updated: browser hijackers ??? made some changes again… still getting hijacked? Please let us know…

24Jun2009 Filed under: wtf Author: Yaikz!

Message from a visitor: “There are several browser hijackers linked to your website. The most pervasive is one that starts scanning your computer for spy ware. I have had to rapidly shut down my computer several times and one time I did not shut it down fast enough and it took me several minutes to get control of my computer back. I hope you are taking steps to wipe this out, Or I will no longer be able to log on your excellent website.

Question to our readers: More people experiencing this browser hijacking?

Update: We removed a banner, has the browser hijacking stopped now? Please respond in the comments so we can fix this…

Update II: more changes, are you still getting redirects?

59 Responses to “updated: browser hijackers ??? made some changes again… still getting hijacked? Please let us know…”

Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 09:21

Yes…I didn’t realise that was it, I thought you had a re-direct that was random…I was pissed to be honest…glad to here not your doing tho!
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:34

I am surfing on your website every day, severals times a day, and didn’t have any problem so far.
Trip
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:31

Yes you have some redirect things pop up. But on my end it opens to a window that can not be displayed.Then I have to click the back bottom to get back to your page.
bigcheese
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:53

yes, it happened twice while i was trying to read this article
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:04

Yes it has been going on for weeks
dennis
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:23

constantly redirected.
feyecas
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:31

no, nothing. i’m here almost every day but no problems.
MrB
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:59

redirected at least once a day.. usually happens on initial visit to site, once in a while while navigating from posts back to main page.
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:06

Yes, but figured it was only an isolated event. I’ll document info next time it happens.
Yaikz!
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:07

what site or page are you redirected to?
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:11

Still happening.
goes to this page for me:

http://www.abcjmp.com/jump2/?affiliate=sfed&subid=84354&terms=basketball

There’s an affiliate ID that may lead to the theif.
Mon Durrei
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:12

Nothing. I get here several times a day. I use Firefox 3 & XP UE7.
alex p
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:22

i get nothing, using firefox too!
Steeltoe
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:24

No it hasn’t stopped.
Jacked first to here:http://c26.valary.com/pclick.valary?c=b11a3c89-85ee-4c18-a906-f511667aafc1.
Then from there to here:http://search20.info.com/antiques%20near%20tyler%20texas?cmp=2904&affiliate=26726&lsid=621569972-889.27b4.4a3f6937.139b
harleyzt
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:27

Using firefox and did to 5 min ago!
docfx
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:37

still getting re-directs as of 7:36am GMT-5. (intel mac using camino and firefox – both browsers get hijacked.)
Yaikz!
June 22nd, 2009 at 13:41

I have removed 2leep, have I solved the problem? Please respond…
Dave
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:08

Yeah, it just happened this morning. Firefox on Windows XP
Yaikz!
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:19

But does it still happen now?
Maniacus
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:32

Browsers (IE) don’t get hijacked, they get get run right through like the swiss cheese they are… Firefox is a brick house, Adblock Plus is the reinforced steel armor plating. Finally Easylist USA sub for ABP is your cache of automatic robotic soldiers killing popups and banners before they reach the wall.

In other words don’t run around naked on the internet. bring your army with you.
Yaikz!
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:37

I know, I run firefox with adblock myself, that’s the reason I have not noticed this bug…
jduck
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:51

Just got jacked and sent to whitepages.com. I’m running Firefox without Adblock. I know what I’ll be installing soon.
Yaikz!
June 22nd, 2009 at 14:53

shipz, can’t find the frikkin’ thing %^&#^$#!!!
Attu
June 22nd, 2009 at 15:08

I use IE8 and don’t get redirects.
another dave
June 22nd, 2009 at 15:14

was wondering why i was getting redirected…still happens about 2 times while surfing this site…i have firefox with mac os…
PuffNutta
June 22nd, 2009 at 16:25

IE doesn’t get hijacked. It is a well built browser with NO security flaws.

MICROSOFT DOES NOT BUILD CRAP!

Oh yes…I would like to buy a 100-pack of condoms bonzi buddy…
Harley
June 22nd, 2009 at 16:40

I’m using SeaMonkey 1.1.16 and I have been getting redirected every day for about a month, including today. Your site will almost finish loading, the page will turn red, and I’ll be sent somewhere else.
It’s very annoying.
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 18:33

Yeah same thing happened to me, except it was one of your banner ads that tried (unsuccessfully) to load a malicious PDF file that had a Java redirect. Luckly for me, I had read about the Java exploit through PDF a couple of weeks beforehand and disabled Java in PDF files and also patched via update. Having the OSI model protected at each layer is a must nowadays…
Crash Chloride
June 22nd, 2009 at 18:40

I was just redirected to Jokeroo. There seems to be a lot of this going around lately. RawStory.Com had the same problem for awhile but it seems they have fixed it or it has cleared up.

Good Luck with this.
Robin
June 22nd, 2009 at 18:43

Just now as I came onto your site, I was redirected to another page. I also use Firefox. I’ve been visiting your page for a very long time, since back when Naomi still posted here, first time these things have happened to me.
Wally
June 22nd, 2009 at 18:55

Got redirected to Jokeroo
bing0
June 22nd, 2009 at 19:03

I have broswing site on IE7 and IE8 without any popup/add protections/addons, and no redirects here, ever….
E
June 22nd, 2009 at 19:20

I run Firefox without Adblock on OSX. Just also got re-directed to Jokeroo, and this has been going on for weeks for me as well. Nearly every time I log onto your site.
branderwagen
June 22nd, 2009 at 20:02

visit daily
no re-directed here run on XP, firfox , avast and dutchblock sub for ABP
fuck ie
Bill
June 22nd, 2009 at 21:29

I still get the redirects with the latest version of firefox
volleyballref
June 22nd, 2009 at 21:43

Visit the site daily, and have had no redirects.
Latest Firefox with no toolbars, XP
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 21:59

NIce knowing you
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2009 at 23:40

i just got a redirect on the “close call” link. By the way been a fan for probably 4 or 5 years I guess and check it almost every day. thanks.
Shaitan Wampyr
June 23rd, 2009 at 02:22

Got bounced to a yellow pages adsite about 6:00 om mountain
ummm
June 23rd, 2009 at 02:40

i use Seamonkey 1.1.16 also but no redirects ever. have ABP *and* NoScript plugins running and keeping the neighborhood nice. NoScript can be a PITA at times, but more control is infinitely better than NO control
Don
June 23rd, 2009 at 04:06

No hijack this time but my pop up blocker sounded like a geiger counter with the additional message that harmful content was being blocked.

I did have several successful redirects in the past couple of weeks and was thinking of no longer visiting this wonderful site.
notahacker
June 23rd, 2009 at 04:30

I was getting redirected and stopped visiting for a couple of weeks. Thought maybe the site had cashed out it’s clicks. Glad to see it back! I was redirected and a program started scanning my harddrive for viruses. i killed it everytime it happened…
anotherbodymurdered
June 23rd, 2009 at 04:55

adblock plus and firefox guys, c’mon
CaptainHowdy
June 23rd, 2009 at 07:56

no im getting it now funzoo or funeroo or something that pops up wheni hover over or get near the brad pitt carboard story. and I do have firefox
IHateHackers
June 23rd, 2009 at 16:10

I was redirected today, just minutes ago to this link. All I had done was load the page, I hadn’t even scrolled or clicked anything yet. Using a mac and Firefox 3.0.10

http://www.search.pro/results.php?q=Art&type=web&rs=2&_as=177&sx_kw=art+van+furniture&_ass=29004
oneton
June 23rd, 2009 at 17:14

Yes it is happening still……Whats the deal?Had a VERY hard time getting control of my computer back this morning.Really enjoy site,dont want to have quit visiting..
Anonymous
June 23rd, 2009 at 18:39

Just got it again.
Dave
June 23rd, 2009 at 22:17

6/23/09 3:15pm CDT (Dallas, TX) Hijacked twice, this is the first link…

http://www.search.pro/result.php?q=citizens+automobile+finance&type=web&_as=195&sx_kw=citizens+automobile+finance&_ass=29004

WXP Pro SP3, Mozilla 3.0.11
Anon
June 24th, 2009 at 09:53

Am using Firefox 3 and Adblock Plus, have not experienced any browser hijacking.
bil
June 24th, 2009 at 10:52

yes,
it was also my case.
Hijacker took control of my browser & I had to shut down the internet connection to stop it.
it was obviuosly the first time from more than 2 years when I get to experience this.
thank you for giving us some solutions attu.
bye
murdarat
June 24th, 2009 at 11:25

firefox, no adblock, no redirect ever.
Kaveh
June 24th, 2009 at 12:09

yeah, there is a browser hijack that redirects it to a page that looks like its scanning your computer for a virus and has a pop up screen, but I Am running Opera browser so I can close it and report it right away. the people running EI will have problems.
philipp
June 24th, 2009 at 12:12

i come here every day. using FF 3.5 (mac) + ABP + NoScript = no problems..
also safari 4 (mac) = no problems.
actually i never had any redirect-problems ever on attu

might it be region-specific? i am surfing from germany..
docfx
June 24th, 2009 at 13:41

no redirect this morning 07:39am GMT-5, intel mac osx firefox (army is asleep)
John
June 24th, 2009 at 14:09

I was also being hijacked for a period of several days. It didn’t happen every time, but most of the time. It seems to have stopped now.
York
June 24th, 2009 at 16:36

Ive been checking the site every day. No pop-ups, no bugs, nothing! Only a perfect working computer with Vista Home, IE7, spybot and Avira….
NeilEvilDrummer
June 24th, 2009 at 16:44

It happened a couple times but has stopped since banner pulled,Google Chrome Browser..
Cheers
\
Beasjt
June 24th, 2009 at 17:23

I complained ages ago about that.
However, here is a good trick:
Redirect evrything you don´t want to 127.0.0.1
Read here how to do it:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
Beasjt
June 24th, 2009 at 17:30

PS here is a cool HOSTS file editor, which also let you lock your HOSTS file.
Download it here:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Security-Related/Hoster.shtml