Very unwelcome links.

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RCW
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 12:54 pm
Location: Valle de Oro, TX [near Amarillo]

Very unwelcome links.

Post by RCW »

I have noticed on Chaski and several other links that some #^*<{ }!! is adding very unwelcome links to messages. When you click on these links there is an annoying and irrelevant message trying to sell despicable junk. Is there some hacker who out there can trash these commercial websites? Or better yet stake down the stripped-down offender over a fire ant bed in the mid-day Florida sun?

Is there any way to block such sources?

Edited comment added: When this was posted the sorry [deleted] highlighted and linked "fire ant" to "InformationGetter"! :evil:
--Bob
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GlennW
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Location: Florida

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by GlennW »

I believe it may be a bug in your computer.

Try running a virus scan or a anti malware scan using something like Malwarebites.
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
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ctwo
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Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by ctwo »

I don't see everything here, but I have not seen what you describe. You may have some redirection malware as Glenn suggested.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
chucketn
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Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Jonesborough,TN

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by chucketn »

+1 on What Glenn says. Odds are your machine is infected, otherwise every reader of the forum would be complaining. MalwareBytes, Hijackthis, Spybot Search and Destroy, and others may help. Also check your browser for Add-ons. If running IE, close all open browsers and go to accessories. Look for optio to run IE w/o add-ons and see if it makes a difference. Use CCleaner to clear cookies and temporary internet files.
Take this advise for what you paid for it. I'm a retired computer tech and I use all the tools above regularly. Also use a free antivirus. I don't have those problems.

Chuck
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RCW
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Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 12:54 pm
Location: Valle de Oro, TX [near Amarillo]

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by RCW »

Thanks, guys! That's good news (that no one else is having to suffer from this) and bad. I run two or three anti-virus, anti-malware programs, including SUPERantispyware and Malwarebytes. Any recommendations?
--Bob
hammermill
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Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by hammermill »

what system are you running
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RCW
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Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 12:54 pm
Location: Valle de Oro, TX [near Amarillo]

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by RCW »

Windows 7 and Foxfire. Explorer has slowed down almost to unworkable, and all the antivirus, etc. seems to make little difference with it. Ran two security programs last night. Plan two more for today.
--Bob
chucketn
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Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Jonesborough,TN

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by chucketn »

RCW have you ever cleaned IE? That is dump cookies and temp internet files? Or run a disk defrag?
I highly recommend a program called CCleaner. Allows you to selectively delete cookies,preserving the ones that store passwords like for this site. Also cleans the temporary internet files left from downloading things like .pdf files.
After cleaning run a disk defragger like Auslogistics disk defrag. Both are freewhare.

Chuck
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ctwo
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Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by ctwo »

You will get personal attention here to fix your problem:

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=60009
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
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GlennW
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Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:23 am
Location: Florida

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by GlennW »

+1 on CCleaner.

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner

Upper right corner to download.

Here is a link to Smart Defrag:

http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
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RCW
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 12:54 pm
Location: Valle de Oro, TX [near Amarillo]

Re: Very unwelcome links.

Post by RCW »

In case anyone else runs into this problem, apparently FlashPlayer was generating the unwanted links. Apparently, Adobe prostitutes themselves to advertisers to pay for "freeware" like FlashPlayer. Reload FP and do not accept the default choices. Carefully check each choice. One generates links to Wikipedia and other sources.

I appreciate all the responses. I was already using most of the software recommended (Malwarebites, AVG, etc.) But it was good advice, and perhaps someone else can use it.

By the way, anyone remember the other problem I posted--long, long ago--about having problems submitting stuff to Chaski? That was cured simply by using Firefox instead of Microsoft Explorer. That latter program still seems buggy.

Thanks again to everyone who posted.

And
everyone have a Merry Christmas!
--Bob
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