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There is a problem with advertising links getting put into posts.

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  • There is a problem with advertising links getting put into posts.

    As you can see here: http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/2...=1#post6255957

    And here: http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/2...=1#post6255767

    Advertising links are getting inserted into posts without the poster wanting them to be there or writing them in themselves. I believe this is malware which was inserted into the forum software during one of the half dozen recent forum hacks. I've seen it in one of my posts, in one of Imran's posts, and in one of Sava's posts. Sava has also complained of this problem. How do we go about fixing it?
    Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

  • #2
    I notice several of the advertising links that appear in posts link to a place called skimlinks.
    Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

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    • #3
      I know the mods are busy and all but it would seem like they could at least respond once in three days even if it was just to say "I can't get to it now but will check it out later".
      Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

      Comment


      • #4
        Can you post a screenshot? When I open those links, no adds are showing up.
        We definitely didn't implement in-post adds, so that might indeed be caused by some injected mallware.
        Formerly known as "CyberShy"
        Carpe Diem tamen Memento Mori

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        • #5
          Here's a picture of the first link:



          Here's what I find on Google when I search for skimlinks:
          vBulletin setup guide - Skimlinks

          skimlinks.com/files/vbulletin/vBulletinSetupGuide.pdf

          If you would like to remove the association between your Skimlinks account and your vBulletin ... Completely uninstall the old version of the Skimlinks plugin.[/quote]



          When I Google "skimlinks" I find this info: [quote]
          Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

          Comment


          • #6
            Oerdin, may you have been hit with some malware in a drive-by infection while the forum was hacked? There has not been any malware on the forum for a week, and the two posts you link to contain no ads or anything out of the ordinary.

            Skimlinks is a vbulletin partner and a regular way of inserting ads.

            The first and last posts on each page seem to have a Feeding America charity ad when browsing the forum as a guest, which I think is standard behaviour here?

            EDIT: Yeah, crosspost. Skimlinks is built into vb. If the intention is not to have those ads, they can be easily disabled by disabling Skimlinks from the "Manage Products" option in the admin panel.
            Last edited by Solver; September 23, 2013, 13:44.
            Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
            Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
            I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

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            • #7
              I've turned skimlinks off.
              perhaps some of the hackers enabled it and entered their own skimlinks license ID (which is quite a smart thing to do, I guess).
              Formerly known as "CyberShy"
              Carpe Diem tamen Memento Mori

              Comment


              • #8
                I cleared my cache, deleted cookies and now all the links are gone. Thank you.
                Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Thanks to you for the heads up!
                  Formerly known as "CyberShy"
                  Carpe Diem tamen Memento Mori

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Do you know where Martin's been lately?
                    AC2- the most active SMAC(X) community on the web.
                    JKStudio - Masks and other Art

                    No pasarán

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