Bad pop-up

G

goato

CAG Veteran
I have recieved a pop up twice today that has led to some anti-spy ware program and a cell phone company that has the java code for opening the cd-rom drives. Both of the times, I have clicked on a link somewhere on the forums for it to happen. I am not too sure what exactly happened, I will try to find out what exactly I am clicking. It might be other spyware, but I just recently scanned and I am doing so again right now. I'll try to find out how I did it and post about it.
Anyone else gotten this pop up?
 
I started to get that stuff lately too... I downloaded the google search toolbar, it comes with a free pop upblocker that works amazingly.
 
I got the same thing and my cd-rom drives also, literally opened. I didn't realize it was a link from here. I ran ad-aware, hijack this, and will run spybot later. Problem seems fixed for now.
 
Yea, I think I followed what I did to receive the links before, and I did not get the pop-up. I had minimal spy-ware, and none of it seemed like the type to be able to apply this pop up.
ALSO! This changes your homepage.
 
Googling can sometimes lead to spyware, becareful what you click. I clicked a link once and my antivirus instantly said I picked up a virus! luckily it quarentined it immedietly but, man is it annoying.
 
[quote name='CheapyD']CAG has no popups or anything like that, so its likely something on your end.[/quote]

Didn't mean to imply the site itself, a forum link I was thinking.
 
Many of the popups are actually based on spyware/adware running on your computer, or load-on-exit/pop-under things, that want to make you *think* a legitimate site [such as, oh, this one] is giving you popups, whereas really it was a site you just left, or none at all [generated from the software.]
I definitely second the recommendations:
Ad-Aware
Spybot [you can't be too careful, and one generally catches things the others miss]
Google toolbar with popup blocker
Keeping all the above, and your virus scanner, updated.
And of course, if a pop-up ad annoys you, or tries to defraud or frighten you [Your computer may be infected! Click here NOW!] DON'T SUPPORT THE PRODUCT/COMPANY!
Along with that, *do* support the legimitate sites [such as, oh, CAG] and honest advertisers by clicking on the banner ads of products/companies that interest you.
Unfortunately, we're going to be stuck with pop-up ads--I read recently they have a click rate of something like 10-15%, whereas banner ads are less than 5%. Advertising is not necessarily a bad thing, advertisers and affiliate links and people's own pockets pay for all the 'free' content on the internet; but I draw the line at misleading or malicious advertising.
 
Here's what you do.

1. Try to run operating systems other than windows.

2. If you do run windows, check your system with spybot s&d ( http://www.safer-networking.org/ ) and ad-aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/).

3. Never install software you don't trust.

4. Install a firewall and possibly anti-virus software.

5. DO NOT use Internet Explorer as your primary browser. As it happens, the best browser for windows (and most other platforms) is Opera ( http://www.opera.com/ )

6. DO NOT use outlook as your email client.

Follow these steps and you should be fine.
 
I'm not a Microsoftie or fan, but while many of your points are very valid, helpful, and true, the ubiquitous 'Quit using Microsoft' is not really a solution.
First, in the business world, many companies use Microsoft products pretty exclusively. It's just what is accepted. Is it the best? No, but it is the most widespread.
That may not be an issue to you, in which case, go for it with Linux or Solaris or Mac or whatever.
But also, MS is attacked by these scumbag virus writers et al *because* it's a big target. If everyone switched to Linux, that wouldn't solve the problem, the scumbags would focus their attentions on whatever gets the most press and most audience.
I run MS products pretty much exclusively, and have never had a problem with a virus or spyware. I do of course use your 2, 3, 4 points, which EVERYONE needs to do [although I would require anti-virus, not just mark it 'possibly.']
I do use an alternate browser at home--I didn't like Opera that much. Mozilla Firebird. I pretty much use it just to read my comics pages ['Open All in Tabs' is a very neat feature.]

I would actually summarize all your points in saying, 'Educate yourself.' Both to the benefits/disadvantages of various software providers, and to the prevalence of Internet dangers, and to how to protect yourself from them. If that decision leads you to drop MS and go with another software provider, which works for you, then that's great.
 
[quote name='"eldad9"']5. DO NOT use Internet Explorer as your primary browser. As it happens, the best browser for windows (and most other platforms) is Opera ( http://www.opera.com/ )quote]

I clicked that link and I was hijacked by pop-ups. jk

I use that Yahoo Toolbar, but it's in the background and the pop up blocker is pretty decent.
 
I use ad-aware and spybot s&d. I recommend you do the same, sometime one program will find something the other did not.
 
I program spyware for a living and you guys haven't seen half of the information that we can obtain just by having a pop-up.. Of the 23 different spyware programs I have written, only 3 get picked up by ad-aware (it's part of our job to check, and to write "dummy" programs to make you think ad-aware is working). I have created 6 programs that are now technically illegal because of privacy invasion laws. I'm getting better, I won't be caught. I've got programs that run for IE, Netscape, Opera, and Safari, just to name a few. Soon, I'll be watching you brush your teeth, I can control your webcams, your palm pilots once you hotsync, your flash drives, your digital cameras, and your R/C cars. I can make you die when you play Battlefield 1942. I've overheated cpus, fried hard drives, and toasted video cards. I can change your settings, your colors, you hair style, and your life. Embrace spyware like the brother you never had!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted:











/jk
 
Yea, my step brother is getting the same pop up on his computer. I never meant to blame it directly on you, cheapyD. Anyway, it is really screwing his computer over, and it is much more believable for him to get it because he download nothing but spyware. Anyway, I know about all of the ad-aware and other programs, and I use them constantly, which is why I was afraid of this link. Thanks everyone.
 
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