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PopupGuard (aka Buysmarter)
On December 17, 2003, after my IE browser was hijacked by http://ad1.zendmedia.com/ad-spy_hdc.php?id=start1, I reset the homepage only to be immediately hijacked again, this time by http://www.popupguard.com/?aid=gt15pp&lid=180ad.
They seemed to be advertising independantly rather than using a marketing company but this was triggered by zendmedia, pushing their product, PopupGuard with a free drive cleaner. I attempted to contact them directly through their contact link at the bottom of the page but this produces a blank-field page where you must enter your personal information in order to contact them (i.e., your full name, telephone number, etc.)
A Whois search produced the following results. They're using the Global Innovations server, same as zendmedia.com:
OrgName: Global Innovations, Inc.
OrgID: GLBI
Address: 4650 Wedgewood Blvd
Address: Suite 107
City: Frederick
StateProv: MD
PostalCode: 21703
Country: US
NetRange: 64.186.128.0 - 64.186.159.255
CIDR: 64.186.128.0/19
NetName: GLOBALI
NetHandle: NET-64-186-128-0-1
Parent: NET-64-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.GLOBALI.NET
NameServer: NS2.GLOBALI.NET
Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE
RegDate: 2001-08-03
Updated: 2002-09-15
OrgAbuseHandle: GIAD-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Global Innovations Abuse Department
OrgAbusePhone: +1-866-276-3638
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@globali.net
OrgNOCHandle: GIN1-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Global Innovations NOC
OrgNOCPhone: +1-866-276-3638
OrgNOCEmail: noc@globali.net
OrgTechHandle: GIN1-ARIN
OrgTechName: Global Innovations NOC
OrgTechPhone: +1-866-276-3638
OrgTechEmail: noc@globali.net
# ARIN WHOIS database, last
updated 2003-12-17 19:15
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS
database.
Another whois search returns this information:
Domain Name: POPUPGUARD.COM
Registrar: TUCOWS, INC.
Whois Server: whois.opensrs.net
Referral URL: http://www.opensrs.org
Name Server: NS1.IAD1.NSSRV.COM
Name Server: NS2.IAD1.NSSRV.COM
Status: ACTIVE
Updated Date: 17-dec-2003
Creation Date: 09-jan-2002
Expiration Date: 09-jan-2005
Since PopupGuard claims to be a registered trademark of http://www.buysmarter.com I attempted to contact them but their site requires an order number. There whois information is identical to PopupGuard's with the exception of the domain name being buysmarter.com.
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I have contacted Global Innovations with my concerns and will post any response from them here.
6/14/04 REPLY FROM GLOBAL: Six months after my inquiry to Global about hosting the popupguard website, they replied that popupguard is no longer their customer.
If you have been hijacked by PopupGuard, please visit http://spywarewarrior.com for assistance in removing it.
This website will be updated regularly with any new developments. Anyone wishing to contact me for inquiries or to relate their experiences may do so at nomorespyware@yahoo.com.