Mysterious Google Result ???

I opened a new tab in Opera, which is my Google search page. I typed in "streams on Parnassus" and got the following result.



No unusual traffic has been initiated by me on this computer. I go to YouTube and to newspaper websites, with only the odd excursion to ATS or some other website.

I tried the search again and got the same result. Does anybody know what is going on? This is the first time this has happened, . . . EVER.

Answer

And do the usual check for malware

a reply to: ipsedixit

You may be infected with a background program running traffic through google. Shutdown your browser and see what is accessing the web.

This usually occurs due to using a VPN. Opera has a built in VPN. You most likely have it enabled.

originally posted by: LostThePlot
This usually occurs due to using a VPN. Opera has a built in VPN. You most likely have it enabled.

Same here, or if I use TOR.

originally posted by: Gothmog
Answer

And do the usual check for malware

My first thought as well.

Basically its a nothing....
I have had that happen once or twice after performing a boatload of searches...

Thanks for the responses. I haven't done anything about them yet, but I will follow up. I have used a VPN (Norton) but not at the moment. I wasn't aware of the one in Opera, but will check. Anyway I'll use the captcha non robot button and hopefully things will be back to normal. I was worried that this might have been some kind of phishing attempt, but apparently not.

Yea I've had that happen to me before as well...after having numerous and numerous tabs open.....a butt load of searches as they say.....




a reply to: Gothmog

a reply to: Athetos

It's true. I'm a little unaware of my use of the computer. I am always searching something and often have multiple tabs open.

well are you a robot? no? then no problem.
you dont see it much with google but other search engines its quite common.

Opera is a strange-ish browser in that it has the ability to run Tor and torrents natively from what I recall. There may be some malware running in the background or just some odd settings in the browser itself. I have had odd results with opera as well and I always attribute it to the browser so IDK what it could be exactly. What OS are you running?

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I'm running Windows 10 Home. I like the Opera browser because it has a feature that allows one to mute any tab at the top of the tab. I dislike audio pop ups and loud ads and hate scrambling to mute them, Opera makes it very easy to do that.

First thing I'd do is try the same search with a different browser. You should have at least Chrome and Firefox installed, even is you almost never use them.

Try the exact same search with either or both of those and if you don't get the same result, you'll know that it's the browser.

I use a VPN to circumvent the Great Firewall of China, I get that on occasion. It's a check for malicious activity.

a reply to: ipsedixit I run Windows 10 and use Chrome for my internet browsing. I have never had that happen to me. I can use a VPN but really don’t every need it. If you are having a problem with adds popping up then perhaps you have malware and/or visit sites that are harmful to your pc. I would say use a add blocker but if you do that you are pretty much pooing on any site you go to as that hurts their add revenue. Just be aware about that and stay vigilant. After my second PC build I got fed up with dealing with having to do a PC wipe every 6 months. So I watched 100s of hours on PC stuffs and also got better ties and shoes then hit the bars if you catch my drift.

Here's another bizarre manifestation. I navigated to the website of the French newspaper, Le Monde. I was scrolling down the page looking at headlines when this popped up.



This has never happened before except as some kind of webpage hijack. Any thoughts on this?

It seems very odd to have popped up on the Le Monde page. I don't actually visit it that often. (Le Figaro is my usual stop over in France.)

Edit: I went back to the page, reopened it, scrolled up and down and nothing happened. No Warning. Very odd.