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From Google Images to... Virus?!?!

polycounter lvl 16
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thinkinmonkey polycounter lvl 16
Hi all,
in the last four months I've been infected with a kind of virus that auto-installs itself avoiding all protection and creating lot of troubles.
If you are asking yourself, the fact is quite simple: I made some search with Google Images with words like "mecha" or "pillar" or other words looking for reference for my projects.
When I click on those images, I went to that site where images was, but I was redirected automatically to another site where virus was waiting me!
Now I'm quite scared to make a search and it seems that is the most brilliant way to put a virus in your computer as you can read here http://www.google.com/search?q=google+image+virus
So, I'd like to know how you find your references and if you know a way as workaround this problem.
Thanks.

Replies

  • Wahlgren
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    Wahlgren polycounter lvl 17
    Yeah ditto on the pillar. Gave me a bunch of warnings aswell but my software protected me. And no, can't offer any helpful assistance on the subject. I keep using google images as it's the best way to get em.

    Just keep all your programs up to date and pray :)
  • thinkinmonkey
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    thinkinmonkey polycounter lvl 16
    So, I'm not the only lucky one! :)
    To tell the truth, it's quite simple to fix and clean, I mean, I'm not sure at 100%, but I have everything ok, but it's so sad!
    Anyway, my friend, what software do you use?
    Thanks.
  • Ace-Angel
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    Ace-Angel polycounter lvl 12
    NoScript + AdBlock Plus = Solution.

    I went that route after I got some nasty bugs, the only other solution is MSE up to date, since it's the most effective thing currently on the market.
  • Serp
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    Serp polycounter lvl 17
    Yeah I've had this a few times when looking at pictures of hot girls. Now I only click on images when I know the website.

    But I didn't expect that there would be one when searching for mecha or pillar. I would have got caught. Thanks for telling me.
  • thinkinmonkey
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    thinkinmonkey polycounter lvl 16
    @Ace-Angel: ok, they seem to work and actually I have no problem. Thanks

    @Serp: yeap! ^__^ Just with "normal" search, you can unleash the hell in your computer!
    At the beginning it was a terrible shame, friends thought I made strange search when, of course, it wasn't, instead the high number of cases made me thinking and I was right because everything started from Google Images as a lot of news from all around the web can prove.
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    If you can find the specific domains of wherever you're being redirected to, add them to your hosts file for the sake of it. I'm sure they serve no other purpose.

    I'm sure more domains will pop up in the future, but it should at least protect you from those most immediate threats people have encountered.
  • MattQ86
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    MattQ86 polycounter lvl 15
    Yeah, No Script, setting the browser to "ask me every time" about third party cookies and a good antivirus program (AVG) has saved me from a lot of trouble doing normally innocuous image searches.
  • Jeremy-S
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    Jeremy-S polycounter lvl 11
    Ran into this problem when searching for Noob Saibot pics for the Brawl Tourney. I didn't get infected, but it really pissed me off, since most of the high res images just led to virus warnings. When you find that perfect reference image, click it, and get a virus warning instead, it kinda sucks.
  • thinkinmonkey
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    thinkinmonkey polycounter lvl 16
    Yeap! It's so mad, especially for, well, all of us who start everything studying with a lot of reference.
    From yesterday night, I made different searches with no problem: mecha, pillar, tits.
    But I feel like it's just question of time and they will find another way... damn b@st@rds!
  • Calabi
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    Calabi polycounter lvl 12
    Yeah welcome to the club. I posted about this a while ago. One suggestion was to use Microsofts search engine bing. It doesnt seem to be as bad.
  • eld
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    eld polycounter lvl 18
    ditto No script, or you're bound to run into a driveby exploit sooner or later.
  • biofrost
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    biofrost polycounter lvl 12
    I'm with Calabi on this one, I had this happen about half a year ago and I have just been using Bing for images ever since.
  • Jeremy-S
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    Jeremy-S polycounter lvl 11
    Wow, I didn't think bing was good for anything. But they actually have a decent image search, and with a noob saibot search, not one virus warning for the images found. Thanks, Calabi. I never would have tried it without that suggestion :)
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    FWIW If you use a less common browser like Opera, the exploit wont work and wont be able to auto install the adware.
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    oXYnary wrote: »
    FWIW If you use a less common browser like Opera, the exploit wont work and wont be able to auto install the adware.

    No wonder I haven't run into it yet myself! Been using Opera for quite a long time now.
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