Site has virus

NoNo

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I did it ......too... :)

serveimage


serveimage
 

PJay

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I have worked in IT for over 30 years and, I'll attempt to write this in as plain a way as possible without jargon hopefully.

He's using an internet browser that's no longer supported by Microsoft. IE10 has not had security updates since January 2016. This is a security risk when using the internet on your computer.

The only supported version of Internet Explorer is IE11.

He does not say what software he is scanning his computer with daily or what operating system his computer runs. If either or both are unsupported too that creates further risks.

I suspect he has some type of malware on his computer (which may have compromised his anti-virus) and is allowing this to dominate his internet usage.

No anti-virus gets all malware and exploits which is why I linked a couple that are good for cleanups above.
Wow, 30 years in IT, impressive! I totally agree with Mum, I've tried to replicate the reported problem with Windows 7 (which is no longer supported by Microsoft) running IE11 and Chrome and Kaspersky antivirus, Windows 8.1 running IE11 and Cylance antivirus, and Windows 10 running IE11 and Chrome and McAfee antivirus. I've also been using Android and iPhone with no add-on antivirus and nothing has turned up. Breath easy, TFO is not infected.
 
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JoesMum

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Wow, 30 years in IT, impressive!
Yup, I started my university degree on punch cards :D

I totally agree with Mum, I've tried to replicate the reported problem with Windows 7 (which is no longer supported by Microsoft) running IE11 and Chrome and Kaspersky antivirus, Windows 8.1 running IE11 and Cylance antivirus, and Windows 10 running IE11 and Chrome and McAfee antivirus. I've also been using Android and iPhone with no add-on antivirus and nothing has turned up. Breath easy, TFO is not infected.
Before there's mass panic, Windows 7 does not stop getting security updates until January 2020! It is safe to use in the meantime, but Microsoft won't be developing it further. You may find that some software designed to run on it stops getting security updates before 2020.
 

PJay

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Yup, I started my university degree on punch cards :D


Before there's mass panic, Windows 7 does not stop getting security updates until January 2020! It is safe to use in the meantime, but Microsoft won't be developing it further. You may find that some software designed to run on it stops getting security updates before 2020.
Mums right again (still)! My bad for thinking in terms of my workplace. Win 7 "mainstream support" ended Jan 2015 and my workplace had to upgrade all computers before then. But the "extended support" is indeed in place til Jan 2020. No need for a rush on the local computer shop. Thanks Mum!
 

coastal

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Typo IE 11 windows 10 its all up to date but again as you can see it did it with Chrome too all up to date as well. Your theory makes no sense, it came from this website happens on no other site. The bottom line is the ads will not be removed so everyone on a PC just has to deal with it or use an AD blocker. Seems they appear at random the install pages in the screen shot, I have not seen one since this post now but my guess is the ad causing it has not cycled around again.
 

Yvonne G

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Typo IE 11 windows 10 its all up to date but again as you can see it did it with Chrome too all up to date as well. Your theory makes no sense, it came from this website happens on no other site. The bottom line is the ads will not be removed so everyone on a PC just has to deal with it or use an AD blocker. Seems they appear at random the install pages in the screen shot, I have not seen one since this post now but my guess is the ad causing it has not cycled around again.

I'm on a PC. When I log on in the a.m. as the Birthday Fairy, there are no mod powers or perks. The Birthday Fairy does not have an ad problem.
 

PJay

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Typo IE 11 windows 10 its all up to date but again as you can see it did it with Chrome too all up to date as well. Your theory makes no sense, it came from this website happens on no other site. The bottom line is the ads will not be removed so everyone on a PC just has to deal with it or use an AD blocker. Seems they appear at random the install pages in the screen shot, I have not seen one since this post now but my guess is the ad causing it has not cycled around again.
@coastal are you logged on to your computer with an admin account? I'm just trying to find an explanation for how Open Software Updater gained access to your computer in the first place. We should never login to a computer as an admin unless there is no other option. Instead, always use an account that doesn't have permissions to install anything.
 

Markw84

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OK... I followed this with interest because about a week before this posted I started having trouble with this forum as well. As I browse or answer posts on the forum, the forum would simply disappear, and try to open the page with a "adspubmatic.com" website, or something very close to that. My antivirus would never let it, but I had to then click the back arrow to go back to the forum. No other sites of the dozens I use regularly ever do this. The forum does it every time I log on, and will continue to do it several times as I browse. If answering a post, I will loose everything I am typing.

I have run the malware program as suggested by @JoesMum (thank you) but it came up with 0 threats found.

Now I get this after I am on the forum a few minutes...


virus warning.jpg

It is doing the same thing whether I use Internet Explorer, or Edge. When this opens a recording is saying this information and says if I don't call immediately my computer will be blocked. I have to open my task manager and force either Edge or IE to close as everything freezes at that point.

What is going on?
 

Markw84

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I will add, I am using Internet Explorer 11, Windows 10, and also tried the Microsoft Edge that is with windows 10. I have Norton 360 running too.

The problem for me is site specific. It ONLY happens on Tortoise Forum
 

NoNo

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Markw84

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I have looked at web description on how to remove ads.pubmatic.com from a computer. Everything I do says it is not on my computer. It only happens when I open and work with the Tortoise Forum site. Isn't there a way it could reside on the forum?
 

Markw84

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I have also totally reset all my internet explorer setting as some of the fixes suggest. Went to a few other sites - no problem. Opened Tortoise Forum and within 20 seconds it went to ads.pubmatic.com !!!
 

coastal

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The bottom line is this site is not safe with the current ads running all over it if you are on a PC with out an ad blocker. Remove the ads, fix your issues. If everyone is blocking or using the ap you wont see any ads anyway nor get revenue from them. So what is the point in having them on the website?

Mark, look for something installed on your computer as a common name but with a strange publisher name. This is typically some kind of flash player xxx but not signed by adobe.

Until or if they ever remove these crap ads from the site this is likley to always be an issue.
 

Markw84

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The bottom line is this site is not safe with the current ads running all over it if you are on a PC with out an ad blocker. Remove the ads, fix your issues. If everyone is blocking or using the ap you wont see any ads anyway nor get revenue from them. So what is the point in having them on the website?

Mark, look for something installed on your computer as a common name but with a strange publisher name. This is typically some kind of flash player xxx but not signed by adobe.

Until or if they ever remove these crap ads from the site this is likley to always be an issue.
I agree. It is the ads on this site. My problem is if I turn up the ad blocker security to its highest setting - then I get those blocked and that works. However, then I cannot access some of the business sites I need to work with daily in my work as they use pop-up style windows to open reports you are running etc. A real PAIN! Didn't have this problem before the site went down a month ago or so...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

SarahChelonoidis

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When I still used the web version of the forum, I experienced a very similar pop-up ad for several weeks. It was only this website it appeared for me on and I could see the pop-up ad on multiple different computers so I was pretty sure it wasn't something infected on my end. I use the app pretty much exclusively now...
 

Markw84

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When I still used the web version of the forum, I experienced a very similar pop-up ad for several weeks. It was only this website it appeared for me on and I could see the pop-up ad on multiple different computers so I was pretty sure it wasn't something infected on my end. I use the app pretty much exclusively now...
I do use the app too on my iPhone. Just not as many features that I use available on the app as opposed to the computer.
 

coastal

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Yup. I would venture to say also all the other forums listed at the bottom of the site run the same setup with the same type ads. I also noticed the site crashed a few weeks ago. However that could have been server load related to recent PHP releasese that had bugs (assuming their server was auto-updated).
 
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