Iexplore.exe Problem

I keep seeing a message window as I close IE which states: "Instruction at 0x00720075 references memory at 0x00720075. Memory could not be read". This refers to a problem with "iexplore.exe". How do I stop this message window appearing?

If IE8, try:

Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > �Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks�

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2008/04/08/ie8-se...

In reply to a post by camieabz:

If IE8, try:

Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > �Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks�

Thanks, Cam. I checked the list and that setting is already ticked.

My system is supposed to be protected by AVG Internet Security; but, to my astonishment, I found that, by running Spybot Search & Destroy, IE had a Trojan attached and there were some malware entries. So it took a piece of free software to sort out the problem, while the bought software was telling me everything�s okay.

What is the point of spending good money on anti-virus software that doesn�t protect? It�s like finding a hole in a new condom.

One wonders what the free version of AVG is good for in that case (probably a lot more than no AV at all)?

Are you up to date on IE updates / patches? Is XP?

To be honest, you might want to consider an OS and browser change. XP's last service pack was five years ago, and their SP2 was nine years ago. With IE8, you are looking at last stable release in 2010.

I changed to IE8 from IE7 and hated it, so switched to Firefox, after trying out Opera, Chrome and Safari. I can't speak for the others beyond a week of testing and other very occasional usage, but I like FF and a lot of its stuff. Once you get past the little learning curve of having a new browser, you really notice how unappealing IE (6, 7, 8, 9) is in comparison. Not tried IE10, so cannot comment.

Prior to the change, I was a "I'll stick with IE, because it works, and that'll do me". Now I have all five main browsers installed, and while I use FF for 99.5% of my browsing, there's the odd time I use IE9 for proprietary stuff.

I really do recommend a more modern setup. I'm on Vista, with a Core 2 duo, and it's a fast enough, clean enough system, but I'll be looking to change from 2014 onwards. That will be the five year mark.

P.S. - Even IE9 would be better from a security perspective, but not sure if XP and IE9 are workable.

Just googled "IE9 on XP". It doesn't look too optimistic. I did spot this though:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/internet-explorer-9-for... (dated January 2013)

Thanks for the comments, Cam, and the link.

You�re right � I do need to think seriously about changing the systems I�m using, including the computer and other hardware. I suppose I�m just too lazy to bother at the moment, but there will come a time when change will be forced upon me.

As far as browsers are concerned, I don�t really have any regard for them or even think of them as something to use for �browsing�. Internet Explorer is simply a conduit for me to find whichever search engine I�ve put into the start address (otherwise known as the �home page�, though what �home� means in this context is beyond me). I appreciate that it works in the background, finding websites, but I couldn�t tell whether IE is better than FireFox or Chrome, nor would I be that interested in knowing.

When the �browser� becomes corrupted then, of course, it is a matter of great concern. And that is where the protection of anti-virus software is so important. AVG, in this instance, proved to be worse than useless.

You need to ask how it got the trojan in the first place, you must have come across a website or similiar.

Also, are you confident spybot S&D wasn't producing a false positive? For example, if malware is detected in temporary internet files only, it practically doesn't pose a threat as it is all sandboxed in there and should not be executed.

To cut a long story short, don't get unnecessarily paranoid by this, it might not be too serious.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

You need to ask how it got the trojan in the first place, you must have come across a website or similiar.

That's poses a very good question.

I was so sure that I had complete protection from AVG that I hadn't considered the possibility of a virus attaching to Internet Explorer; so I didn't record the first occasion on which the message about iexplore.exe appeared, and therefore didn't register a viral problem with a particular website.

It was only when I couldn't find a solution to the IE problem that I thought of using Spybot. In fact, I ran the program twice in order to make sure everything was clear.