General Chat

Microsoft have a warning on their web about this, and what to do to solve it. It will crash your computer if your security isn't up to date. Deplug.

Rita, it's not a hacker, its some malware placed on an advertisement. As soon as you open the screen containing that ad, it places the malware or worm on your PC, while sending messages that you are infected, in the hopes you purchase their AV.

Unfortunately, it's not so you THINK you're infected, you are by then, but your own AV will get rid of it.

The sites themselves are not to blame, it's the advertisers.

Can I just say that my OH has had it and got rid of it and he doesn't go on any of the sites mentioned.

Someone on the TIPs board says it is happening on Friends Reunited as well !!

hi everyone.
many thanks for your help and tips yesterdayit renews faith in mankind
when you know there such a lot nice people out there willing to help.
run a full scan last night and my macafee found nothing.still l'll be on my
guard from now on .
genes got back to me and said they would look into it but did not think it was their fault. but it only happened on genes.
once more many thanks to everyone out there.
you are all great.
vicx

This has also been discussed on the "TIPS" board-someone has contacted GR - response was that they think it is a virus in one of their ads and are trying to deal with it

HI Everyone,

Yes I've had it too, thought it was only me, done a full scan and nothing came up. It only happens on GR.

lynn

My pop-up blocker is working fine Janey.

I've never had anything from this site apart from a few persistent script errors from an ad a couldn't see anyway, and Genes blamed me for.

I am very particular about my security, keeping my AV constantly updated, pop-up blockers and adblockers on all the time, firewalls and the rest of it up to date and operating. Nothing is 100% guaranteed, as my problem yesterday shows only too well.

On my thread from yesterday over on chat, there are a couple of others who also picked this up from facebook, on various apps, which probably comes from an advert. I've now found that complaining to FB is not much help, all they do is send a standard email advising that they need a screenshot. Yeah right!

There is also a thread on tips about this so lots of people affected.

Huh! How about pop-up blockers?

Maybe it just recognizes my ISP address as placing me beyond the limits of interesting. ;)

I just never ever get any of these sorts of things at this site, or anywhere else!

Janey I already had adblock on, but this appears as message boxes and won't go away without bringing up yet more warning messages.

All I can say is, if it happens to you, manually run a scan immediately, and let it do it's work.

I ended up doing a full boot-scan which took over two hours yesterday, and that was after running my AV, finding the virus, and the AV telling me to re-boot immediately so it could run the boot scan.

I've also turned off my system restore to delete all restore points, because win32 adware-gen latches on to it, so restoring your system and therefore restoring itself, the little beggar. It's back on now, wit a new restore point set this morning after yet another scan.

They tried it on me yesterday.
The thing which worried me, was the fact that I could not get rid of the message.

I knew that I was protected, but it is worrying, and although I would never buy anything which I had not looked for, the fear is there.

Deanna X

Just another plump for Firefox and Adblock, if I may.

I finally installed the latest Firefox yesterday (having waited until all the bugs and complaints seemed to have been worked out).

Install the Adblock "add-on" and you will get none of these things. None of the flashing ads at this site, no advertising pop-ups, none of it.

I also use it to eliminate useless pictures on sites I visit regularly -- like the entire banner across the top of this page, all of the "Friends Reunited" and "Friends Reunited Dating" stuff. I don't like the colours, I'm not interested, and they just occupy space on the page.

Adblock and NoScript -- absolute essentials!

So far, I've had win32:adware-gen [adw] and my OH has had win32 parite, both worms.

They were only detected on running the scan, dont' rely on your AV to just pick it up without running full scan.

thanks rita to you and your son.there are some sods about .
l've got macafee so l should be alright.
it first appeared saturday morning.then again this morning l've
been on line nearly all afternoon and nothing else.
once more thanks.
vicx

That's the one that I got yesterday from facebook, seems several sites are affected. My OH got it this morning on his.

I will suggest you run your anti virus before doing anything else, and get rid of it, because it's putting virus's on you pc when it runs.

It's not enough just to have the AV switched on, you need to run it, and quarantine it.

hi there.
have e mailed genes just to let them know
what is happening .
let you all know what they say.
vic

Yes this has just happened to me as I came on the site. I think it must be a scam , thanks for the warning. I have MCafee and find it quite good.

hi bob.
many thanks yes my anti virus is up to date but you are right
it is worrying.
vic

all I can say is: make sure that your Anti virus is up to date, and run a scan several times a week.

but these popups DO tend to put the frighteners on dont they?

a word of warning,
I have Mcafee running as standard but some time ago I must've installed windows defender,

they will NOT run together, defender keeps trying to insist that the Mcafee is at fault...... so I was advised to give defender the boot,

BUT having said that defender IS good on its own......
Bob