Viral attack thru ATS?

I just had something real weird happen. I am running WinXP (standard install) on a Toshiba laptop. The only things actively running at the time were the Firefox window I use for ATS, another Firefox window I use for other sites (minimized) and a window of IE for the local weather radar (Firefox doesn't seem to like weather.com for some reason).

I posted in a new thread, so to reopen the Most Recent page, I rightclicked Recent Posts and selected 'Open in New Tab'. The new tab opened and the window immediately minimized on its own. In its place was a small alert box informing me that I might be infected with 'the virus' if my computer was doing such-and-such. I clicked on cancel and the window re-maximized, Instead of the Most Recent page, it had a page informing me that my download would start soon! before I could close that, Firefox's download manager popped up and started giving me the status of the download. I canceled that and closed the offending tab. Then I had another alert box telling me my computer might be infected... I closed that with the X and was able to continue operating.

I think my AV was about to alert me right before I closed the download manager, but I was clicking so fast it apparently didn't have time. I saw something from the tray start to pop up then cancel.

This all happened in the blink of an eye. I don't think I clicked on anything like an advertisement, but I might have drug my pointer across one by accident. Sorry, but I did not get the name of the offending software; I was too busy trying to kill it to notice.

Now I know ATS does not allow things like this on their site, and this is not an indictment of ATS. But if there is an advertisement or other malicious code sneaking into a page, the PTB here need to know about it. Also, everyone else might want to keep an eye open just in case.

The possibility always exists that it was something running in the background or some sort of coincidental attack, but the offending page opened in the tab where an ATS page should have been, so I think it bears looking into.

TheRedneck

Yesterday, my pop up blocker kept telling me it was preventing a download every time I would refresh or navigate this site. Not your standard pop up block, but a download block. So something was up. I am not sure how comfortable I am that I am not getting it now.

I've had that happen to me a few times, and since I'm not running Windows, I know it's a virus. it doesn't affect me that much, I'll be reformatting my hard drive to night, wiping it out, but for Windows users and anyone else picking it up, it'll cause a problem.
I'm running the PS3 browser, so the fact I got a GUI Windows error message means the infection put it there.

I got the same "you may have a virus, please scan machine" type error. I was just reading a thread, walked away, came back about 20 seconds later and the warning was up. Thought it was just me until I saw your post. Weird.

I had that same thing happen to me the other day. I clicked on a thread and instantly a site popped up that said I may be infected with a virus. The ATS website totally disappeared, and in it's place was this full screen pop up.



Edited to add I am also using Firefox.

[edit on 12-6-2008 by virraszto]

I too have had a similar experience... I have a Mac Intel combo, and use Firefox as my main browser. Sometimes when I click on Recent Posts... open in new tab... I will get a very small box that appears in the upper left hand corner, then it will close immediately without being registered in my History list. Unlike you, my download window does not pop up... but then Mac has built-in firewalls.

I have been told that I have a small "tracking bug" installed by ATS just below my points area of my avatar. Supposedly this bug tracks whatever I do on ATS??? Do not know if it is true or not. I was also told that not everyone on ATS has this bug, but many members do.

So as to not worry about the rest of my programs... I try to erase the cache and all cookies every time I log out of Firefox.

So.. we may not have the exact same problem.. but there is something weird going on with Firefox and ATS.

The site owners need to look into the advertising. I get the same thing while on MySpace, and other sites. They all use a mass advertising script.

Another thing, you will notice pages take longer to load because of the ads. You will see at the bottom left it is still downloading content from a third party site.

Well, at least I know it wasn't something else, apparently it is coming through the mass advertising here. I have faith in SO, he'll fish this bug out and kill it soon as he can.

TheRedneck

Whenever I post a truth that the powers that be do not approve of I get a similar wierdness. I have also had my computer crash. For the last three days my computer has been redirected from this site. I have also had ads pop up that I did not click on. There seems to be something running in the background behind the ads. It may be because there are more ads, but, I don't really know. Personally, I think someone at ATS is a hacker.

reply to post by dragonfire2159


my firewalls and virus scanners have never reported anything by visiting this website

there are creeper viruses that pop up only after X amount of time
they also pop up after learning your browsing history, in order to keep the majority of people ill-informed on their origins

I also know that some of the less-quality virus software out there, recognizes cookies as potential harmful files on your computer

the ads are far different for the anon users who are not members.

Wigginss post pretty much sums it up there are other programs that might hit your pc from emails etc and they lie dormant for a period of time.

You are all infected with a nasty program commonly called SMITFRAUD. It is a nasty file that gives you false positives and false virus alerts in an attempt to get you to download their software. The "anti-virus" they start to download is nothing of the sort. It is jam-packed with key-loggers, spyware, etc, etc. It really has nothing to do with what site you happen to be on at the moment as it is set to randomly pop up those alerts all the time. You did NOT get it from this site. It commonly waits up to a week before displaying any messages so it is harder to find where you got it.The most common way of being infected is to download an infected video codec.


It is a real pain in the butt to remove the sucker from your system. Spyware S&D will detect it but can't remove it. Same goes for ad-aware and just about every other anti-spyware program out there. BY far, the easiest is to download THIS TOOLorSPYHUNTERS SMITFRAUD REMOVAL TOOL and follow the directions on THIS site exactly.





[edit on 12-6-2008 by Tiloke]

C'mon.

Blaming or suspecting ATS for coincidental malware is like blaming Dell or Microsoft.

From what you describe, you probably have a low-risk malware that can be easily cleaned up with several free anti -spyware products available online.

This should have been handled through a U2U and then if there was a legitimate issue the owners could have alerted members. By starting a thread you are unfairly exposing the board to criticism that more than likely isn't justified.

I dont think this has anything to do with anyones post here but i thought for awhile i was getting a popup when i log in to ats.Then i realized by cursor is always near the video hyperlink when it opens.

This has been covered dozens of times... thread closed.

Springer..