Infected file on GenesReunited

[Selina]

Well that settles it - I shall definitely not renew.  Whatever the cause or situation there is no excuse for not dealing with its customers in a efficient way and replying properly to their emails, especially when they are attempting to assist with the problem.

It will be of very little loss to me anyway, especially since at present I am avoiding the site altogether!

Selina

[Nick29]

It's refreshing to read a message from someone who seems to know what they're talking about, rather than just pontificating about something they haven't experienced and blaming users for this, rather than accepting the overwhelming evidence from those who have actually come across the problem themselves.

Arthur, has it ever occurred to you that the reason why this isn't happening to many of us is because we have taken the necessary precautions to make sure that it doesn't ?   

I think it has been said several times already that this was not a virus, just a wicked piece of malware that exploits a feature of certain types of web pages, and it's so easy to let malware like this enter your computer if you let your guard down just for a minute.  You would be amazed at the number of people who open emails which are from people or companies that they don't know, or these "chain" emails which are passed on from person to person.

If I stood at the side of the road with a lit cigarette, and you drove past with a leaking petrol tank, and your car burst into flames, whose fault would it be ?

[snowyw]

Okay, so we all have Malware...but Genes seems to be the common link with the warnings.  So SOMETHING must be on there to trigger it on our computers.

Sue

[arthurk]

Arthur, has it ever occurred to you that the reason why this isn't happening to many of us is because we have taken the necessary precautions to make sure that it doesn't ?   

...it's so easy to let malware like this enter your computer if you let your guard down just for a minute.  You would be amazed at the number of people who open emails which are from people or companies that they don't know, or these "chain" emails which are passed on from person to person.

I wonder if you have read properly what I wrote. I have taken all necessary precautions, I don't have any malware on my computer, and I wouldn't dream of opening a suspect email, let alone clicking a link in one.

Moreover, when the problem occurred at GR, my internet security software prevented anything untoward from happening, so my computer is still clean. And as a further precaution, I keep away from websites where problems of this sort are known to be happening, until they are clearly safe again.

Arthur

[Selina]

Perhaps you can clarify one thing for me - I have always understood that opening emails was OK as long as you didn't click and open any link or attachment.

Is that not correct then?

Selina

[snowyw]

Thats what I thought Selina

[Nick29]

Arthur, has it ever occurred to you that the reason why this isn't happening to many of us is because we have taken the necessary precautions to make sure that it doesn't ?   

...it's so easy to let malware like this enter your computer if you let your guard down just for a minute.  You would be amazed at the number of people who open emails which are from people or companies that they don't know, or these "chain" emails which are passed on from person to person.

I wonder if you have read properly what I wrote. I have taken all necessary precautions, I don't have any malware on my computer, and I wouldn't dream of opening a suspect email, let alone clicking a link in one.

Moreover, when the problem occurred at GR, my internet security software prevented anything untoward from happening, so my computer is still clean. And as a further precaution, I keep away from websites where problems of this sort are known to be happening, until they are clearly safe again.

Arthur

So Arthur,

Maybe you can explain to me where this warning is coming from, since it is impossible for a website to drop a file (other than a cookie) on your computer without you OK'ing it first ?

And why does it affect you, and not me ?

[Nick29]

Perhaps you can clarify one thing for me - I have always understood that opening emails was OK as long as you didn't click and open any link or attachment.

Is that not correct then?

Selina

Personally speaking, I would not risk it, and some Email programs will automatically open some types of file without asking.

[arthurk]

So Arthur,

Maybe you can explain to me where this warning is coming from, since it is impossible for a website to drop a file (other than a cookie) on your computer without you OK'ing it first ?

And why does it affect you, and not me ?

The warning is coming from the link scanner and web shield elements of my internet security package. This scans webpages I am about to visit before they are downloaded on to my computer, and if it finds a problem it blocks the page from loading. On each occasion it has defined the threat as an Exploit Rogue Scanner (type 1027). But these warnings were about a threat on pages I had been about to visit - not about something already on my computer. (Incidentally, calling up the pages where the threat was located was inadvertent, as the links I was following appeared to be genuine ones on the GR site and there was nothing to indicate that they were going to take me somewhere else.)

I don't know why you aren't getting the same warning. Since the issue seems to be random, maybe you've just been lucky so far. Or maybe there's some other reason - I don't know.

I'm not going to participate in a lengthy argument about this. I've explained what the problem is and what steps I've taken to raise the matter with GR, and I know my computer is clean. If you don't accept that, that's up to you.

Arthur