Thank You For Installing Surf Canyon? What In The World? Help!! [Solved]

Hey, guys!! It's me again with another problem.


I was just about to shut down the computer to go watch Days Of Our Lives, when all of a sudden, when I was about to close Google Chrome, I got a webpage opening saying "Thank you For Installing Surf Canyon" and then a button that said "Free Scan Now" I am like what in the world? That freaking program doesn't appear on my Add/Remove Programs! I searched files and programs from the Start menu and it didn't appear either. I didn't even install anything, unless that shady program installed itself without my permission. How can I remove it before it does damage? I don't even know what it is. Do you guys think you can help me with this?


Thanks!
Sincerely
Magali.

kuwisdelu said:

You quit Chrome instead, right? You didn't hit the "Scan Now" button, did you? If you didn't, then I'm *guessing* it was likely just a browser pop-up window trying to trick you into hitting the "Scan Now" button. It's the oldest trick in the book.

Run a scan with whatever AV software you have. If nothing comes up, you're probably fine. Just never hit those buttons, and whenever something like that comes up asking you do something you didn't expect, quit your browser instead, preferably using the Task Manager or Alt-F4 or something, since sometimes the little red "x"s are there to trick you, too.

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So far, Microsoft Security Essentials, my security-suite software, hasn't notified me of any intrusions, and it's been almost 48 hours since I got that senseless pop-up, but I just closed the browser and I did not, for anything in the world, click the scan button. No way. I got so scared I just closed the browser. I had no clue what it was so I freaked.

Medievalist said:

Surf canyon is a Web browser add-on.

You may or may not actually have installed it; you may in fact have avoided a malware attempt.

Here's the Surf Canyon FAQ, which includes uninstall instructions, just in case you did install it.

http://www.surfcanyon.com/faq.jsp

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It seems I didn't install it even by accident because it's nowhere in my computer.

Reziac said:

I don't know how you got it installed (sometimes affiliates, even for legit companies, use shady tricks to get you to click a disguised "OK" button) but "Surf Canyon" itself isn't known as malware; it's a search assistant that's won some awards. Anyway, here's what they say about how to uninstall it:

http://www.surfcanyon.com/faq.jsp#q4

Browser add-ons don't show up in Windows' Add/Remove programs, because they're really a sort of plug-in, not an independent program.

Now, somewhere in your browser preferences there should be a setting that lets you prohibit installation of new items -- make sure this is set to forbid sites from installing anything, other than possibly fonts. You'll have to turn it back on manually to install a desired add-on.

You should also make sure the javascript settings don't allow a site to mess with the menus, change window size, etc. (Changed size can maliciously hide a window.)

ProTip: NEVER click anywhere, including the close-program "X", on an unrequested popup window. ALWAYS close it some other way -- on Windows' taskbar, right-click/close, or Alt-Tab to that window then use Alt-F4, or if you use tabs in your browser, right-click/close on the tab control (NOT inside the window) is probably safe (tho I won't swear to that one). The problem is that the "widgets" (decorations and window controls) can actually be anything -- the "Close Window X" button can actually be a "Sure, install virus!" button in disguise.


ETA: everyone yells at you at once As someone says, those "Scan Now" things are a Bad Idea, never ever click on one. Without fail, they will try to install something on your system. Some are legit, but most are some sort of adware and even at their least harmful, they're liable to make your system unstable.

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Thanks for the tip. I did use the Task Manager to close Chrome, and thanks for telling me it might not be malware. I will check out the link you gave me later today because I am so tired I have to go to sleep in a few minutes. I also thank you for your way of interpreting all this and the wealth of information. You're a true lifesaver. You all are. That's why I always come here for help.

JoeEkaitis said:

The end user license agreements for all "search assistants", and deal finders, real-time weather monitors, news headline scrollers, stock tickers, and browser toolbars include your implicit permission to spy on you.

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Ugh, I have always abhorred tool bars. Other people that use my computer always install them because they think they're pretty cool, or the tool bar has buttons to help them get to their email and social-network accounts faster and that sort of thing, and I always disable them in my Windows account. Darned tool bars are annoying, and they give me less space on the browser to read stuff. Thank you for giving me one more reason to loathe them. I don't like making changes to other people's accounts because they might feel invaded, and I care about those people, and that's why I loan them my machine. I can't really blame them. I mean they don't know what those cutesy tool bars and things really do, but I am definitely going to give them a little warning not to install everything they see on the websites they surf.

Matera the Mad said:

Are you sure that the "Scan now" wasn't just part of an ad on the welcome page? (Ad-blocking roooolz!)

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To tell you the truth, I don't know.

Reziac said:

Exactly so. And the reason search companies push search assistants (browser plugins) is because they report back to the company what you searched for and where you went as a result of that search. Supposedly the data is anonymous but there have been security breaches, and user identities (sufficient for identity theft) can be readily triangulated from as few as 2 or 3 pieces of data.

BTW, the same applies to those outfits that offer cute "stationery" for your email -- which is routed through their mail server. They then keep copies of your emails for datamining purposes (the advertising industry has no shame).

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Search assistants? Screw them! I always use bing or Google for my searches. Once again, thank you for the precious information you shared. all right I am going to render this issue as solved.


Thanks everyone!
Magali.

Thank you for writing me, surfcanyon, and thank you for coming in this thread to defend your software and give more information about it, as other AW Members might come across it later on, not know exactly what it is, and come to the Tech Forum asking for help.

I've done nothing about this since I freaked and closed Chrome with the Task Manager. And I am not going to worry about it anymore. I now know it's in the Chrome plug ins and I will leave it there now that I know it's not harmful to my computer.

You have dissipated all my doubts about your software. Thank you for registering at the AW Water Cooler and coming in here to talk to us. Your contribution is valuable and it will help other AW Water Cooler members in the future.


Sincerely
Magali.

PS: About the toolbars - I always knew, of all the things I thought Surf Canyon might be when I saw that pop up, that Surf Canyon was not a toolbar. It's just someone mentioned tool bars and I was complaining about how annoying they are is all. I apologize if I said anything offensive, and for the fifth or sixth time, I can't thank you enough for this.