http://sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.istbar.html
Go to the above URL to read about the adware that has been installed on your
machine.  It provides complete information about the pest, how to determine
if you are actually infected and a removal tool for download.
                           Heirloom, old and my back hurts

See
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.istbar.html
for details of how to remove one variant of this malware.  This is not a
virus as such but rather what is referred to as adware which:
a) Installs an Internet Explorer toolbar
b) Acts as a Home page and search hijacker
c) Pops up advertisements, often pornographic in nature.

What did the website have to say about removing this unwanted malware when
it detected its presence?