This is just odd.

Here's a stumper: windows xp machine. Whenever any browser has "windowsupdate" in the url, it returns a connection error. Immediately. Like, google works, but search for that string and boom.

Browser doesn't matter, position of the string in the url doesn't matter. The two words are allowed separately, but the single string "windowsupdate" causes IMMEDIATE "connection to server was reset" messages.

This pretty obviously is malware, but it's not showing in hijackthis, not even in safe mode, and I can't find anything else. Rootkit, sure, but I have never heard of one doing THIS. How can you stop just the url handlers in for different browsers, when it's not even dns or hosts?

It's actually pretty cool.

PS: Running sfc now, will see what it comes up with - but I suspect "bare metal reinstall" is the fastest and best solution.

EDIT: Yeah, now that I have a real keyboard and am not googling from my phone: Looks like there's a couple of rootkits that cause this behaviour. Neat!

EDIT2: Yeah, TDL3. Fuck THAT.

EDIT3: and fuster_cluck saves the day with a link to a TDL3 fixer. Run a fixer and reboot = even faster than bare metal reinstall.

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They just gotta be different, huh.

Those wacky New York Catholics. They're exposing ADULTS to diseases using NON-SEXUAL transmission.

So, does this count as a heresy (changing established official Church practice), or just blasphemy (engaging in Church practice in an irreverent way by not doing the whole ritual)?

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The argument: The "the law must apply equally to all persons" clause of the US constitution doesn't apply to women, because they're not people!
The reason the argument makes news: Because it's a US Supreme Court Justice making it.