WinHound is a trojan, which silently installs itself to vulnerable computers by exploiting certain system or web browser security flaws. It can also be dropped by some parasites. Once executed, WinHound installs several other dangerous threats, changes the Internet Explorer default home page and the desktop wallpaper. The new wallpaper warns the user that the system is infected with spyware and asks to download and install WinHound, which is a corrupt illegally distributed anti-spyware program. The modified start page may redirect the user to insecure advertising web sites. The trojan can use a rootkit to cloak its files, running processes and other related objects. WinHound automatically runs on every Windows startup.

Winhound is a anti-spyware/antivirus program that is known to issue fake alerts on your computer in order to manipulate you into buying its full commercial version. If you are infected with this program you may receive virus alerts in your task bar that appear to be from Microsoft Security Center stating that you are infected with spyware and to run its special anti-spyware tool. This tool turns out to be the commercial version of Winhound. These alerts are fake and are a goal to have you buy the commercial version of this software. It will also hijack your desktop to show the following fake message: Warning Spyware Detected on Your System: Install an antivirus or spyware software to clean your computer.

Doug Thanks for the invite For your win hound info Happy New Year Please follow the link for something exciting http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShowPost.aspx?PostID=237036#237037 Linda

Hi Doug, Once again, thank you for keeping everyone informed. For anyone using Windows 2000 and up, I STRONGLY recommend getting Microsoft's Anti Spyware program here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=321CD7A2-6A57-4C57-A8BD-DBF62EDA9671&displaylang=en Much as I dislike promoting Microsoft :), I must grudgingly admit that this piece of software actually works and much better than virtually anything else I've tried. (It should - it's their own operating system!!) It has cut my problems with spyware and adware down to zero. It's also free. I used to use Spybot - Search and Destry, AdAware SE, NoAdware4 and CWShredder, (a nifty little program that REALLY gets rid of CoolWebSearch in all its forms) along with Norton System Works and Norton Internet Security. I still keep these other programs, but find that the Microsoft software does a really good job by itself. One thing I can't stress enough - everybody MUST keep their security software up-to-date, or they might as well not have it. God bless, Dave

Hi Dave, I use IE Rarely, I find Firefox safer. Take care,