PhotoBucket and Viruses.......

[MrsHaggis]

I've just seen a few posts where people are complaining about PhotoBucket having viruses and I feel the need to clear up a few things.

Photobucket the website does not have any viruses itself. The viruses can be downloaded and automatically run on your computer when you click on a link to see someone elses photos. (For the record, you should NEVER click on a link in an email, copy and paste it into your browser).

You can use photobucket without any problems if you are ONLY using it for uploading your pics and displaying them here on RC. NEVER look at anyone's piccies that you do not know/trust!!

The other thing that you should do on your systems is to disable the autorun.inf functionality which stops a virus from automatically running on your systems. You can disable this feature completely - which will also stop CD's and DVD's from launching automatically (but you can still double click on them to get them to run). To disable set the following registry key to 255:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoDriveTypeAutoRun


I know that people tend to freak out when we start talking about computer viruses and other nasties. But if you are careful and use the internet with a certain amount of caution and you don't go clicking willy/nilly on anything and everything there is no need for panic.

Oh, and make sure you have a reputable AV software solution installed. And that it is up-to-date!!!

I'm a computer virus/malware expert for a leading AV company so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me!

Safe surfing everyone!!

 

[discusone]

THANK YOU!.This computer idiot appreciates your intelligent info.

 

[jtma508]

Actually, I had my fiort problem with Photobucket just the other day. I could get on the website fine. log-in to my account fine, but when I attempted to enter one of my albums I was immediately redirected to some virus scan BS. I tried a couple times and the same thing happened at the same place.

I'm always ruinning a real-time virus scan that is updated daily. To be uber-safe I ran a scan after this happened and nothing came up. I didn't believe it was a virus but one can never be too safe. The way it behaved I have to believe it was a re-direct. I know PB had their DNS hacked last summer and it certainly appears that it happened again.

Again, I was accessing MY albums which I have done countless times before without issue.

 

[Michael]

great post fiona

 

[surge19us]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14243922#post14243922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jtma508
Actually, I had my fiort problem with Photobucket just the other day. I could get on the website fine. log-in to my account fine, but when I attempted to enter one of my albums I was immediately redirected to some virus scan BS. I tried a couple times and the same thing happened at the same place.

It sounds like you are infected with something called malware. Similar to a virus but usually not self replicating. Some malware is more difficult to remove than virus. To be safe you can run a free scan at http://us.trendmicro.com/us/home/. Click on free tools and run the program called House Call. It takes awhile but will find most things. You may have to run it a couple times. Not every anti virus program will detect and stop every threat.

 

[Chris&Mel]

I think the trick is to throw your PC in the nabours yard...lol.....then go buy a Mac, I've been running them for about 8 years now and NEVER had a virus (i don't run any anti virus either)
Just my 2 cents

 

[MrsHaggis]

surge19 - great advice!! Trendmicro has some very good software on their homesite.

Chris&Mel - I agree Mac hardware is the best around (I personally have 2 and love them); and you should feel safer than with a PC but Mac's are not fail-safe and one day very soon there might be a virus out there which can attack Mac's too!!

jt - no website is 100% safe and you done the right thing by running a scan after this happened. my advice would be to contact photobucket and let them know what happened when you were accessing your photos. The re-direction is not in fact a virus but might have another nastie malware attached.

 

[BlueCorn]

Re: PhotoBucket and Viruses.......

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14243661#post14243661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrsHaggis
I(For the record, you should NEVER click on a link in an email, copy and paste it into your browser)

Sorry, but that makes zero difference. If the link target in question has a viral payload it doesn't matter if you click it or paste it.

 

[Chris&Mel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14244628#post14244628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrsHaggis
surge19 - great advice!! Trendmicro has some very good software on their homesite.

Chris&Mel - I agree Mac hardware is the best around (I personally have 2 and love them); and you should feel safer than with a PC but Mac's are not fail-safe and one day very soon there might be a virus out there which can attack Mac's too!!

jt - no website is 100% safe and you done the right thing by running a scan after this happened. my advice would be to contact photobucket and let them know what happened when you were accessing your photos. The re-direction is not in fact a virus but might have another nastie malware attached.

*Nocks on the coffie table*

 

[ZoaFan08]

I have a photo hosting website that is used mostly by friends/family if anyone wants it. I can give you unlimited space and bandwidth and you can create your own personal folders and resize and rotate all your pictures.. If anyone wants it let me know..

 

[agreeive?fish]

This thread is tooooooo technical for me..iam still studing the set up diagram to plug my computer into the household electrical outlet..

 

[NirvanaFan]

Re: Re: PhotoBucket and Viruses.......

Re: Re: PhotoBucket and Viruses.......

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14244653#post14244653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beerguy
Sorry, but that makes zero difference. If the link target in question has a viral payload it doesn't matter if you click it or paste it.

but when someone does something like this in an email, copying and pasting works.

www.liveaquaria.com

copying and pasting is good advice, but not always foolproof.

 

[MrsHaggis]

Exactly Nirvana Fan........

 

[Whys]

As one who works in the industry, I'm sad to say the forces of good are currently losing this fight. If anything is going to force the advent of a web2.0, it's the current lack of security.

Clicking the close button on the top right of popup windows is no guarantee. Clicking the cancel button on popup dialogs is no guarantee. Running FireFox is no guarantee. System Restore is no guarantee. Editing your registry is no guarantee. Even running anti-virus is no guarantee. See where this is going? It's bad right now and quickly getting worse.

Here are a few tips:

- Do not use an older browser version. UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE.
- Do run an anti-virus. I recommend AVG or Malware-Bytes. UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE.
- Stop surfing porn. DATE, DATE, DATE.

Disclaimer: None of this is any guarantee. Good luck and may the force be with you. :strooper:

 

[Whys]

Re: PhotoBucket and Viruses.......

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14243661#post14243661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrsHaggis
I know that people tend to freak out when we start talking about computer viruses and other nasties. But if you are careful and use the internet with a certain amount of caution and you don't go clicking willy/nilly on anything and everything there is no need for panic.

I sincerely disagree. Surely you realize at this point it is all entirely dependant on how quickly the relevant companies (microsoft, etc) react to new threats and release new patches. There may be no need for individuals to panic, but the industry as a whole really should.

JM.02

 

[Juruense]

Why is this thread even here, this is not the correct place for this.

 

[BlueCorn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14247343#post14247343 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Juruense
Why is this thread even here, this is not the correct place for this.

Agreed and closed.