Browser Helper Objects (BHO) are very powerful, and malware BHOs can seriously screw up your operating system.
Installing toolbars and downloaded screen savers are a great way to infect your computer with bad BHOs.
For example, do not visit Freeze.com. They offer free screensavers. Anything you download from Freeze.com will infect your computer. See this page for further information on Freeze.com.
BHOs have unrestricted access to your browser, and because BHO's do not need a user interface, they can run on your system without your knowledge.
Special tools are required to remove bad BHOs. Downloads are further down the page.
The most common BHO threat is the browser hijacker.
A browser hijacker changes your browser's home page setting to a page of the hijacker's choosing.
Usually your browser is hijacked to a porn site, or some marketing site loaded with more spyware and trojans.
You can change your home page setting, but every time you open your browser or a new tab, you're back to the hijacker's page.
Malware BHOs began as exploitation of Internet Explorer, but now, not all BHO malware is limited to Internet Explorer.
I see more bad BHO issues with computers using IE than with any other browser.
Most viruses and malware are written for Windows and Internet Explorer, which are also notorious for their security vulnerabilities.
For example, there's a trojan which uses BHOs to install scripts which then do things like adding and deleting registry values, and downloading additional instructions and executable files, all hidden from you. Gradually your computer slows down as it turns into a bot for some hacker.
You can find more information on BHOs by using the FAQ/Glossary, links go to Wikipedia articles.
Hijack This fixes browser hijack problems, and can also be used as an aid to remove some more serious threats. For example, there are some trojans which install BHOs, sometimes Hijack This can remove them.
Hijack This is extremely powerful, and there is potential for removal of wanted BHO's. You can screw up your computer if you remove good BHOs.
When running a scan, you have an option to save of log of the scan's findings. You should always do that before "fixing" anything.
If you're unsure of what entries to remove, you can send your file to Trend Micro. That's a great new feature of Hijack This since Trend Micro bought the program.
Unless you know what you're doing, you should send your log file to someone who knows what they're doing- BEFORE attempting to remove anything yourself. There are also internet security forums where you can post your log file if you need help.
You can also Google search any questionable entries before you remove them. You don't want to remove good BHOs.
BHOs or .dll files found in your scans with file names such as "pylikgrtzvwm.dll" (or other unintelligible file names) are almost always a trojan or virus.
One of the worst BHO infections is Cool Web Search.
A special tool is required to remove Cool Web Search. If you suspect you're infected with CWS, you should download and run the Cool Web Search Shredder.
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