New AT&T Parental Controls hijacked Firefox Browser. HELP!

[stevestr]

I recently received (Jan 09) an email from Customer Care at AT&T that their Yahoo! Parental Controls is changing to AT&T Parental Controls and to down load the new version. It no longer works with Yahoo! Browser (integrated) and their free McAfee is not tied in either (with the Shield Manager to turn on and off the Parental Control Feature). Its now a stand alone program.
http://www.att.net/s/s.dll?spage=cg/yis ... ec&iss=par
available at: http://www.att.net/apcdownload/
The new version is supposed to work on:
» Windows 2000/XP/Vista
» Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.0+
» Mozilla Firefox version 1.5, 2.0+

Since I use only Windows Vista I decided to give it a try. Once I downloaded the program it seemed to work fine. It picked up all my AT&T signon names so whenver anyone in my house wanted to surf the web or use Yahoo! IM they would have to sign using their name and password. The problem started surfacing when Mozilla Firefox would not let me sign in to any sites I usually go to (bank, forums, etc,). I entered my name and password and in Firefox the names would dissapear as if I didn't type anything into the sign on and password areas. This was for any site I went to. It was also very sluggish and took twice as long to load pages in Firefox and IE. I decided to uninstall and reboot the computer.

The problem has not gone away and now my Firefox Web Browser is hijacked permanently by something still lingering in my computer somewhere the redirect Mozilla Firefox to an AT&T site even though I dont have my home page set to it. My home page is set to http://www.yahoo.com on Firefox. When I open my browswer Here's the web site its redirecting to:
http://www.att.net/s/s.dll?spage=search ... yahoo.com/

I completely uninstalled Firefox and reinstalled. Still does the same thing. I tried contacting AT&T Internet Services Technical Support and got nowhere after spending 3 hours on the phone with them and 6 different people. I asked in vain to speak with the department who wrote the new AT&T Yahoo Parental Program and that department is not available to speak with.
There has to be something in my registry or somewhere on my computer that has a hook on Mozilla Firefox. Sadly I am resorting back to using IE as I can no long use Mozilla Firefox the way I used to. Anyone who reads this I highly recommend do not install the new AT&T Parental Controls stand alone on your Windows Vista system.

[LoudNoise]

First, go to Tools --> Options --> Main. What is listed as your home page? If it is yahoo, change it.

If it isn't, try a new profile.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows

[stevestr]

I changed my home page in FF to:
http://www.mozillazine.org/

I closed FF. When I reopen here's the redirected page that comes up (always my home page at the tale end of the link):
http://www.att.net/s/s.dll?spage=search ... azine.org/

When I previously uninstalled FF I also uninstalled my profile (complete uninstall). When I reinstalled FF this same error redirector link still occurs.
This is the site the AT&T Parental Controls Hooked on my computer (I say "hooked" because its redirecting my Browser to an ATT.NET site).
This is the site that comes up with AT&T Parental Controls.

something is still on my computer and is a residual of that program. I am trying to figure this out so I can get back to using FF normally. I cannot even sign
on to any of the sites I go to using FF either. Like I said, Im using IE exclusively and this really sucks.

[jonewman1]

Well, I've had the same problem since this weekend. I worked extensively on it tonight, including installing/uninstalling AT&T Parental Controls, reviewing the registry, etc. And guess what? At 10:00 PM tonight, the new AT&T Parental Controls has been removed from AT&T's Software Center for Online Protection. They clearly coded a BAD application and have gotten enough bad press to remove it.

[stevestr]

Well, I've had the same problem since this weekend. I worked extensively on it tonight, including installing/uninstalling AT&T Parental Controls, reviewing the registry, etc. And guess what? At 10:00 PM tonight, the new AT&T Parental Controls has been removed from AT&T's Software Center for Online Protection. They clearly coded a BAD application and have gotten enough bad press to remove it.

I'm hoping a mozilla tech can tell us what registry key to change and/or delete. AT&T support is worthless. They don't let you talk to someone who knows what the crap they are doing over there with regards tot he new ATT Parental Control program. The dept who wrote the program knows what registry keys were added that have permanently hijacked Mozilla. I hate using IE but I have no choice! Mozilla sits idle in the background until I'm ready to re-install Windows Vista with a fresh install. Not even system restore fixes the problem. Dangit!

[Guest]

Uninstall Firefox and reinstall it under a different folder.

[Alice]

Here are detailed instructions for a "clean reinstall":
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

[Guest]

Thanks for the info...I didn't realize Mozilla left the folder intact after uninstalling. I deleted the folder and it worked perfectly. I didn't have to install it in a different folder. I just allowed the standard install to create it.

[Guest]

Ok so I had a similar problem except i had problems opening anything in another tab when i clicked "open link in new tab" it I ended up with both my main page and the new tab plus any loading tabs going to that link or ending up going to the at&t page like the rest of you. I deleted the at&t folder in my programs folder then when into "Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\components" and look for a dll called blsfflock it seemed to do the trick for me. If I have anymore problems I will post again referencing this post

[Aflac]

Here are detailed instructions for a "clean reinstall":
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

Thank GOD for linux!
apt-get remove --purge <program>

[Guest]

... into "Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\components" and look for a dll called blsfflock it seemed to do the trick for me.

I didn't necessarily have any problems when I uninstalled AT&T Parental Controls, but the uninstaller did leave the blsfflock dll behind which is extremely lame, especially when everything else was removed. Thanks for the tip - I got rid of that DLL in a hurry!

[djacks]

Have you had any luck "uninstalling your att parental controls software". When I try to "uninstall" the software it tells me I must be a parent to uninstall the software. I am the parent AND the administrator. As for browser/banking issues... I too experienced the same problems as you. Only now it seems to be affecting my Microsoft Outlook programs as well. Once I shut down microsoft outlook, I can no longer bring it back up (without re-logging onto my computer). I get a message saying outlook is listed as an email program and I am not allowed to access it. I am still on the phone with ATT as I type this. 2 hours and 3 people into this process!!

DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS ATT PARENTAL SOFTWARE THAT WORKS WITH VISTA!!!

[stevestr]

You could try system restore. I didn't realize this was connected somehow to Outlook (I use Microsoft Office 2003 with Outlook, Word, and Excel).
Also, try uninstalling in safe mode (F8 at reboot)

To the guest to who posted the find on deleting that nasty AT&T DLL file called "blsfflock.dll" thank you very much! That did the trick and my Firefox is purring now!

BEWARE! DO NOT INSTALL THE NEWLY RELEASED AT&T PARENTAL CONTROL PROGRAM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS BETA. SHAME ON AT&T FOR RELEASING THIS TOO SOON WITHOUT WORKING OUT THE BUGS!

[redbaron96]

I just dealt with this today. Of course AT&T said it was FF problem, not theirs. I should have come here first. Now I'm having trouble deleting the blsfflock dll.

[Guest]

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!

Thanks a bunch folx!!! It was driving me crazy with this parental control!! Whoever wrote this program should be tarred and quartered! I was forced to use Google Chrome...that wasn't a very good experience. Someone at Mozilla should get on ATT for wreaking havoc on their browser! And I will add and reiterate:

BEWARE! DO NOT... I REPEAT...DO NOT INSTALL THE NEWLY RELEASED AT&T PARENTAL CONTROL PROGRAM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS BETA. SHAME ON AT&T FOR RELEASING THIS TOO SOON WITHOUT WORKING OUT THE BUGS! MOZILLA SHOULD FILE A SUIT AGAINST AT&T FOR MESSING WITH CODE!!