Trojans

[Mike_grpA]

I just thought the site admin should be aware, when I am using this forum, sometimes when I load a page, a pop-up will try to download trojans to my computer. It's only happening on this site. Thankfully, I have anti-virus software, but I still find it alarming.

 

[yabiggoose]

That's odd. I've never had that happen with any browser on this site...

 

[Mike_grpA]

I hadn't either until recently. a couple of days ago it happened, and then today it has happened three times. I am only saying something because someone without protection will end up being hacked.

 

[yabiggoose]

I know you say you have an anti-virus but it really sounds like some spammy malware has found its way onto your computer.

Not having a go or anything, just saying from my experience that's what it sounds like.

 

[Mike_grpA]

My computer is brand new, and I have good anti-virus, and regularly do full scans to avoid anything sneaking in.

As I said, it isn't happening on other sites. Not even a lot with this one, just sometimes, when a page of this site loads, specifically in the forum, the anti-virus pops up to tell me it's just blocked a trojan.

I figured it was a dodgy ad within the site, because it doesn't happen every time I load a page, but the ad at the top does change every time, so maybe one of them is a bit dodgy.

I will update if I find it's happening elsewhere, as that would suggest it's not just this site. But, at the moment, it's only happening here, which sucks, as this is one of only about 5 web sites I actually like and use frequently.

I don't trawl the net looking at all kinds of dodgy stuff, I don't follow any suspicious links on facebook or anything like that, I haven't had anything to do with torrents on this computer, and I don't watch or look at porn either. It seems to me I avoid all the really dodgy areas of the net for the most part.

Like I said, I will update this if the situation changes at all, I just thought it would be good to post this sooner rather than later. Better to be safe than sorry

 

[yabiggoose]

Could it be a false positive?

EDIT:

Like I said, I will update this if the situation changes at all, I just thought it would be good to post this sooner rather than later. Better to be safe than sorry

Definitely, if there's something sinister afoot.

 

[Mike_grpA]

I'm doing a full system scan at the moment, but as I said, it's a new computer, and I'm pretty careful what I do online, as I've made all those mistakes long ago (Learned all about trojans back in 2001).

It very well could be a false positive, sometimes the antivirus software does seem a little too vigilant lol (won't let me use a couple of sites that I had no problems with on my old computer, or my tablet).

Still, better safe than sorry

*edit: I just noticed, after changing my firefox settings to prevent web sites auto re-directing, it has prevented this page from re-directing to another page. Not sure if it's related, but I never used to get re-directs on this site before, and I was a long time dweller here before I was a member lol.

 

[Grayfox]

My computer is brand new, and I have good anti-virus, and regularly do full scans to avoid anything sneaking in.

As I said, it isn't happening on other sites. Not even a lot with this one, just sometimes, when a page of this site loads, specifically in the forum, the anti-virus pops up to tell me it's just blocked a trojan.

I figured it was a dodgy ad within the site, because it doesn't happen every time I load a page, but the ad at the top does change every time, so maybe one of them is a bit dodgy.

I will update if I find it's happening elsewhere, as that would suggest it's not just this site. But, at the moment, it's only happening here, which sucks, as this is one of only about 5 web sites I actually like and use frequently.

I don't trawl the net looking at all kinds of dodgy stuff, I don't follow any suspicious links on facebook or anything like that, I haven't had anything to do with torrents on this computer, and I don't watch or look at porn either. It seems to me I avoid all the really dodgy areas of the net for the most part.

Like I said, I will update this if the situation changes at all, I just thought it would be good to post this sooner rather than later. Better to be safe than sorry

An Anti-Virus is like door to a home, it will prevent things sneaking in, but if you leave the door open things will get in.

In other words, if you click on an click NO to those stupid your infected ads, install a program that is infected you anti-virus will not do much since you have given permission for it to run

 

[jimipitbull]

Be careful guys. Anti-virus killed my drivatar.

 

[Lizard]

I just thought the site admin should be aware, when I am using this forum, sometimes when I load a page, a pop-up will try to download trojans to my computer. It's only happening on this site. Thankfully, I have anti-virus software, but I still find it alarming.

It is a virus. It is running in the background and will randomly open these pages. Always click no, flash player etc doesn't update this way.

My computer is brand new, and I have good anti-virus, and regularly do full scans to avoid anything sneaking in.

As I said, it isn't happening on other sites. Not even a lot with this one, just sometimes, when a page of this site loads, specifically in the forum, the anti-virus pops up to tell me it's just blocked a trojan.

I figured it was a dodgy ad within the site, because it doesn't happen every time I load a page, but the ad at the top does change every time, so maybe one of them is a bit dodgy.

I will update if I find it's happening elsewhere, as that would suggest it's not just this site. But, at the moment, it's only happening here, which sucks, as this is one of only about 5 web sites I actually like and use frequently.

I don't trawl the net looking at all kinds of dodgy stuff, I don't follow any suspicious links on facebook or anything like that, I haven't had anything to do with torrents on this computer, and I don't watch or look at porn either. It seems to me I avoid all the really dodgy areas of the net for the most part.

Like I said, I will update this if the situation changes at all, I just thought it would be good to post this sooner rather than later. Better to be safe than sorry

To completely get rid of everything bar a fresh install of the OS you need 3 waves of protection. That is. 1st. Normal anti virus. Second. Malware Bytes. 3rd. Superantispyware.

Only doing all those together will get rid of them all. They don't conflict as long as you don't run scans all at the same time.

The issue is rootkits. Programs designed to hide the virus from the anti virus. Different anti virus have different success against different rootkits.

 

[Prenny]

Spybot search & destroy is a good anti-spyware.

 

[Omnis]

What are you running for anti-virus?

 

[TB]

@Mike_grpA - thread moved to the Computer section.

 

[Mike_grpA]

I have Norton atm, and as I said, I am careful on the net.

Thanks @haitch40 for the recommendations, I have installed malwarebytes and superantispyware to compliment my anti virus. Ran scans immediately, and the found nothing.

I haven't had a repeat of the trojan trying to download again. I'll keep you informed.

Edit.
I just ran the most comprehensive level of scans on those programs, and superantispyware found a progam called "trojan.fakealert". Not sure where it came from, or why it was only operating while I was on this site, coincidence perhaps? In any case, it's gone now, and with the extra levels of protection, I shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Mods can close this thread now if they wish. As I said, not sure if it came from an ad on here or not, though it was only popping up when I was on this site, but that may just have been a coincidence.

Thanks again to @haitch40 for the tips

 

[Downhill Dino]

Spybot search & destroy is a good anti-spyware.

Along with Spybot I recommend Malwarebytes and especially rKill.