EVIL FUCKING POPUPS

[jackson13]

First off, I admit, I do have a pop-up blocker. But this morning is ridiculous. Every page I have gone to on the site has at least 2 pop-ups coming up, and since my blocker is on, they pop up real quick then go away. But since there are so many of them, explorer has frozen twice on me already, and I've had to exit out of everything and start all over. Jo, no disrespect, but did you sell your soul to a new pop-up provider who feels the need to bombard me with pop-up after pop-up, every page I visit? I understand your getting money from this to help the site, but this is a bit overboard. Im about to scream here!

[FeverDog420]

Something strange is happening today. When I come to this site a pop up changes my home page to http://default-homepage-network.com/start.cgi?c001 - an ad for something called Spy Wiper. When I click Home, this page 1)opens my CD-ROM drive; and 2) opens my Notepad with the message:


If your NOTEPAD launched and is displaying this message...

Then "Spyware" programmers can control applications on
YOUR computer and it is URGENT that you download SPY WIPER
immediately. Do not allow spyware programs to damage your
insecure computer!!

(See other window)

And every time I refresh or change a page here, I get a quick flash of a pop-up.

I have an aggressive blocker (Pop-Up Stopper), so wtf is going on???

[quoth_the_raven]

I had quite a few this morning, but it seems to have calmed down for the moment.

[Saruman]

I get them all the time too. They are quite annoying.

[phallusinchains]

dude,why`s there a popup for the movie elf when i come to this site?that thing is seriously not cool.

[JoBlo]

1) Our site actually doesn't have many pop-ups (and they're usually limited to 2 of the same one in a period of 24 hours), so if you're experiencing an "extra" amount of them, and from the likes of what you've described, your computer has likely been infected by dreaded SpyWare, which you could have picked up on any site (not ours), but that re-occurs whenever you're surfing any other site. Most SpyWare is automatically installed on your computer without you noticing.

I would suggest anyone with this "too many popups" problem visit AdAware (http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/), download their free software and use it to "clean" their system asap, and make sure to update the software and use it every week.

2) As for "selling my soul", while I appreciate the unsubstantiated insinuation, I will say that I haven't sold it just yet and that even if I had, it'd be interesting to see how many of you might handle the thousands of dollars of operating costs that a site with over 1.5 million visitors racks up every month, while turning down hundreds of "pop-up" schemes because you want the site to remain as "clean" as possible.

3) What are the ELF ads doing on our site? Well, we're a movie site and ELF is a movie trying to promote itself on our site. Pretty simple actually. Ever watch TV and notice the commercials between the TV shows? Same concept here, but online.... :D

[Moviefan1234]

Originally posted by FeverDog420
Something strange is happening today. When I come to this site a pop up changes my home page to http://default-homepage-network.com/start.cgi?c001 - an ad for something called Spy Wiper. When I click Home, this page 1)opens my CD-ROM drive; and 2) opens my Notepad with the message:



And every time I refresh or change a page here, I get a quick flash of a pop-up.

I have an aggressive blocker (Pop-Up Stopper), so wtf is going on???

The exact same thing has happened to me twice now. First, this morning it happened as soon as I signed in on the boards. I fixed everything before I went to school. When I got on my computer this afternoon everything was normal until I signed in here on the boards. Then my homepage got switched to http://default-homepage-network.com/index3.html, and I got tons of popups from everything to medications to porn. What's going on?
:confused:

Another thing is that now my screen blinks every few seconds.

[Indiana Sev]

Besides Elf, I haven't gotten any pop-ups today. As for my homepage, that always changes, that's a problem with spyware. The fuckers have taken over my computer. :mad:

[Moviefan1234]

I've just done a third test. My PC only goes wacko when I come on the message boards. Everything is fine at other sites and even at other parts of Joblo.com. What's going on?
:confused: :(

[countchocula]

I thought it was just me! I'm getting the Spy Wiper bullshit, too. It started today, and I'm only inundated with pop-ups when I visit the boards. I don't think it's just a simple SpyWare problem. Schmoes are having the exact same problem at the exact same time at the exact same place...this site is infected! In all seriousness, some investigative work may need to be done.

[FeverDog420]

I guess I'm relieved to see it's not just my computer that's now all fucked up...

[jhereg]

Adaware takes care of part of the problem. The popup still launches but it only launches partially and shows a blank screen and only when you are transitioning from page to page. It stopped resetting my homepage and launching Notepad after I deleted the file my Zone Alarm Pro detected called MSHTA. I believe this was the main troublemaker, but I am not an expert. Either way at least it has stopped trying to jack my computer. Hope this helps

[MarkItZero]

Sounds like you need to get yourselves some anit-virus software to go with your pop-up blockers.

In my experience, AdAware helps but is far from perfect. At my office we have had a few computers taken over by pop-ups and virus'. It was a long painfull process to recover them (my job unfortunately). But now keeping the anti-virus software updated has helped these users tremendously. Also refraining from downloading stuff from Kazaa or using Instant Messanger services can limit your your risk.

I for one havent noticed any excessive pop-ups om this site.

[FeverDog420]

Originally posted by jhereg
It stopped resetting my homepage and launching Notepad after I deleted the file my Zone Alarm Pro detected called MSHTA. I believe this was the main troublemaker, but I am not an expert. Either way at least it has stopped trying to jack my computer. Hope this helps

I found and deleted the MSHTA file, and now everything seems back to normal.

Thanks, jhereg. Who said Infant Schmoes were good for nothing? :)

[jackson13]

Originally posted by FeverDog420
I found and deleted the MSHTA file, and now everything seems back to normal.

Thanks, jhereg. Who said Infant Schmoes were good for nothing? :)



Fever, the same thing happened to me. I got online just now and my explorer was going crazy. The homepage was the exact one you said yours was, and I reset that. I am now on a 'man'hunt to find this MSHTA file and delete it from my computer.


Jo, I didnt mean anything negative by my 'selling your soul' remark, I'd just never had a problem until today and thought the worst. Im sorry, excuse me.

[James Logan]

No annoying pop-ups for me...

[jackson13]

May I suggest to everyone having the same problems as me, Fever and moviefan, after deleting the MSHTA file, download ADaware. Just go to google, or any other search engine, and type in Adaware. Once you install it, open it, and click on scan now, it will run through and find bad files that have been installed on your computer. It found 36 on mine. Once done, click next a couple times, and when it asks you to 'quarrantine' the files, hit yes. My computer is ok now, thanks to this and the help you guys provided with seeking out and destroying the MSHTA file.

[FeverDog420]

Okay, now the forums are not marked as being read when I click "Mark All Forums Read." Also, when I post the thread isn't bumping up to the top. See the TCM thread in Current....

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf500/f543/f54360t3334.jpg

[FeverDog420]

...and this thread too. The last post reads:

11-19-2003 04:27 PM
by jhereg

Anyone seeing this glitch?

[FeverDog420]

All the threads are doing this. Like, the last post in Current Movie Talk on the main page reads:

11-19-2003 05:47 PM
by MacReady

But when I go in the forum the last post is:

11-19-2003 04:31 PM
by sleekproductions

[countchocula]

Thanks for the counsel, everyone. Everything seems to be in working order. It's still worrisome that the exact same thing happened to a slew of schmoes.

[Moviefan1234]

Everything appears to be back to normal for me too. Thanks for the information.

[FeverDog420]

Man, this ADaware has worked wonders. Everything is loading so much faster now. Speed of light I'm surfing now. Excellent! :)

Now, if someone could advise me on how to fix my resolution and audio problems, I'd be the happiest of pups.

[FeverDog420]

dupe

[bowieee]

I had the same problem today and tracked it down to some file I can't remember the name too. Check you remove/uninstall option and look at which programs look unfamiliar. When I unistalled it's bitch ass my computer was left in peace.

[Slim]

An excellent alternative to AdAware is SpywareBlaster. I've stopped using AdAware because it doesn't seem be as comprehesive as before and I got sick of scanning every other day. What SpywareBlaster does differently is that it prevents those nasty spyware programs from being installed in the first place. All you have to do is periodically update to the latest definition file and enable the protection. Easy and very little hassle.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

[adamjohnson]

Spyhunter I believe also works quite well.

[quoth_the_raven]

whatever happened yesterday has now stopped. and i didnt actually download anything to stop it.


how very odd. :confused:

[stefanb]

Originally posted by countchocula
Thanks for the counsel, everyone. Everything seems to be in working order. It's still worrisome that the exact same thing happened to a slew of schmoes.

Oh please... This isn't happening to a "slew of schmoes"... This is happening to several million people world wide. It's not one or two various "oopses" that'll get this shit on you machine, it's any one of THOUSANDS of different ways. People have their trust abused daily because they click "I agree" to absolutely fucking ANYTHING without even reading it...

Let's see a show of hands of everyone who's ever installed KaZaA on their computer... KaZaA includes a software package from some folks called BDE (Brilliant Digital Entertainment). Okay... did you read the license agreement first? no, eh? too fucking bad... You might have read this:

"4. (b) You hereby grant BDE the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing. The user acknowledges and authorizes this use without the right of compensation."

Translation: "Use anything on my computer for whatever the fuck you want".

But what does it REALLY mean???? (Glad you asked)...

Here's an excerpt from Brilliant Digital Entertainment's Annual Report (Form 10KSB), Filed with SEC April 1, 2002...

"Millions of computers are logged onto the Internet at any given time, each with excess processing power, excess storage capacity and unused bandwidth. Through Altnet, we intend to create a private peer-to-peer network to enable our clients to access and utilize this excess processing power, storage capacity and unused bandwidth for multiple applications. [...] To develop the Altnet private peer-to-peer network, each computer that comprises the network must be equipped with a software program. To distribute the program, we bundled it in a package, that we call ALTNET SECUREINSTALL, with our Digital Projector. Pursuant to an agreement with Sharman Networks, SecureInstall, along with the Digital Projector, is being downloaded as part of Sharman Networks KaZaA Media Desktop, which has consistently been averaging in excess of two million downloads per week since we began bundling our software in the fall, 2001."

Holy Fuck?!?!? How many per week? yea... 2 million people per week installing a program that does... well, what does it do?? Let's keep reading more of that SEC filing from Brilliant Digital, shall we? ...

"We intend to market Altnet's peer-to-peer services in three main areas: Network Services, Distributed Storage and Distributed Processing. NETWORK SERVICES - Altnet's Network Services will be marketed as money saving, enterprise solutions to companies that spend significant amounts on Internet bandwidth and infrastructure for the following applications: File downloads from web sites or servers; Content distribution, including "push" (where content such as music, movies, news, sports or weather, is automatically "pushed" to the user) and cached on their PC; Ad serving; Content backup; and Video messaging/conferencing."

"Ad serving"? Do you mean?? uhm? yea... forty billion goddamn fucking pop-up ads.

This service is quietly bundled in with a wonderful "free" program like KaZaA to an estimated 2 million people per week. You think it's "worrisome that the exact same thing happened to a slew of schmoes". I think it's worrisome that this is happening to as many people as live in a city the size of Toronto EVERY FUCKING WEEK. With all due respect, wake up, open your eyes, do a little reading. People's computers are being HIJACKED daily by companies pulling these bullshit stunts while hiding quietly behind their confusing End User Licence Agreements.

...and you think that might still have something to do with THIS site? whatever.

-S

[jackson13]

Stefan, thanks for your wonderful, polite comments. Im glad you think everyone is retarded, its inspiring in a way. However, your comments do tweak my senses.

I never 'agree to absolutely anything". I have a pop-up blocker, and that shit doesnt even come up on my computer. The other day, when I got on, all of a sudden my home page had been changed, I had pop-ups popping up everywhere, and my textbook would even open with a message saying 'you must download this now!" I pretty much only come to this website, along with Yahoo and prowrestling.com. And seeing as how numerous people here had the same damn problem, I pinpointed the problem to come from here. This was the only site I visited that day before I went to work.

As for Kazaa, I've never had any problems with it at all. I do a weekly search of files and programs on my computer, and delete anything I dont recognize. This 'Spyware' thing slipped in undetected during the past week. I have now removed it thanks to help from some people on here and by scanning my computer with Adaware and deleting the bad files installed by it.


But, keep your wonderful, totally non-disrespectful :rolleyes, humoristic comments coming, I think I can speak for everyone when I say we love being talked to like children simply because we all had the same computer problems.

[stefanb]

I DID NOT say ANYONE was retarded. Don't twist what I said to make it fit what YOU THINK I'm trying to say. I said EXACTLY what I felt, and just because you can twist it any way you like, it still will not be what I said.

I said, "People have their trust abused daily because they click 'I agree' to absolutely fucking ANYTHING without even reading". Maybe you think 2 million people per week all read the agreement and agreed anyway, but I don't, and I don't ~think~ I'm right about that, I KNOW I'm right about that.

You start this thread by asking Jo if he's "sold his soul" to a new pop-up provider, then you have the balls to tell me, "keep your wonderful, totally non-disrespectful :rolleyes, humoristic comments coming". I never insulted ANYONE. I explained how deep this problem really goes on the Internet and the closest I even came to being in the same ballpark an an insult was saying, "wake up, open your eyes, do a little reading". I think that was more than called for since people are CONSTANTLY blaming the pop-up problem on Jo. It's horseshit and it's about time people stop blaming him over and over for the same damn problem that we've discussed at least 4 other times.


As for Kazaa, I've never had any problems with it at all. I do a weekly search of files and programs on my computer, and delete anything I dont recognize. This 'Spyware' thing slipped in undetected during the past week. I have now removed it thanks to help from some people on here and by scanning my computer with Adaware and deleting the bad files installed by it.

you started this thread by complaining about pop-ups on your computer. I gave CLEAR evidence of how software INCLUDED WITH KaZaA causes those pop-ups. You conclude by saying, "I've never had any problems with it at all". WEll, obviously you do have problems with it... YOU'RE GETTING EXCESSIVE POP-UPS!!!!! Read the writing on the wall! jesus khrist. How much better does it need to be explained?

For the record, uninstalling KaZaA DOES NOT uninstall BDE, so uninstalling KaZaA will not fix the problems it brought in with it. So, consider that some more useful info for your ungrateful ass.


I pinpointed the problem to come from here. This was the only site I visited that day before I went to work.

You didn't pinpoint anything. Frankly, you don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about. And yes, you can take that as an insult if you'd like.

-S

[JoBlo]

Before this topic spirals into back-and-forth one-ups, I'm gonna close it down since it appears as though most of you have found the source of the problem and it wasn't our site, as I had suggested in the first place.