spyware on Apolyton?

[PJayTycy]

I also have received 3 instances of a would-be-spyware-checker add, 100% certainly originating from Apolyton. This one add shows 3 popup HTML-windows trying to look like windows-security screens and 3 messagebox popups that *warn* you about aborting when you close the window.

hopefully this is enough info (the URLS out of my browser history when this happened)

...

http://apolyton.net/forums//newreply.php

http://nl.errorsafe.com/pages/scanne...d=1&zzt=1&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]&aid=aperfect_be_nl_lng&lid=keyin

http://b.casalemedia.com/V2/57880/85492/index.html?apolyton.net/ads/google.html

http://adnetserver.com/?dest=ck-47918&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]&aid=aperfect

http://nl.errorsafe.com/pages/scanner/index.php?aid=aperfect_be_nl_lng_ed1&lid=keyin&ex=1&p=&ax=1&h=

...

[Gibsie]

No idea how to get the image address though.

[TCO]

Mark, this is spyware. Don't force me to brutalize you in argument. I still remember your long denials that Poly was slow (when it was) and your asking people to ping or saying that the problem was in their machines.

[DanQ]

PJayTycy, Gibsie: the data you have provided was enough for me to identify the agency in question. Thank you kindly. The screen capture containing the image of said ad that you provided, Gibsie, actually included an address in the title bar of the ad window... identifying the same agency as in one of the addresses provided by PJayTycy.

I have manually removed what I believe to be are the offending campaign(s) from our ad rotation with this agency. If this/these or a similar ad appears again within the next month, please do not hesitate to follow-up here -- a month from now I will close this thread (or earlier if circumstances unfortunately dictate it). I recommend everyone clearing out their browser's cache(s) as an added measure.

--------
Dan; Apolyton CS

[Toby Rowe]

Hi Dan Q and Locutus,

Thanks for seperately being honest and then mentioning that Firefox also now has a problem.

An old female German flat-mate has sworn by firefox before (as an alternatative), now she's about to start year two in an OU (Open University) programming course she might take heed.

[The OU runs degrees which are available to all people in all Commonwealth Nations and others, and I believe all are welcome. however the exam centres will be based in a Commonwealth nation come the exam/s. (it's a government funded and owned institute but if you are poor, no matter where you are in the Commonwealth they will fund it.) It is the largest UK university.]

Starting a History degree when younger, it's hard and not fun and I didn't finish.

Anyway: The companies and hackers are now united it seems....

Who ever would have thought that both want the same.

Coming into the site tonight via the posting link my machine froze and I had to do a hard re-boot.

Then again, the richer criminals rob the poor people these days, give me back Robin Hood, I bloody need him right now at this time of year.

Toby Rowe

[Straybow]

http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threatdisplay.aspx?name=DriveCleaner&threatid=44533

"DriveCleaner is a system cleaning program from Winsoftware that is typically installed through aggressive, badgering pop-ups sprung on users in confusing circumstances."