[Help!] Infected computer/web forum...?

[Quiver he/him]

So, there's another forum I use. Ordinarily, it works fine for me.

Today though, after I spend any amount of time on it, the web page I'm on suddenly redirects to a poker website, or to advertise something.

Is this bad?nis it just a problem with the forum in question, or would I be best to wipe my computer/ account as a whole. So far it hasn't affected any other website I've visited...

Edited June 10, 2014 by Quiver

[Kurkistan he/him]

I'm no expert, but that sounds like a definite case of the website (or maybe its server?) having issues. Try getting in touch with the admins.

[Quiver he/him]

Well, the website seems to have stabilised a bit...which leads me to my next question. Since it's stopped directing, should I be concerned that whatever was wrong with it was/is in my equipment instead?

(In case you haven't noticed, I have the mad attitude to machines that most people have to cats. They are strange, arcane things, likely to bite at a moments notice.)

[Kurkistan he/him]

Best course I can say is contact the admins.

 

It may even have been intentional on someone's part. If you own a server you can use it pretty easily to proxy through firewalls (at work or schools or the like). A rudimentary implementation would start redirecting everyone else too. Someone on a site I go to managed to redirect everyone to a game store for half a day when he was using the server to get past his work's firewall.

[Lightsworn Panda he/him]

Take my advice as a manga website veteran. It's probably the website.

 

You could also do this to find and uninstall any malware you accidentally downloaded.

 

Go to “Control Panel” à “Programs” à “Uninstall Programs” (The exact series of links may differ. I'm using a Windows 8 laptop. Worst decision of my life)

 

Any program that looks suspicious to you or was downloaded when the problems started, you should delete.

 

Hope I helped 

[Eerongal he/him]

If you're worried about your machine being compromised, I would try running HijackThis, and Spybot: Search and destroy, as well as performing a full scan with whatever virus scanner you use. These are generally also just good maintenance tips in the first place.

 

I would also check any extensions for whatever browser you use, to make sure there's nothing you don't recognize, or anything that looks suspicious.

[Quiver he/him]

Thanks for the advice so far. I did a little snooping (since the error keeps happening); ran the site in question through an online internet malware scanner...thing. The only ping that came back was that the site, apparently, didn't have a firewall.

Can anyone put that in simpler language for the computer illiterate? Would that mean my using the site is a bad idea?

[Eerongal he/him]

Thanks for the advice so far. I did a little snooping (since the error keeps happening); ran the site in question through an online internet malware scanner...thing. The only ping that came back was that the site, apparently, didn't have a firewall.

Can anyone put that in simpler language for the computer illiterate? Would that mean my using the site is a bad idea?

 

 

A firewall blocks access on ports to a PC. A port is basically just a number (like 8080) that a service runs on, and uses to communicate.

 

So take HTTP for example. The HTTP protocol runs over port 80. That means that anytime you try to browse to a website, you computer needs to make a call out on port 80 to the website, also on port 8080, to talk to each other. A firewall "closes" ports unless you explicitly open them. Most firewalls by default leave things open on common ports (again, like 80), but closes everything else.

 

So, say, for example, a video game you play runs on port 1234. In order to play the game, you might have to "open" this port, in order for the game to talk to the internet (there's reasons why this isnt always a problem, and most games work, but i digress). Since this is a non-standard service, you would have tell your firewall to specifically allow port 1234 for your PC, because you need to talk over that port in order to play.

 

 

 

The problem with open ports (i.e. no firewall) is that it makes it a LOT easier for malicious people/software to work their way in. Lack of firewall in and of itself isn't inherently a problem, and their site lacking a firewall shouldn't particularly affect if that's the only issue.

[Quiver he/him]

(By the way, I'm very conscious of slamming up this thread and forum, so if anyone thinks that's inappropriate, let me know and I'll bother through PMs instead.)

So, in theory, would their not having one make it possible for ads which automatically redirect users to get through?

I've reset my device to factory settings and currently have it sitting on the website in question as I type and...so far, it has redirected a couple of times. I'm not sure what I can do to improve my iOS device; I assumed it came with a firewall etc pre installed. If it's on factory settings, would that make it less likely to pick up something?

[Eerongal he/him]

(By the way, I'm very conscious of slamming up this thread and forum, so if anyone thinks that's inappropriate, let me know and I'll bother through PMs instead.)

So, in theory, would their not having one make it possible for ads which automatically redirect users to get through?

I've reset my device to factory settings and currently have it sitting on the website in question as I type and...so far, it has redirected a couple of times. I'm not sure what I can do to improve my iOS device; I assumed it came with a firewall etc pre installed. If it's on factory settings, would that make it less likely to pick up something?

With no firewall, in theory,its significantly easier someone to gain illegitimate access to the server and do pretty much whatever they want.

If you've factory reset its most likely the servers issue.

What's the website in question? I can check it on my end.

[Kurkistan he/him]

When you post the website, don't post a browser-parseable url or Google might see us as linking to nasty sites (if there is indeed a problem with the other site).

 

EDIT: I think. Feel free to slap me down if I'm talking nonsense, Eerongal.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Kurkistan