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* Moderator's edit *

If you are having trouble regarding the DSO Exploit, please take a look at http://www.pchell.com/support/dsoexploit.shtml. It will answer the most common questions.

Happy holidays,
~psi42

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Original text as follows:
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What is a DSO Exploit??

I ran the spybot program on my computer (windows 98 se) One of the things it found was something called DSO Exploit. Says it's a registry change. The path is HKEY-users\default\software\microsoft\windows\current version\internet settings. There's a message about being a security hole in IE allowing websites to execute code.
Can anyone tell me what this means and if I should get rid of it or not? Is this something that's dangerous and that is hurting or messing up my computer?
What happens if I get rid of it?

Thanks

Hi kat555lady,

By all means, let Spybot get rid of it for you, you don't want it on the computer. Have you seen a web page with a name like CoolSearch, or somethng similar? If yes, you will want to download CWShredder from:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Hope this helps!
Whiskey14 :)

Thank you whiskey, I appreciate it.

Kat.

I'm getting the same DSO exploit message after running Spy Bot. I tried to get rid of it. I even ran the Shredder and it still comes back. Does anyone have a fix?

Try downloading Spy Sweeper from:

http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php

Once it's removed, go to Windows Update and download any CRITICAL UPDATE(S) available, also keep the antivirus program up to date.

Hope this helps!
Whiskey14

I've tried both "Spybot - Seach & Destroy" and "Spy Sweeper" in an effort to solve the same problem you have. No luck for me. Any success on your end?

Check out the following site for information:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/t1075260322

Whiskey14

I'm not evensure what a DSO Exploit even is... can someone tell me please?

Kat.

Hi Kat,

The following site explains:

http://www.nsclean.com/dsostop.html

Hope this helps!
Whiskey14

I finally got rid of DSO Exploit using "Spybot Search & Destroy" with the following method:

Have "Search & Destroy" look for problems the usual way and then (1) highlight one of the "Data source object exploit" items, (2) Right click the highlighted item to bring up the menu list and select "More details", (3) Now click "Jump to location", (4) You are now viewing the Registry and can use the path shown in the Search & Destroy window to get to the key shown, (5) I manually deleted each of 5 keys and no longer have it coming back. I haven't noticed any change in performance so I trust that I did no harm but I am happy not to have the damned thing any more.

I am having the same problems. Using spybot I have come up with a registery file named " Patrick Dugan" can I delete this file using the method suggested by Cellarius without any problems?
Thanks

If all your critical updates are installed you are protected against DSO Exploit and the finding in Spybot is just a nuisance. Eliminate this by doing the following:

1 Open Spybot and select 'advanced' mode.
2 Select 'settings' in the left column.
3 Select 'ignore product' in the left column.
4 Select 'security' tab.
5 Place check mark in box beside DSO Exploit.
6 Close program
7 Open Spybot and run a scan.

You will find that DSO Exploit has been eliminated and if your computer does not harbour any other spyware you will see a congratulatory message.

Thank you for your help! ;D ;D

I'm having the same DSO exploit problem, I've run spybot, fixed the prob, and it still comes back. I followed the steps to get to the registry editor, but I don't understand how to delete the keys using the path in spybot... please help!

Follow the directions that Sudbury suggested. Spy Bot is aware of the problem and will correct it on the next release.
Rodgdog :o

I followed Sudbury's suggestion and the DSO Exploit is gone from my system. But do I now have to unclick the "Advanced Mode" in my Spybot?

No. Leave it as is. ;)

The reason that I ask is that when I switched to the Advanced Mode, a box came up that said that the Advanced Mode offered more options but some of these options might do harm to my system. Do you know what they meant by this?

I believe it means that you are allowed to do more changes in advanced mode that could screw up your system if you are not aware of what you are doing.
Be careful! Ask first if you are not sure.
Rodgdog

Wait! Wouldnt' that just ignore the dso exploits that pop up? It wouldn't read any dso exploits.. it would just ignore them and skip over them and not put them in the list of stuff that is on your computer.
I may be wrong on that.. please tell me if I am