[Rottie]

SECURITY
=========

There is a growing tendency amongst advertisers to resort to In -Text advertising. This is a practise of highlighting in blue selected words in a text, which when clicked by the innocent user immediately diverts the screen to some advertising link page.

If the word is relevant to the product, then no harm done, you expect to see what you have selected. But often, the word is random and nothing to do with the linked product page that comes up. This by any viewpoint is fraudulent practise. It is a disgusting method of making a user log onto a completely alien and unwanted site and exposing them to a high risk of PC infection.

I have spent many years embedded in Computer Forums where security is paramount and dominates all discussions. Consequently, I have a security package that is almost impenetrable. I have not had an infection for as long as I can remember, but countless thousands of ordinary users HAVE and had their PC`s completely wrecked by serious infections.

In - Text advertising is present on this site. Innocent words like "puppy", "dog", "work" etc, are highlighted in blue in posts throughout the Forum, including my own. You expect to see something on dogs or work etc. - you will see a Tobacco advert page or some other irrelevant product

DO NOT under any circumstances click any of these blue words, IGNORE them.

Clicking these fraudulent words will take you straight to an unknown ad site. This in itself could easily infect you with Malware, Spyware, Adware or a Virus. If not direct, the site may have buttons which when clicked divert you to yet another site and infection risks become almost a certainty.

Your Anti - Virus, Anti - Malware or even Browser security programs "may" alert you to an infection, but this depends on what you have got. The vast majority of users only have poor security installed and are lambs to the slaughter in the nasty world we glibly call the Internet or better described as The Valley of Death.

LEAVE ALL BLUE HIGHLIGHTED WORDS ALONE !
Rottie

[CorkyMax]

The way it works on my computer---You don't even click on those words to get a 'box' to come up directing you to either click to see an ad or there is an x you can click to get rid of it --much like the other pop-ups that are constantly showing up. If you just happen to move across the blue underlined words--No clicking involved--it brings up that box I described above. Of course I never click to see what the ad is--I always click the x to get rid of it---Pretty 'stubborn' though sometimes it doesn't click out very fast!

[Rottie]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

The way it works on my computer---You don't even click on those words to get a 'box' to come up directing you to either click to see an ad or there is an x you can click to get rid of it --much like the other pop-ups that are constantly showing up. If you just happen to move across the blue underlined words--No clicking involved--it brings up that box I described above. Of course I never click to see what the ad is--I always click the x to get rid of it---Pretty 'stubborn' though sometimes it doesn't click out very fast!

Dear Corky,
The entire point is you should NOT have a pop-up in the first place. We all know you can hit the "X" on anything, but an ad pop-up in a personal post should NOT be there and is both fraudulent practise and placing the user at immediate risk of infection. This procedure is EXACTLY how any Virus is introduced.

OK, you hit the "X" and get rid of the panel - now click the word and see what happens - you will be directed to some loathsome ad site.

If you understand computer systems and auxiliary programs, then install NoScript and Adblock Plus. When you configure these blocker programs, all these blue words disappear.

My OP is very sound advice. If people wish to ignore this infection threat or stumble through by clicking "X`s" they should not have to, then fine - each to his own.

Virus exponents are all too aware that users just hit the "X" to get rid of their criminal traps, so what do they do in some cases ? They construct their nasty little programs such that when the "X" is clicked, the bug automatically comes creeping in - YOU have now introduced an unwanted guest into your beloved PC.

Infections including a virus have a huge range of nefarious activities. Unless your security programs detect the infection, you will never know you have it. Then you may be unpleasantly surprised when you read your credit card statement and see those expensive purchases you have recently made in the Far East or Africa.

How do you then clear the panel ? You logoff the site and logon again.
If in rare cases the intruder is still there after doing so, reboot your computer.

This scandalous In - Text ad practice is not confined to here, it is rife throughout the Internet, so any comments I have made are valid for all web operations.

Apart from what I have said, if anybody wants any further advice, I will be pleased to give it, otherwise - Over and Out - May God be with you.

Rottie