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New York Times Site Pop-Up Says Your Computer Is Infected
Zott writes "Apparently, 'some readers' of the New York Times site are getting a bit more with their news: an apparently syndicated adware popup with a faux virus scan of the user's computer indicating they are infected, and a link to go download a fix now. It's entertaining when a Mac user gets it, but clearly downloading an .exe file isn't a good way to keep your computer clean ..." Update: 09/14 03:20 GMT by T : Troy encountered this malware, "and did basic forensics. Summary: iframe ad then series of HTML/JS redirects, ending at a fake virus scanner page with a "Scan" link (made to look like a dialog box button) that downloaded malware." Nice explanation!
But when it starts telling me the C:\ drive on my Linux box is infected it's hard to stop laughing.
Still was a job to get rid of the circle jerk pop ups.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
And they wonder - Why is print media dying?
Because they can't adapt properly. Seriously guys, filter your ads!
but clearly downloading an .exe file isn't a good way to keep your computer clean ..."
Absolutely, .com, .bat and .scr are the only way to go!
I get these occasionally as well me being a mac user it's humorous to see my "c:" drive being scanned ...
... if we wanted to catch a virus from the New York Times, we had to read a copy that some hobo had used for a blanket.
Now you kids stay off my lawn!
Have gnu, will travel.
I really have to thank the N.Y. times for going far above and beyond the call of duty and notifying their readers of virus infected computers.
Best 40 bucks I ever spent, I can now browse the web with confidence with my shiny new AntiVirus 2010 Enterprise.
I had the popup (despite FF w/adblock enabled) while reading a story this morning.
I never even considered that the Times would be running something like this so I launched into cleansing mode. I wasted an hour hunting for malware or a virus that was not there. Thanks a lot!
I opened the local paper rag yesterday and my local physician was telling me I had swine flu.
Task Mangler
[...]
It used to gall me that the Washington Post, a supposedly respectable newspaper, would run page after page of bra and panty ads every day. Now we're getting malware from the NYT. Pretty soon we'll start seeing this crap on respectable sites like /. Now get off my lawn!
* Since I haven't regularly seen ads on most sites in about 5 years, I can only assume those ads (and the people who made them) died the grisly death they deserved.
There, fixed that for you.
$ make available
She had someone else put Windows back on, and doesn't want to hurt your feelings.