Ads?

[Emperor Ing]

I've noted more than a few advertisments in and around the site taking the form of random double-underlined links.

So, did something happen when I wasn't looking, is Rich that hard-pressed for money, or...what's going on?

[Quincunx]

Firefox 3.0.17, NoScript reporting no external sites adding scripts, AdBlockPlus being its usual unhelpful self, no visible ads on the forum. Conclusion: Ad-adding problem is on your computer's end and/or you are seeing ads embedded in the signatures of camouflaged human spammers.

[Douglas]

Start looking for spyware/adware/other malware, it sounds like your computer is infected. Rich has a well known policy of absolutely no ads on this site, I have not seen or heard any indication that the policy has changed, and I have seen no ads here myself.

[bluewind95]

Sounds like spyware or other such malware on your end.

Thankfully Rich has been as good as his word. No ads on the site.

[Mando Knight]

I'm not posting from my computer that has anti-ad stuff on it, and I concur that it's not on the GitP end.

[Trixie]

Maybe give some links with examples first?

[Ikialev]

Accidentally, I've got the same problem. Add some whole-window-sized ads, and it's not happening only in GitP.

Spy-checked my computer, twice. No adware.

[Zherog]

What program did you use to check for Spyware? Is it current? Even if it is, it doesn't hurt to download a second program and us it -- I've seen lots of instances where one program finds something another program does not.

Alternatively, have you installed a new toolbar for your browser recently, such as Yahoo or Google? Some of them will turn random words on a page into links.

[Zeta Kai]

No anti-virus program finds every virus/adware/malware/AOL. Cross-reference with another program, & watch out for programs that you don't know offering to do a scan for you. One of the more recent tricks of malware is to disguise itself as an anti-virus program. Than scan bar that filling up on your desktop? That's just an animated graphic that's there to keep you busy while the program loads adware in the background. Devious little buggers.

[Kobold-Bard]

I see no ads (which kinda makes me happy because my computer is infected with just about everything). I can imagine that such a stark change in direction for the site would most likely warrant a news post.

Good luck with getting your computer back in shape.

[SolkaTruesilver]

I see no ads (which kinda makes me happy because my computer is infected with just about everything).

Stop posting! You'll give me cooties!!! :smalleek:

[Emperor Ing]

They're gone now, apparently they were specific to the computer I was posting on. (Thank god it's not my home computer. :smallsigh:)

[Ikialev]

Lucky you.
Here is how it looks... (http://i49.tinypic.com/2cr0f8g.jpg)
and this is the post. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7775105&postcount=21)
I use Avast for scanning, and I think I know *what* caused this all, but i don't have a clue about repairing it.

It's not a site issue anymore, though

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Is there an ad in those links? I don't see one.

Btw, while we're on the subject, feel free to vote in the official monthly monster comp that just ended. Located in my signature for your convenience!

[Zherog]

Lucky you.
Here is how it looks... (http://i49.tinypic.com/2cr0f8g.jpg)
and this is the post. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7775105&postcount=21)
I use Avast for scanning, and I think I know *what* caused this all, but i don't have a clue about repairing it.

It's not a site issue anymore, though

Is Avast spyware or virus? If it's spyware, you'd do well to download and run at least one other program.

In the past I've had good success with Lavasoft's AdAware (http://www.lavasoft.com/) program. I currently use Webroot's Spy Sweeper (http://www.webroot.com/En_US/consumer-products-spysweeper.html). That page has a link for a free scan.

Have you installed any toolbars recently? I've seen those turn words into links. Scroll through your installed programs and see if there's stuff you don't recognize; if you see something, Google it to try and learn what it is.

[Ikialev]

Okay, case closed. It happened because of some LoudMo Contextual Ad Assistant, which installed itself with some flash pron. Total Uninstalled, and the testing post is back to normal.

[NerfTW]

FWIW, if you know a computer has any sort of virus on it, it's a good idea NOT to be entering passwords into it.

[Zherog]

Okay, case closed. It happened because of some LoudMo Contextual Ad Assistant, which installed itself with some flash pron. Total Uninstalled, and the testing post is back to normal.

Glad you found it. But... along with what Nerf said, I'll also advice you to keep an eye on things. A lot of Spyware/Malware is very good at hiding itself and reinstalling at a later time. You managed to get infected once, so unless you know exactly how it happened you run the risk of reinfection.

Make sure your virus scanner is thoroughly up to date on all its data files.

Similarly, make sure any anti-spyware software you use has completely up to date files.

Configure your software so that it regularly runs checks of your machine. Set them to run in the middle of the night and it won't impact you, and you'll have the reports available in the morning.

I very highly recommend the Spy Sweeper program I linked earlier. I still use AdAware as a backup, but so far I've found Spy Sweeper to be worth the money I pay each year to renew my license.

[Kurien]

Okay, I have this problem too, only it has never occurred on this site, only on other sites, such as the Paint.NET website and video streaming sites. How do I go about getting rid of it?

Also, whenever I do a virus scan (with Avast!), the end results always report that around 1000 files were unable to be scanned. Assuming they are malware, I try to put them in the chest (sounds like quarantine- isn't this supposed to neutralize them?) but it says it is unable to do this as well. Then I try to just delete them, and only a few were successfully moved to the recycle bin.

I did all this after updating the Avast virus database.

Problem is, I don't know how to do anything with computers, so I have no idea how to fix it. How do I know that the sites like Spy Sweeper or AdAware Zherog posted are legitimate and aren't malicious themselves, downloading malware onto my computer instead of scanning it?

I think the only solution is to do a complete systems wipe, or what do they call it... a reformat? Problem is, I don't know how to do that, and how to reinstall everything, or how to save/backup important files.

So, help please? :smalleek:

[PirateMonk]

Problem is, I don't know how to do anything with computers, so I have no idea how to fix it. How do I know that the sites like Spy Sweeper or AdAware Zherog posted are legitimate and aren't malicious themselves, downloading malware onto my computer instead of scanning it?

If you don't trust Zherog to recommend legitimate antivirus sites, how do you trust anyone else on this forum for advice?

[Rockphed]

Spy sweeper is legitimate, though I don't use it anymore for unrelated reasons. If you don't trust their website, go buy spy sweeper from a computer store. I really can't comment on which anti-virus/anti-spyware program is best, sorry.

[Kurien]

If you don't trust Zherog to recommend legitimate antivirus sites, how do you trust anyone else on this forum for advice?

Sorry if I insulted Zherog by doubting his advice, but I don't know him at all, and he is just one voice. If say, five people recommended that site, I'd consider it useful and not dangerous. Of course, now that I've said this, people may recommend bad sites simply to spite me, so I will probably be wary of any site anyone recommends. So really I wonder how I can verify that a site is legitimate or not.

See, I've been told to not trust any site, that anything that looks like it should help you is just a virus downloader in disguise, and that only something you buy in a store is trustworthy. I'm not sure if that is true, but it certainly makes me afraid to use any site.

Rockphed also says that Spy Sweeper is good, so that lends some weight to the recommendation.

[Douglas]

I don't personally know about Spy Sweeper, but AdAware is legitimate.

As for more vouching, how's a Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdAware)? And here's one for Spy Sweeper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_Sweeper). If either program were malicious, I doubt that would have escaped the notice of every editor who might have noted the fact in those articles.

Edit: Spy Sweeper has some stuff on its discussion page that makes me a bit dubious about it. AdAware is solidly legitimate, though, and so is Spybot - Search & Destroy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spybot_%E2%80%93_Search_%26_Destroy). Apparently you need to be careful about making sure you get the real thing rather than imitations for Spybot S&D, though. Fortunately, wikipedia provides a link to the official site at the bottom of the article.


See, I've been told to not trust any site, that anything that looks like it should help you is just a virus downloader in disguise, and that only something you buy in a store is trustworthy. I'm not sure if that is true, but it certainly makes me afraid to use any site.
That's going a little far on the paranoid side, I'd say. There are a lot of such things out there, but there are a number of well known legitimate tools as well, and a google search should usually let you tell the difference.

Anything that tries to force itself on you, asking permission to install before you do anything and making it hard to refuse, is definitely bad. If something presents an attempted panic-inducing message trying to convince you to download it, don't; that is also a major sign of malware. If something merely presents information about itself and does so in a professional manner, however, or if someone on a well moderated forum such as giantitp recommends it, there's a good chance it's legitimate. Search google and wikipedia for the name of the software. If it's not legitimate, you will almost certainly find major indications of that fact in both google's search results and wikipedia's article and discussion page. If it doesn't have a wikipedia article at all, it probably isn't legitimate. Google and wikipedia should also give you firm confirmation of the correct place to get the real thing from.

[Zherog]

Edit: Spy Sweeper has some stuff on its discussion page that makes me a bit dubious about it.

Elaborate, please? I've been using it for years (while running other programs such as Ad-Aware as backup) without any problems.


Sorry if I insulted Zherog by doubting his advice

None taken. :)

[PallElendro]

Buy a Macintosh Snow Leopard. It has weekly-monthly Security Updates, and nice pop-up blocking features, even a View Details on trusting sites for certificates on websites with companies.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Okay, I have this problem too, only it has never occurred on this site, only on other sites, such as the Paint.NET website and video streaming sites. How do I go about getting rid of it?
I think certain sites use a similar linking algorithm as part of their own ad revenue stream. Paint.Net looks to me like it just might be one such site. In that case, there is no getting rid of it.

Also note that the sample damage done by the adware here just makes random words into regular links. Paint.Net ads are double-underlined links with special popup windows.