Popups Rant

[Hawk]

We got an email a little while ago from someone saying that if they stay on the site for a few minutes, a window with a movie pops up. Unfortunately the person wasn't specific about which page they were on when this happened but we are trying to find out.

Let it be know that we in no way support spyware. If anyone else has encountered this popup, let us know the full url to the page where the popup is happening and we will get to the root of the problem.

If this is a case of the user not knowing what he/she is talking about, well ... there's nothing that can really be done about that. (Sorry about the comment. I'm just frustrated with all the users accusing us of sending spam/junk.)

[Keizuki]

They probably had Kazaa that HAS the ability to open ad windows that look like IE windows (which they are) at any time even when your not browsing the web. It actually caches them on your HDD so it can throw them at you when your 'completely offline' - as in cable yanked out the back.

[auric]

In fact, by using KaZaA, you also download spy- and adware programs. Probably one of the adware progs has activated itself while that user was looking at applegeeks. Don't worry: if you didn't install kazaa, you probably got the junk while using Internet Explorer. Hey, get firefox. If you get a popup, at least you know it isn't from the site you're looking at, and especially NOT from applegeeks! And it keeps you free from junk (at least more than Internet Explorer.)

Want to get rid of all the junk on your pc? Download ad-aware (note the Aware part), install it and scan your pc. Some people think spybot is better, but I never used it myself.

Still having troubles? Get a Mac
You have a Mac? Haha! That's a good one.

Happy Newjear!

[datasage]

The only third party add i see is the google text ads on the front page. They dont ever forces users to install spyware. (google is not evil)

The best that i can figure is the person is infected with some type of malware that is generateing the ads in which case he or she should run spybot.

[ubercraig]

maybe he/she was browsing another site at the same time.

get norton antivirus 2005. if you already have 2003or later then it doesn't cost much to upgrade. cost me $50AUD. i think. something like that. anyway, it doesn't let anything get into your system. and it pops up a little window telling you when someone/thing is trying to.

its pretty good.

[Red Drag0n]

Windows XP SP2, firewalled and using IE 6 and Firefox 1, found no popups from applegeeks. So no popup ads on my end from applegeeks.

[auric]

get norton antivirus 2005.

Don't! It contains a bug where Norton doesn't want to do anything about...

So the situation right now is that Norton AntiVirus 2005 – which costs more than AU$90 from Symantec’s Web site and is labelled "The world's most trusted antivirus solution" -- can be fooled by a simple script into turning off its auto-protect functionality and leaving the computer at a malicious user's mercy. -- Munir Kotadia (writes for ZDNet Australia).

[ubercraig]

leaving the computer at a malicious user's mercy

this isn't like antitrust or hackers. lol.

*me keeps reading*

ok, i think takling about the flaw was stupid. now that its out, "malicious users" are going to try and find the script codes.

[RandomCrackHead]

I have yet to find anything near a pop up on the whole site.
I run both spybot and adaware together (One cleans what the other missed)

[auric]

ok, i think takling about the flaw was stupid. now that its out, "malicious users" are going to try and find the script codes.

Yeah, but that's what's happening all the time offcourse... A normal company fixes it so users don't have to be afraid anymore

[Keizuki]

"Get a Mac."

written on; 1.5GHz PowerBook G4

[sh@de]

If I we're in your shoes, "STFU and scan your computer for spyware bee-atch!!!"

Note to add, Applegeeks and Google are your friends.

[BatmanPPC]

Person claims to be running SpyBot. Threatened to stop visiting the site if the problem continued over the next few visits and that he didn't like running SpyBot every time he visited a certain site.

Being the helpful and nice guy that I am, I emailed back asking him for the specific page he was getting the popup but haven't gotten a response yet. Not unusual since it's a holiday.

Also suggested that he update his SpyBot definitions and also run AdAware.

[saberkiwi]

I know that Ad-Aware, Spybot, and HijackThis are pretty much the big triumverate of demolishing spyware, adware, malware, etc.

Um, I've never much cared for Norton myself, but Avast Antivirus is pretty nice, though we're likely not dealing with a virus here...It's free, but jolly good.

</ toss two cents >

[Keizuki]

Norton on my PC is useless it finds ---ware files and it can't get rid of them...at all.
I use spybot. all gone. no hassle.

Since sp2 things have improved, spybot has been run less and less.
Norton just takes up cpu time that i could use for CS:S or C&C:Gen ZH.