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Posted 1/20/2013 2:22 PM (GMT -5)
I'm getting a more ominous message from Norton yesterday and today when I visit HW.  Now my screen goes to "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" plus a slide-in message that talks about a web attack exploit toolkit 8.

Googling for an explanation of toolkit 8, I find this:

Web Attack: Exploit Toolkit Website 8

Severity: High

This attack could pose a serious security threat. You should take immediate action to stop any damage or prevent further damage from happening.

 

This sounds much more serious than previously, or is it just me?

Posted 1/20/2013 3:04 PM (GMT -5)
Clock:

I got the usual Norton block last night.

Is this new exploit a W-8 thing?

I use W7

Mel

Posted 1/20/2013 3:05 PM (GMT -5)
The good news seems to remain that Norton did block it!

Mel

Posted 1/20/2013 3:05 PM (GMT -5)
No, Mel, I'm also using Windows 7 with IE9 and Norton.
Posted 1/20/2013 3:54 PM (GMT -5)
Firefox on Mac, no issues
Posted 1/20/2013 3:56 PM (GMT -5)
Firefox on PC - no message.

I also run a couple of antivirus softwares.
Posted 1/20/2013 4:45 PM (GMT -5)
Chrome and Firefox on a PC--never see the warning that is being discussed. I run Norton 360 for viruses and spyware. Same thing on a netbook I use a lot.
Posted 1/20/2013 4:47 PM (GMT -5)
i HAVE HAD No problem using my iPad.

I also have FireFox and Chrome and I have had no problems with those browsers on my W7 PC.

But I prefer IE9 and that is my default browser.

I guess Norton is doing its job. This happens about once every 8 visits to HW. Still, it is annoying and there is always the concern that Norton will miss something.

I hope HW gets it figured out. It may well be something to do with their advertisers, but it is happening to us when we visit the HW site.

For many of us, this is one of the most important sites we have

Mel

Post Edited (compiler) : 1/20/2013 2:53:30 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/20/2013 6:35 PM (GMT -5)
There most certainly IS a virus problem with Healing Well--or is it just the Prostate Cancer forum section? It isn't every time but it certainly is often enough to deter some people (me included) from coming to the site. Maybe those with better virus protections aren't affected but some of us surely are. Is it one of the advertisers? Please, moderators, no one is imagining this and it is vital that it gets straightened out! It is very important that people that come to a support site such as this are not subjected to computer viruses.
Posted 1/20/2013 6:45 PM (GMT -5)
I think it's unfair to single out HW. Viruses are everywhere on the internet, and it's only getting worse. If you're stuck with Microsoft, you can at least mitigate the damage with Firefox and Chrome browsers.
Posted 1/20/2013 7:06 PM (GMT -5)
The problem is: The HW site (or more likely, its advertisers) is the SOURCE of the virus. Yes, viruses are everywhere but enough people have CONSISTENTLY reported that this new virus threat comes specifically from this site and you just can't ignore it. Why is it that there were no such complaints until recently and now many report the same thing? When I go to a reputable site, I rarely if ever get a virus warning, as it should be. Many of the readers/posters here are older and not as computer savvy as some. Not taking care of this specific problem, and it IS a problem, makes it harder for them to get the support they need.
Posted 1/20/2013 7:16 PM (GMT -5)
Get yourselves Firefox with the Ghostery Add-on. It blocks all that foolishness. You might even consider a different security software package. Norton and Symantec make problems because they are always trying to update and scan. AVG has been great for me. Hope you all figure it out.

It's definitely advertisers on the site. You'd be shocked at how many trackers and info hunters there are on most pages. Ghostery tells you all that... shows what it blocks.
Posted 1/20/2013 8:14 PM (GMT -5)
i have aol which i think uses IE. i also have avg free and spybot and i have a pop up blocker on. i have never seen the warnings that have been talked about here????
Posted 1/20/2013 8:16 PM (GMT -5)
Still no problems for me.

Just this weekend, I converted from Windows 7 to Windows 8. Still using Norton Anti-virus.

Haven't had any of those messages you talk about.

Strange.

David
Posted 1/20/2013 8:19 PM (GMT -5)
Dude1969:

Why should I get rid of Norton? It seems to me it's doing its job PERFECTLY by preventing a HW page to load when the virus is there.

Years ago, Norton was terrible. It used to have a very large footprint (ie: it was a memory hog). In recent years, that hasn't been true. I'm very pleased with Norton.

Mel

Posted 1/20/2013 9:19 PM (GMT -5)
This malware has happened to me several times today but my virus protection will not let the page load anymore so it is just annoying for me but no problems for my computer.
Posted 1/20/2013 9:55 PM (GMT -5)
It just happened now and I got that exact same message (the new one)

Mel

Posted 1/21/2013 1:52 AM (GMT -5)
Wife33,

Moderators do not have access to the server, and can not do anything other than notify Peter. Peter is aware of the problem, but searches have not shown any issue on the HW server. He has been in touch with the advertising company.

Post Edited (142) : 1/22/2013 12:13:59 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/21/2013 2:42 AM (GMT -5)
I have chrome and McAfee and have no problems at HW
I wonder if Norton has changed its definition of a threat so that something at HW (eg an advertisement) that was previously not seen as hostile is now detected as a threat, eg if it's trying to track.
If I use IE instead of Chrome it closes down almost regardless of which website I visit, and this is occasionally a problem when something won't work with Chrome.

Is the problem only happening to HW guys in the US? perhaps due to some specific ad that is getting linked to you going to HW. I notice increasingly that advertisements that "appear" on a page at HW and elsewhere are now matching my browser history, but the ads are neary always Dutch as the net knows I am in Holland even if it seems to think I live in a different city to the one I actually live in! (But for the life of me cannot understand why I'm getting loads of lady's sexy underwear ads today - no seriously I have no idea why. Perhaps it's just because Valentine's day is approaching. I just don't think I'd look that good in a white push-up bra even if it is only €19.99) wink
Posted 1/21/2013 2:49 AM (GMT -5)
Just opened HW via IE and IE shut down as soon as I tried to post a reply due to
DEP (Data Execution Prevention)en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Execution_Prevention

I have anther PC with Norton installed - if I can I will try that later to see what happens
Alf
Posted 1/21/2013 6:22 AM (GMT -5)
Interestingly enough, I don't get any ads on HW, just a blank area with the words "Advertisement" in letters almost too small to read. Running Windows 7 and IE9 with Norton Security Suite.
Posted 1/21/2013 6:41 AM (GMT -5)
When I open HW or look at a thread there are no adverts; as Gunner says just a blank area with the words "advertisement", but as soon as I try and post a reply adverts appear down the right hand side and across the top. As already said it is when trying to post replies when using IE that it goes wrong. I am therefore suspicious of the adverts.
I have previously had malware warnings etc elsewhere on the web if there is a "third-party" risk, I get the explanation that the site I am on has a link to another site that is a suspect site.
Now given that almost all the spam I have ever had has been related to penis enlargment, viagra etc, and that ED is one of the main things PCa guys are worried about I have a feeling that perhaps the anti-virus software might also be being over cautious about anything that mentions things like viagra in what it thinks is a suspicious way. (Same way the HW site censors not just the rude four letter words, but also when the same combination of letters occurs in a non rude word.)
Posted 1/21/2013 7:21 AM (GMT -5)
Mel:

You can use what you wish, of course. All I can say is that what you are experiencing wouldn't be the case if your settings were correct OR you used a different browser and/or a different security package. Give my suggestion a try: Firefox and Ghostery add-on. It will tell you what's on the page. (doubleclick, googleanalytics, google custom search engine, quantcast, scorecard research beacon)

If you're not getting the issue with your other devices, it's something on that one PC. I'd be shocked if it were a legitimate threat. It's more likely that it's something innocuous that your software or settings on that one PC is interpreting as something "dangerous."

Perhaps Norton is better than it once was. THAT wouldn't be too difficult as it was beyond terrible. Some of the other lesser known security packages are far better rated than the big two. Take it for what it's worth. (AVG, Kaspersky...)

Dude

Edit: There is something that Firefox and Ghostery don't like on the Search page. I just pause Ghosery there, but I see no adverts or anything of the sort anywhere on these pages. But there is definitely some tracker or something with the search feature, because Firefox and Ghostery won't allow a search. All sites have these types of things, that's why the adverts often reflect what interests you. They focus their advertising on you based on the info they mine from your internet use.

"google AJAX search API" is what FF and Ghostery don't like...

Post Edited (dude1969) : 1/21/2013 5:37:00 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/21/2013 9:02 AM (GMT -5)
Dude:

Norton is now one of the best. It used to be just about the worst. I have used Avira, AVG, and Avast. All 3 were excellent and free. When I bought my last laptop, it came with a free trial of Norton. My previous computer came with a similar free trial and Norton was terrible. The computer was basically unusable with Norton. Anyway, I had just researched AV stuff and read about the Norton improvements, so I tried it. I liked it so much that I actually now use it ("Norton Internet Security"). The fact that I'm willing to pay for it says a lot.

I seriously doubt that the problem is due to some setting or something on my computer. The fact that I seem to have ZERO problems elsewhere (and, as I said, I'm on the computer a LOT) seems to mitigate against that. The fact that SO MANY OTHERS are having the same exact issues pretty much eliminates anything on my end.

Still, I wonder about the IE connection. As I said, I also have FireFox and Chrome on my computer. I have not had the issue with those two browsers BUT I RARELY use them on HW. I guess I just prefer IE. I use Firefox with my online broker because their site doesn't play well with IE when trading stock options (a bug somewhere on their end).

I haven't tried the Search Function...yet

Posted 1/21/2013 10:26 AM (GMT -5)
It's strictly an IE problem. I haven't used the inferior microsoft browsers for years. Firefox has no problem with HW.
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