Dave Boland wrote:

> My parents have a new computer and SpyBot identifies this as a problem
> and then they let SpyBot (free ver.) fix it. The next time SpyBot is
> run TagASaurus returns. I see there has been some discussion about
> this, but it is not clear to me:
>
> 1. Is it really mal/spy-wear?

It is adware, and possibly a trojan, which can download other nefarious
stuff without asking.

> 2. Do we know where it comes from, as in web sites? My parents don't
> visit many sites and are very conservative, so it is unlikely to come
> from one of "those" web sites (please, don't ask).

It is apparently installed by "drive-by ActiveX" component, which is an
IE problem. Other browsers do not do ActiveX.

> 3. How do we get rid of it forever?

Try: http://superantispyware.com/ the free version
Download, install, get latest updates, do full scan.

> 4. How do we prevent it from returning? My parents are using IE-6, not
> sure what the security settings are though. Would FireFox be a definite
> improvement from a security perspective?

Firefox would be a definite improvement.

> Other information that may be helpful to you to help me:
> * The owner is detailed as Internet Explorer Ad.yieldman.
> * Seems to have something to do with a cookie, but I don't have
> details.

Stop using a default-setting Internet Explorer...
http://k75s.home.att.net/tips.html

--
-bts
-Motorcycles defy gravity; cars just suck