1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

Malware Warning - Read This

Discussion in 'Sorcerous Sundries' started by Taluntain, Dec 31, 2012.

  1. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    Remove all ads!
    [​IMG] If you're using Firefox or Chrome, you've probably seen a warning about malware on the site today. What's actually happened is that one of the ads served by one of the advertising providers was apparently malicious. It's been taken out since then but the whole site's been flagged for it. I've put in a request with Google to take down the notices but it's probably going to take some time, unfortunately.

    So don't worry about using the site, this is just Google being extra careful.

    Happy New Year!
     
    Taluntain, Dec 31, 2012
    #1
    gorgon82 likes this.
  2. Rotku

    Rotku I believe I can fly Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2003
    Messages:
    3,105
    Likes Received:
    35
    Best way to avoid such warnings is to donate and become an SPS member, hence not seeing the adds while still supporting the site!
     
    Rotku, Jan 1, 2013
    #2
  3. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2001
    Messages:
    8,731
    Media:
    88
    Likes Received:
    379
    Gender:
    Male
    You still get the warnings though. I got one yesterday when I was at work in the morning (my work machine uses chrome).
     
    dmc, Jan 1, 2013
    #3
  4. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    This is like something from a bad joke...

    Now the idiots at Google have flagged one of the game trainers on SP as malicious. I've already sent in two explanations on how they aren't and that virus scanners routinely report false positives with game trainers, but it looks like I'll actually have to take the file down (a file that's been up for 7 years with no issues) simply because there's no appealing what some $/&$&(!% at Google flags as harmful. There's no contact mail, feedback sent in with the form is ignored, nothing else I can do.

    Just in case someone thought that Google doesn't own everything.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 1, 2013
    #4
  5. Tarrasque

    Tarrasque Whoever said Paladins had to be charismatic? ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2004
    Messages:
    361
    Likes Received:
    20
    Gender:
    Male
    Surely the solution is to contact their legal department then.

    A strongly worded letter as to how Google is maliciously and fraudulently flagging the site and its contents as dangerous, which is damaging you financially and therefore any failure by Google to resolve the issue will result in your contacting a lawyer.

    Unfortunately I suspect the threat of legal action will do more than being reasonable these days.

    EDIT:

    Saying that, Google is no longer flagging Sorcerers.net as dangerous for me.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2013
    Tarrasque, Jan 1, 2013
    #5
  6. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    Tarrasque, their Webmaster Tools forums are full of threads where various webmasters are threatening legal action against Google over erroneously flagging websites as malicious and causing reputation and monetary loss. But this is Google we're talking about - there's no way an individual from a foreign country could successfully sue them and they know that. I'm sure they get thousands of such legal threats on a daily basis and don't even react to them.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 1, 2013
    #6
  7. Topken

    Topken Elven-dragon wizard

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    442
    Likes Received:
    13
    Gender:
    Male
    Cleared up on firefox v17 after deleting the safebrowsing folder in the local profiles folder and not in the roaming profile folder. V17 has a annoying bug where it won't clean those files up after google does but the bug should be fixed in v18 which is slated for an early January release so about a week or so now. So they will not be pushing the update for v17 for those that are using it. Had That annoying thing on several other sites as well and found out about the bug after digging around some.

    Here is the bug report for firefox on the issue https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=820283
     
    Topken, Jan 1, 2013
    #7
    Taluntain and Montresor like this.
  8. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    May 29, 2003
    Messages:
    13,354
    Likes Received:
    99
    No issues in Safari on my iPad.
     
    Harbourboy, Jan 2, 2013
    #8
  9. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    I've sent in a few more requests for a re-review but to no effect whatsoever. They're simply ignoring anything that points out their own mistakes. So I've got no other choice but to take the file down even though I know it's perfectly harmless.

    Funny how until today, I thought I owned my website. The dimwits working at Google have now made it clear that actually, they do.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 2, 2013
    #9
  10. Montresor

    Montresor Mostly Harmless Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2005
    Messages:
    3,103
    Media:
    127
    Likes Received:
    183
    Gender:
    Male
    I don't get warnings any longer after following Topken's advice:

    Still, this kind of [expletive] is exactly what it takes for people to stop taking Google's warnings seriously. :bad:
     
    Montresor, Jan 2, 2013
    #10
  11. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2008
    Messages:
    4,147
    Likes Received:
    224
    Gender:
    Male
    I use Chrome at work and at home. I have been into the site from both places in the last few days and I have not rec'd an alert.
     
    Blades of Vanatar, Jan 2, 2013
    #11
  12. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    Is anyone still getting this crap? I just got it again on SP and a few hosted sites even though Google itself and the safe browsing page have issued all clear reports for all the domains 2 days ago... but this doesn't stop Firefox from continuing to throw that obnoxious warning.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 3, 2013
    #12
  13. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2001
    Messages:
    8,731
    Media:
    88
    Likes Received:
    379
    Gender:
    Male
    I use Chrome and IE, and have not gotten a warning since Monday.
     
    dmc, Jan 3, 2013
    #13
  14. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    [​IMG] I missed Topken's post above and yes, in Firefox this issue will persist until people upgrade to Firefox 18 that's supposed to be released in a week or so. Clearing cache might help, but for me it didn't.

    In short, Mozilla gets away with not fixing this bug for a month, costing thousands of websites untold millions in lost traffic and advertising revenue, not to mention the reputation loss.

    All without as much as an apology to anyone.

    Nice, huh? Did I mention that over 45% of our visitors use Firefox?

    This level of arrogant incompetence is simply beyond belief.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 3, 2013
    #14
  15. Gaear

    Gaear ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2006
    Messages:
    1,877
    Media:
    13
    Likes Received:
    180
    Like dmc, I've been clean on Chrome since Monday.

    The 'just suck it up' attitude is kind of offensive, and it does seem like a losing proposition all the way around. As stated above, the legal angle is probably a dud, which would seem to leave only measures like boycotts. I doubt that would take off either though, as probably most people wouldn't get on board with something like that as long as it's not harming them directly.

    Weird how thoroughly they've got most websites by the nads.
     
    Gaear, Jan 3, 2013
    #15
  16. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    They've literally got the power to completely block access to any website at a whim. There's a small "ignore" link now that you can use to bypass the block, but it could just as easily be removed at some point. I doubt anyone could fully understand the implications of that until their own website fell prey to it like we have.
     
    Taluntain, Jan 3, 2013
    #16
  17. Arkite

    Arkite Crash or crash through Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2010
    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    51
    It was flagged 2 days ago for me, then all clear yesterday, then back to the warning page again today, but yeah it's a timely reminder of the power Google has that's for sure.
     
    Arkite, Jan 5, 2013
    #17

  18. Green_Dragon Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2010
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    For what I can see this malicious ad is still there. As soon as I try to go to the Message Boards, download files, etc., the ad pops up and something called "FacebookFakeSurvey 3" tries to attack my computer(according to Norton). I'm using Chrome.
     
    Green_Dragon, Mar 1, 2013
    #18
  19. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,653
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    570
    Gender:
    Male
    This is something completely unrelated to the issue this thread was about...

    Can you provide any info on it according to this thread?

    I can't really do anything about it otherwise unfortunately as I have no way of identifying where the ad is coming from...
     
    Taluntain, Mar 1, 2013
    #19
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.