explorer.
enjoy.