Mudcat Virus or new feature

01 Nov 12 - 09:09 AM (#3429302)
Subject: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: DMcG

On mudcat pages, but no other websites, random words are being changed to links, which are typically pop-up adverts. Are other people experiencing this?

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01 Nov 12 - 09:18 AM (#3429303)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: BobKnight

The last three times I've Tried to visit, I've had some pop-up intervene - not amused.

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01 Nov 12 - 09:20 AM (#3429306)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: bobad

I don't see it - give an example of where you see it

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01 Nov 12 - 09:25 AM (#3429309)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: GUEST

For example, with IE the word 'experiencing' in my first post is turned into a link, but not with Firefox or Chrome. I don't get it on my phone either, so I reckon it is an IE nasty, though why only Mudcat seems to be affected I don't know.

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01 Nov 12 - 09:27 AM (#3429311)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: bobad

Nope, not here, neither in IE nor Firefox - you must have a bug.

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01 Nov 12 - 09:29 AM (#3429314)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: DMcG

I fear so. I am running a full scan now. (Sob!)

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01 Nov 12 - 10:44 AM (#3429340)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: bobad

Did the scan find anything?

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01 Nov 12 - 11:11 AM (#3429354)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: DMcG

Still going!

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01 Nov 12 - 11:46 AM (#3429378)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Steve Shaw

I've seen this happen on another forum. Everyone got it there irrespective of browser. I'm not getting it here. I use Chrome.

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01 Nov 12 - 12:03 PM (#3429394)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: GUEST,Brian Peters

It's happened to me three times on Mudcat over the past few days.

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01 Nov 12 - 12:36 PM (#3429413)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: maeve

Might it be related to Max's trying out different features, as in this thread? thread.cfm?threadid=137165&messages=76

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01 Nov 12 - 01:33 PM (#3429434)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Jack Campin

There is nothing odd about the word "experiencing" in the HTML source for DMcG's initial post.

I was amazed how much the source for a Mudcat page has bloated since I last looked at it.

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01 Nov 12 - 02:15 PM (#3429455)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Megan L

Ok mudcat is getting annoying every so often when i refresh the page it comes up with a new page usually asking me to take part in a survey. Needless to say i close my browser without opening the page. I have run my av several times but not picking up anything. the tab bar for this reads http://testables.net/d/juicyru.com I do not trust things that come up on my screen

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01 Nov 12 - 03:56 PM (#3429510)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: JohnInKansas

I haven't seen what's described here at mudcat, but several other sites do seem to think it's necessary to have a popup to explain "every difficult word." It's possible that you've visited a site that put the "find and define" utility on your machine, in which case it would look like an intentional add-in to your AV.

I haven't looked at any of these annoyances in any detail, but they appear to be nearly all incorporated via Java/JScripts. Microsoft lost the ability to incorporate their own version of Java in Windows a while back, so you have to get the Java applet from Sun now. There have been several Java exploits (malware vulnerabilities), with multiple patches and updated revisions recently.

Whether or not it's related to this nuisance, it would probably be a good idea to make sure to get rid of all older Java versions, especially in IE, and get only the most recent one in your IE, if you think Java is necessary at all.

Newest versions are claimed to be fully "backward compatible" so you no longer need to keep obsolete versions for obsolete websites (they say?), and if you don't have some version in your browser some sites will attempt to download an obsolete one without informing you. They shouldn't be able to do that, but it seems sometimes they can.

John

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01 Nov 12 - 04:57 PM (#3429542)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: JohnInKansas

A quick look for an example for what I think is being described found one isolated example. One or two of the "green links" appears, with a popup ad if the mouse pointer passes over it in a news article if I load the article from an MSNBC link:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ford-ceo-mulally-stay-through-2014-1C6800995#__utma=238145375.1783836327.1343143278.1351735994.1351801362.284&__utmb=238145375.1.10.1351801362&__utmc=238145375&__utmx=-&__utmz=238145375.1351801362.284.100.utmcsr=nbcnews.com|utmccn=(referral)|utmcmd=referral|utmcct=/&__utmv=238145375.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Cbusiness=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.msnbc.msn.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Internal%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=55132904.

(The word highlighted, and the ad, changes if I open the same link more than once.)

If I open the same page using the "real link:"

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ford-ceo-mulally-stay-through-2014-1C6800995

the highlight isn't there.

This may suggest that it comes from the site you linked in from(?) or from the link you used to get here; but doesn't necessarily have to be anything that's on the site you're looking at.

IFF THIS is the kind of thing you're seeing. (???)

Assuming you're using an icon, or your "Favorites" link to get to mudcat, it's possible that deleting the link you have and making a new one would get rid of the effect, but I can't offer any real assurances for that.

John

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01 Nov 12 - 08:08 PM (#3429626)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Joe_F

With my deviant browser, Conkeror, I have not seen any such thing. Shot At And Missed.

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02 Nov 12 - 05:49 AM (#3429794)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Nigel Parsons

Thanks Garg:

Is there some way to avoid getting annoying messages in tiny print & illegible colours? :)

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02 Nov 12 - 06:47 AM (#3429812)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Nick

Nigel - if you put a thin piece of paper across the screen with sellotape you can then scroll down until the offending text sits under the paper.

By varying the height of the piece of paper you can actually remove whole posts...

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02 Nov 12 - 09:05 AM (#3429844)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Brian Peters

There it goes again - tried to click on a thread and got diverted to a 'Prize Draw' page. Not happening with any other site, so I don't think it's in my computer.

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02 Nov 12 - 09:18 AM (#3429850)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Jim Carroll

I'm getting similar behaviour from the Mudcat site - wonder if "the mice are at it again!!"
Would be grateful if anybody comes up with a solution, preferably before I put my fist through the screen
Jim Carroll

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02 Nov 12 - 09:57 AM (#3429872)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: DMcG

As the opening poster, I can report that there were no viruses as such, but somewhere along the lines I'd picked a 'utility add-in' called something like "Grand Offers" which must have been installed alongside something I actually wanted. Fortunately it seems to be reasonably well-behaved in the sense that disabling it stopped the behaviour and it uninstalled when asked to.

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02 Nov 12 - 09:59 AM (#3429873)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: maeve

Good to hear, DMcG.

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02 Nov 12 - 11:36 AM (#3429917)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: GUEST,LesB (cookie gone yet again)

I keep getting 'redirected' from Mudcat to various sites. By the way I don't want have to turn off lots of various applications just to have a quick look at Mudcat!
Cheers
Les

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02 Nov 12 - 01:17 PM (#3429964)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Bernard

It happens randomly for me, irrespective of which computer and which browser... if I shut down the browser immediately the pop-up appears, then re-open the same browser, it doesn't happen...

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02 Nov 12 - 01:43 PM (#3429980)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker

For what it's worth...

I use Chrome with AdBlock plugin
on a reasonably well maintained daily updated antisvirus / spyware PC

and have experienced no such problems here..

I also clear cookies and temp files etc with Win 7 Disk Cleanup at least once a day,
if that makes any positive difference ?

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02 Nov 12 - 01:44 PM (#3429981)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: stallion

not on the mac

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02 Nov 12 - 01:58 PM (#3429989)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Rapparee

I use Firefox (latest version) and Ad Blocker Plus. In addition I have the free AVG antivirus, Spybot Search and Destroy, and Free Windows Registry Repair software. My Windows firewall is on. I run Spybot and the registry repair a couple times a month, checking for updates in each of course. You have to run the registry repaid about three times to take care of everything possible, but it doesn't take long to run.

I've done some tweaking of the firewall, but I don't remember exactly what I did and I'm not sure it matters.

Oh, yeah -- I'm on XP.

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02 Nov 12 - 01:59 PM (#3429991)
Subject: RE: Mudcat Virus or new feature
From: Rapparee

Oh, yeah -- I don't get the pop-up thing anywhere except when I look at certain VA websites and then it wants me to complete a surey -- which I refuse to do.

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