Why do I get a blank page when downloading?

How can I get rid of the Wsearch problem if I don't have the virus?

• Every now and then when I am trying to access websites (usually from clicking a link, not from typing an address in) the website won't show up and instead will direct me to wsearch.net which is a blank page. and no matter how many times i try, it keeps happening. I have a macbook pro running leopard and I am a customer of Northland cable, which I use for my wireless internet. I have researched everything i can about this "wsearch.net" thing and it apparently is a virus that people get from downloading stuff from porn sites. i am a girl and never go to porn sites, let alone download videos from any of those sites. furthermore, i don't experience the pop-ups and other things that websites have said are associated with the virus (called DNSchanger). i downloaded anti spyware/adware/trojan/virus software specifically for it, and the software said that i didn't even have that virus. other things have said that it's associated with rogers wireless (whatever that is) and i certainly do not have that or that kind of modem or whatever. someone said to download the new version of firefox and it would go away, but when i did that nothing changed. also, i try downloading google chrome to hopefully sidestep this problem (it happens on both firefox and safari) but when trying to download it, i get redirected to wsearch and can't download it!!! please help!!

• Answer:

  Your system is infected with the "Search Redirect Virus". Usually this virus infects Windows' PCs, however I have come across a growing number that are infecting Macs as well. Whatever anti virus you use cannot remove this virus. This is due to how it infects your system. It infects a system file, allowing to evade your anti virus. This is because your anti virus can only detect viruses that install software or run a process designed to harm your system. The system file in question is the one used by the operating system to process redirect requests, such as those made by the search engine once you click a link. This means that the normal process that is used is altered slightly to redirect you to the hackers website, which in turn is meant to redirect you to targeted advertisements. However, it would appear this website has been taken down and so you get a blank page. The best way to remove this, on Windows, is to use a program called ComboFix. I have used it many times to remove this very virus and it has worked wonders. I always use this tutorial: http://www.personalcomputerfixes.com/spyware/how-to-remove-the-google-redirect-virus/ and it has not let me down. I cannot recommend it for Mac's, however if you are on a network with Windows PC's I suggest you run it on there if you suspect they are infected.