Do you think ATS could be a security risk?

So, ATS has been acting weird the last few days, with advertisements that take up the whole screen, to me being logged out at random.
And that has got me thinking.....

With the amount of links that we click here, we could easily be loading viruses and keyloggers into our systems, or they could be acquired during a download of a rogue advertisement.

This may be completely paranoid, but does anyone take precautions when clicking links in threads?

Just saying.... the government could easily do something like this..... And one would think they could take action against the conspiracy theory community. Either that or some opposing theorist with too much time to waste.

What do you think?

TreyDeuce

[edit on 20-7-2008 by ThreeDeuce]

We regularly screen the code/banners being delivered buy our advertisers, and have recently removed all ads from two providers (CPX Interactive and Advertising.com) for delivering ads with unauthorized or inappropriate action (pop-up/unders and browser take-overs).

Additionally, we have a third party security team with significant experience in high-end server security and computer forensics. Every two weeks they scan our servers for any malicious attempts to insert code, and also proactively monitor the health of our systems.

I'm confident we're operating clean technology, and swiftly respond to issues discovered with advertisers.

However, that's not to say that malicious links still don't exist due to people posting links to "unclean" sites. And this risk exists everywhere, not just ATS.

I've been seeing posts for a week now talking about seeing ads on here.

I don't see one ad at all. All I see is the ATS site. There are no pop-ups or mysterious log outs.

What kind of browsers are you people using?

I have Firefox browser and ATS works perfect on it. Then again I haven't been a member for very long, almost a month. But I do some here often.

Run a spyware removal often, at least once a week. Make sure your antivirus is up to date. I use free programs for both. Ad Aware and AVG anti virus.

I highly doubt this site is a risk.

I don't get pop ups any where else on the net, but i don't go to a lot of places. I notice i get these redirected ads for surveys and such. Some just a small screen but others take me away from ATS. I have ran all my virus software. One time when i back tracked to the thread i was just on i got a pop up screen for some survey. It does not happen all the time but at least once a day when i am here, never anywhere else.

I use Firefox.

next time it happens i will post a screen shot and see if anyone else gets it.

I'm just saying that I could see how certain people might want to attack people who are discussing the "truth".

Skeptic, I know that you found the source of the problem ads (although I had one more today), its just malicious advertisement would be an easy way someone could attack a board's members.

This being said, I don't think that I am at risk while browsing here, I just realize that the threat is very real.

Maybe the title of this thread should be changed......... it just doesn't look good for the site, and its not really how I feel, I guess it might have been an attention grabbing technique.... sorry

[edit on 20-7-2008 by ThreeDeuce]

reply to post by ThreeDeuce

This may be completely paranoid, but does anyone take precautions when clicking links in threads?

Why, yes, for 'questionable' looking links. I used the Firefox profile manager to create two shortcuts to Firefox -- one that launches with an ATS profile (default browser settings), and another that launches a more 'secure' profile (NoScript, AdBlock, FlashBlock, cache cleaning, no cookies, spoofed useragent, no ping-to-google whitelist, etc, etc).

I will sometimes cut-n-paste links from one browser config to another, before opening them, to avoid any malicious scripting or tomfoolery. Not paranoid at all; simple 'safe-browsing' precaution.


Edit to add: With regards to redirector or popup ads, here's some instructions on how to extract information from the Firefox cache, when you see those ads, that may possibly help narrow down where they're coming from, if it's an ATS advertising provider or not. Plus it's fun to see what's in your browser cache.

[edit on 20-7-2008 by Ian McLean]

Originally posted by Optix
I notice i get these redirected ads for surveys and such.

That should have stopped as of three days ago. We tracked that down to Advertising.com, and have halted all ads from them.

I use Firefox, and don't get that many ads. Compared to some sites ATS is a walk in the park for no ads, or they are off on the side, not in the way like some sites are.

I have noticed though the last few days the recent post links haven't been fitting right on the page. They are smushed together on the left side of the screen. Nothing serious...

Thanks for all the measures you guys do do at ATS for us.

Let me give you a very small history lesson in communication.

Around 1963 the telephone was connected to a wall. Around this time the extension phone was offered by the telephone company. There were no cell phones.

In 1963 my dad entered the political arena. My parents telephone was in the hallway between our bedrooms. Telephone benches were popular and had a seat and small desk type top off set from the seat. There was also a shelf under the top for a phone book.

The day my dad registered as a candidate for a political office he put a picture of a large human ear on the wall so we would see it when we talked on the phone.

This was to make us realize that NOTHING said on the telephone was private.....ever.

The Internet is no different. Why in hell would anyone be so ignorant to think any communication media is safe is beyond me.

Yes, we have safe guards, we have nice security programs to sniff out invaders. We do our very best to protect ourselves and our communications.

NOTHING is 100 % safe.........ever.

If you don't want something public don't type it or let it slip from your lips on any public communication media.

Computers are throw away tools to me. I have a small room in my garage full of used computers.. minus the hard drives. I destroy the hard drives.

Call me paranoid if you will but I've been places and done things with computers that I never , ever want to see the light of day.

Your words nor your equipment is ever 100 % safe.

We take our chances and enjoy. While we are enjoying there are folks working very diligently to invade our spaces and rum amuck in our hard drives.

I believe ATS to be as safe as it possibly can be, safer than any site I've ever been a member of.

reply to post by dizziedame


I hope that star I just gave you doesn't put me on a watch list

Seriously though, well said. I think you bottom line is spot on. Agree that ATS seems as safe or safer than other forums I frequent. The real security danger [to me] is me -- what I allow to dribble from my own keyboard.

Idont think the govt is too interested about most of the stuff
on here.
except maybe that thread about entering area 51.

and maybe the secret area that you can purchase from the ats store,
i need to start making a lot more points,
anyone know whats that about?



darn, right when I posted this I got redirected to an ad from
consumerrewards, i was taken to a whole other web page and
I never clicked on anything. thats annoying, what a coincidence too.

[edit on 20-7-2008 by josephine]

Seems to be a couple of different thoughts on this subject going on within this thread.

I use Firefox and did have some issues with ads. These have not re-appeared for a couple of weeks. Something was done within this site. Good job.

I don't consider ATS anymore of a security risk than any other form of communication. I would be amazed if the US government wasn't watching the internet from a traffic analysis point of view and then narrowing down to individuals.

I routinely write to and receive mail from countries both friendly and unfriendly with my government. I know for a fact the mail is opened. BTW: I'm a ham radio operator and put my callsign on all letters going outside the USA, there is no doubt about who I am or what I am doing with this.

So all in all, I'd consider any form of communication dealing with anyone else to be a security threat. Not paranoid, just prudent.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by Optix
I notice i get these redirected ads for surveys and such.

That should have stopped as of three days ago. We tracked that down to Advertising.com, and have halted all ads from them.

Thank you kindly. If it pops again, i will be sure to make a screen shot of the site and show you, because it maybe on my end.