Fixing ScrubIT Config Utility
I recently read on Lifehacker about a system called ScrubIT which blocks pornography on your system. Here is what Lifehacker has to say:
All you do is configure your router to use ScrubIT’s DNS servers. Alternately, Windows 2000/XP users can download a utility that tweaks the networking settings accordingly.
I thought, “Very cool!” until I read this:
…there’s no uninstaller for the DNS utility, meaning once you’ve run it, your system will face “scrubbed” sites indefinitely. (I’m still working to extricate it from my PC; incredibly, the ScrubIT site offers no information on undoing the utility’s changes.) I’m hoping this rather startling oversight will be corrected soon, as it’s hard to recommend a service that won’t go away if you want it to.
So, I took it upon myself to investigate. I was surprised to see that the ScrubIT configuration utility was actually a compiles AutoIT script. After a bit of “playing” I was able to reverse engine the original script.
Essentially, all this configuration utility does is set the DNS settings on all of the network cards to their DNS settings; i.e. 67.138.54.100 and 207.225.209.66. In fact, it even uses the built in NETSH command to perform the DNS changes.
To remove the changes made by the configuration utility, all you need to do is the following:Open
- Open up the Control Panel
- Double click on Network Connections
Then for each network connection you see in this window, do the following:
- Right click on the network connection and click on Properties in the context menu
- Under, This connection uses the following items: click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
- Click on the Properties button. This will open a new window
- At the bottom of the window, you will see a section selected that says Use the following DNS server addresses: and then it will have 67.138.54.100 and 207.225.209.66 in the list.
- If you use DHCP, then select Obtain DNS server address automatically. If you do not use DNS, change 67.138.54.100 and 207.225.209.66 to your DNS addresses.
- Close all windows.
That should do it for you.
Just one other bit of warning. If you use this configuration utility in a networking environment such as Windows Active Directory, this can break your system. You may experience either extremely long log-on times or lose the ability to log on to the domain at all. It is best to put these DNS settings into the router or firewall.
Update
I have completed the UnScrubIT configuration utility. This is only to be used if you are running DHCP on your network.
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5 Responses to “Fixing ScrubIT Config Utility”
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Chris Says:
March 1st, 2007 at 1:56 pmYou can always run WinSockFix. You have no idea how many times that fixes connection issues (I work for a university with 18,000 on campus students, and we manage their internet connections).
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Lord Dragon Says:
March 13th, 2007 at 7:45 pmIf you go to the Scrubit website and click on FAQs the fourth question down tells you how to unscrub your system and gives a link to their unscrubit.exe.
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Crystal Busch Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 12:06 pmThank you so much, this crazy program knocked me offline. I didn’t even know how to fix it. I did what you suggested and it worked wonderfully. I thought the computer was highjacked or somethings. Thanks again, and God bless you
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Anthony Says:
December 11th, 2008 at 1:38 pmI have worked for an after school program for 5 years now. We started using Scrub It about 2 years ago along side two other blockers. It worked prefect till about a month ago. I was forced to remove the scrub it dns from our systems. I’ll be contacting them to see if it is anything on their side.
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Charlyn Says:
February 1st, 2009 at 7:31 pmThank you thank you!!! this stupind program made a mess of my internet connection….it scrub everything

