Comcast, IE9, Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes (free version).

After the one and only attach on this lap top I also installed Galey Utilities. This program was mentioned TV computer club meeting to speed up the computer. It has a module that will clean the registry that needs to be run 2 or 3 times to make sure it get everything (2 in my case). It also cleans spyware and history files along with a few other things. I like to have my history on the lap top so I did not run that module.

Now I have not had any follow up attacks and I am off and on TOTV a dozen times a day.

For those who are getting hit try just power your computer off at the first sign and do not click on anything. Also if your anti virus or other program gives you any information such as IP addresses just write them down and after rebooting Google the address and it will tell you where the attach is coming from. I have done this with any address that has been posted and it is no surprise that they have been from Eastern Europe.

I also read a number of other vBulletin forums and have seen reports of people there also getting attacked. Could it be a common link is somewhere in the vBulletin software as it has been hacked before and the current version running here is not the latest. Just a little brainstorming here.

Century Link. 8 separate attacks in the past 10 days while on TOTV.

When logging off of the TOTV site a screen says that "All cookies have been cleared" Do I need to clear cookies again????

I am using Firefox also.

Are you referring to Glary Utilities and not Galey? I found Glary but not Galey so am just wondering.

I've linked an article regarding Comcast written by Tom Woolf and published on line by The PRagmatist on October 12, 2011. The interesting part starts with paragraph 5.


Xavier

Interesting. However, I have had Comcast for 5 years here and never got one of those pop-ups. I agree their Constant Guard program is horrible, but you can select just Norton and avoid the Constant Guard part. No attacks on any of our 5 systems to date. All running Win 7 except an old laptop with XP. All using Firefox, Norton, Malewarebytes, CCleaner, and Spybot.

It is Glary, sorry for the fat fingers and the spelling checker did not pick it up.

VG

while I was on TOTV earlier an attempt was again made by a rogue malware.
This time Microsoft Security Essentials caught it.

With all the different programs I have run to either reset or clean my computer, I am left with the following common denominators:
Comcast
Windows XP
Microsoft Security Essentials
Malwarebytes Pro
Mozilla Firefox
TOTV

for each attack or attempt.

I did get the Glary program and it did find several "things" to be fixed. It is now part of my arsenal to run periodically.

btk

I run Windows 7 so take Windows XP out of your mix. If fact the only common denominators for me are Comcast and TOTV. And I doubt if Comcast is the culprit as I would have attacks from all of the other sites I go to.

I am happy I am running Norton NIS to stop the attacks from damaging my PC.

Definitely take Comcast out of the equation. I have Time-Warner and have been hit on two occasions. Both while I was on TOTV and using this laptop. Never while using iPad or iPhone.

I immediately shut down everything.........and unplugged the computer. No damage.........but I'm not happy.

Decoded
 

After watching Brad Meltzer's "Decoded" last night these attacks may only be the tip of the iceberg. Organized crime all over the world is out to invade our privacy, steal personal information, (mainly our identities) and using that, steal us blind. Hubby and I are very aware of hackers and spammers but this program left us shaking in our slippers. They are taking billions of our dollars every year and there isn't much any of us can do about it except to monitor our bank accounts and credit cards for unauthorized withdrawals and purchases. Even if WE have the very best internet security on our computers some of us are going to be affected in huge ways. The problem isn't only us and OUR security, it is the fact that the corporations, banks, etc. that we do business with can not keep up with the threats that are being created every day. If you missed this program last night I urge you to try to find a repeat of it. He starts out by talking about the "mafia" and organized crime as we knew it in years past. It is what it has evolved into that we should all be very worried about. VERY worried.

what is my being VERY worried going to do to solve the problem?

:agree:

I didn't say anything about solving this problem but we ALL should be worried enough about the "cyber mafia" to be extremely vigilant. Those who choose not to worry may be surprised to find their bank accounts cleaned out one of these days. These crooks are very smooth and will find a way to get your social security number, thus your identity. It's a free ride for them after that. Watch the program. I guarantee you will be VERY worried after that. And, you will feel helpless. To NOT be worried about this very scary activity that is going on in this world now is to have our heads in the sand. Information is power and the only way we can hope to save our identities and our money is by making it as difficult as we can for the thieves to get in. Even then, we are at the mercy of all of the businesses and services we do business with, hoping and praying that THEY can keep the criminals out. The program pointed out that this "mafia" has computer programs that they are using that can do something similar to a "Google search" that we all do, at times. They enter your name and they have at their fingertips everything there is to know about you, including your social security number. It's just a few steps from there to your bank account. With a social security number they can get mortgages , new credit cards, etc. all in your name. Not one of us is safe. If the experts in this field are worried, and they are extremely worried, WE should all be worried. I am not asking everyone who reads this to agree with me. I am only relaying information that felt very worrisome to me and my husband. Those who choose to ignore this very real warning are entitled to do so. Would you be worried and would you attempt to protect yourself if a tornado was bearing down on you? There is a very large "storm" brewing in cyberspace that is wreaking havoc at this very moment. All you have to do is click on a link in an e-mail and you may have downloaded one of these identity-stealing programs. The e-mail will look legitimate. This is just one of many ways these thieves can get our personal information. You won't even know what happened until you start getting bills from accounts you never opened and you check your bank account balances to find out you have been cleaned out. Knowing about this won't solve the problem and I never said it would. But knowing about this got my attention in a very big way. I worked pretty hard all of my life to get what I have and I will go to my death keeping it out of the hands of some crook in Mexico or China. This is where a lot of the cybercrime is originating, right across our own borders and in a country we are supporting by buying all of the mostly inferior products they make. If they don't already own us it won't be long before they do, and they won't have to fire a shot to do so. It is entirely possible that the "attacks" we have been subjected to here on TOTV are coming from a faction that we can not defend against.

Maybe Brad should be on the SciFi channel.:popcorn:
Leads from Brad Meltzer's shows.
UFO: What if I told you the government had proof of alien life but was actively covering it up?

Vatican: What if I told you that the Vatican--seat of the Catholic Church--may be responsible for the murder of one of its own popes?

2012 The Beginning: What if I told you the apocalyptic prophecies of 2012 were coming true?

What if I told you that it is the experts in internet security, and NOT Brad Meltzer, who are warning us about these threats?

Another Attack Attempt
 

At 3:11 p.m. today Norton Internet Security blocked an intrusion attempt while I was here on TOTV. In case this will help to figure out where these attacks are coming from here is the information on the Norton Security History page which is part of my Norton program:

HIGH RISK

Attacking computer myrses.com 178.18.242.189, 80

url myrses.com/news

Malicious Toolkit Website 9

I have 11 additional ones to add to this. If and when anybody is interested in seeing these, please let me know.

Kathy and Al, I hope your internet security has blocked all of these intrusion attempts? 11 of them? Yikes! I WILL say that I was on some other site on the net last night and my Norton blocked another potential attack. In all of the years I have owned a computer I have never seen anything like this.

...and I still have zero, zip, zilch, nada. I'm waiting for an explanation for that difference. Go figure!

Xavier

There are very isolated reports of this issue. We are monitoring all feedback and continue to run daily scans to ensure nothing is originating on TOTV.

If you have an issue that you notice and would like us to look at specifically, please email us the page you were on when this occurred as well as the Google ads displayed in the lower left tower, bottom of page, or in a thread that appear at the time. Do not post but email to us.

Site security is our top priority and we will continue to do everything we can to assist.

Interestingly, after this thread began I started getting the dreaded blue screen with a reboot following in about 10 seconds afterward. I've been getting them 3 or 4 time a day so far. I seriously doubt this site has anything to do with getting it, but I wonder if this has also happened to anyone else on here this past week. I've already been on with HP support for more that two hours yesterday, but have not determined the problem yet. I will be calling again after the weekend so the can try some advanced means of trying to identify the problem.

VillagesFlorida-yes, all 11 were blocked by Norton and if I did not have that antivirus/malware protection with them, my computer would be toast right now!!!
And like you, I have had Norton for over 10 years now and have never once had a
a "high risk" security intrusion attempt on my computers. To have 11 in a twelve day period while exclusively on TOTV surely makes me a believer that this site has a real problem.

I usually use my iPad for surfing TOTV, so I've never had a problem. However I just downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials to protect my Acer Laptop. Thank you to Xavier for helping me!

During my session with HP the other day, the possibilities of viruses was discussed. We both thought that a virus might be the source of my blue screen problems. I told him that I've had a few higher risk intrusions blocked by Norton and he told me that that's not unusual. Everybody gets several attacks on a regular basis. (the tech rep was from the mid-west and not a sourced out location)

I had 13 attempted intrusion on just one day that I checked out. Fortunately most are low level and pretty much benign. This fact alone tells me the importance of having a good virus protection and firewall on your computer and frequent updates.

I cannot attribute a single intrusion attempt to be associated with this web site and I'd even bet that if I didn't log in to TOTV for a day or two, I'd still have similar results with the attempted intrusions.

BTW, I have had one and only one issue with using the site. When I preview a posting I get a text only preview and have to click the preview button again to have a normal view. However, I have no idea if it's the site or on my side. I believe it is on my side because it seems to happen on IE only and not Firefox or Chrome.
:Screen_of_Death:

If you are exclusively on this site, then it isn't fair to say the problem is with this site. With over 100,000 visits per month and over a 1,000 unique visitors a day there obviously would be a significantly higher number of reported issues other than the small % here. There have not been any viruses/malware originating from the site found and we continue to scan daily.

Feel free to email us any information you notice and we will continue to monitor.

If I had as many attacks as you state from a single website, I don't think I would be on that website any longer... Why do keep coming back to get infected ???


Just saying....

I've been happy to help.

X

I just ran Security Essentials (thank you Xavier) which did a complete scan of my laptop with no infections. And I didn't have any security on my computer previously, none at all. And I'm on TOTV a lot. That makes me question if the infections are really coming from TOTV.

This is very reassuring --thanks. No problem here so far but I have all Apple products-iMac, iPhone, iPad, and MacBook and have accessed TOTV from all of them.:bigbow:

I have taken a "Snapshot" of each of the 11 high risk intrusions and can document time, date, attacking computer site, and more for each and every one of them. All have been while on TOTV only. I visit hundreds of websites every day without problem. And I keep coming back to the TOTV site because I enjoy reading everyone's insights into many different subjects. As far as being infected by the intrusions, Norton Antivirus has blocked every intrusion attempt, thus no infection and no harm done. Norton is sophisticated enough to immediately report to me the "attempt" with substantial documentation to support their action.

We at Talk of the Villages take reports such as this very seriously. Thank you for bringing it to our attention and keeping us updated.

Currently there are the about .01% of all users that are seeing such an issue, we have tried to reproduce it but are not seeing what you are. To be safe we have ran a scan daily on the server looking for any malware or potential injections of nefarious code as well as employ a security specialist. Our scans and efforts did not reveal anything that would point to this issue as originating from TOTV. In addition, we have checked Google’s Webmaster Tools where they scan our site daily for Malware, there is no indication that Google has found anything either.

We recommend that you scan your PC with software known as Malware Bytes or other anti virus/malware that you are comfortable with. Clear all cookies and cache after your scan. Once an anti virus is ran feel free to send us the log file. Also feel free to email us the page that you were on when this occurred as well as any of the google ads (lower left tower, bottom of page, between post) that may have been displaying when you receive the warning and we can try to assist you individually.

We will reopen this thread if there is any change in the status of our scans or security findings and again we will assist you individually as much as possible to help you with your issues. Our email is talkofthevillages@gmail.com.