DUPLICATE THREADS MERGED Web address hijack on this site

[SLT223]

Is this happening to anyone else when viewing this site? Only happens to me with apple products, never with a pc.

[Targets Guy]

Not yet. Fingers crossed.

[Kevin J.]

It just happens on my I-Pad.

[chaparrito]

Using a Mac all the time. Never happens here. It's coming in with the ads you're getting. Consider becoming a contributor. For a few cents a day, all that stuff goes away.

[Rpg]

You bet I've experienced that stuff.

I'm too technologically challenged to know why this happens, or how to prevent it.

Pretty annoying. I use an iPhone on this site.

[Tom S.]

Web redirects aren't caused by the site, they are caused by a virus on your device. Depending on the virus/program used, they can be easy or a biotch to remove. To start, I would Google web redirect and the type of device you are using.

On the other hand, if you are talking about pop ups, that's a different problem.

[Steve912]

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Web redirects aren't caused by the site, they are caused by a virus on your device.

But Apple products can't get viruses...only PC's can get viruses. They said it in their advertising, it must be true!

[Usmc5811]

Yes I'm getting it on my iPhone that and about halfway through trying to post I get an error occurred and had to reload your page and I lose everything I type.

[StakeOut]

I don't use any Apple products and I don't get it on Windows or Android

[HeavyDuty Ken]

I'm seeing it occasionally on my iPad using Safari. It's not a virus, it's a redirect caused either by an ad or someone's image hosting service.

[richardw]

I use an iMac, iPad, and iPhone. And I support the site to avoid ads, which
I understand are not redirects. I don't get any of those redirect ads when on this site.

[HeavyDuty Ken]

As an experiment, I just turned JavaScript off. We'll see how that works.

The redirects only seem to happen in specific threads, which is why I'm suspicious of image hosting.

[HeavyDuty Ken]

Turning off JavaScript on my iPad solved the issue, but it also turned off essential functionality here and elsewhere. With it back on I'm seeing the redirects again, and only here. I'm telling you it's an advertiser or image hosting.

[TAROMAN]

Never used an Apple product, never had this problem.
Then again, I have plenty of other problems.

[ChuckS1]

Add me to the list of getting this redirect on my iPad. Started yesterday after I visited the Lounge and only occurs when I'm on this site.

[Saudade]

Happens on my iPad as well. I only get it here.

[TF717]

Not a virus, happening on my iPad & only when i open this site!

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by TF717

Not a virus, happening on my iPad & only when i open this site!

As I stated, if it's a web redirect, it's a virus, but if it's a pop up, it isn't. The difference between the two is a web redirect occurs when you click to go to one website and are taken to an entirely different site. A pop up on the other hand is when you are properly taken to the correct site, but a pop up window occurs with other information. This sounds like a pop up, which should disappear if you make a forum donation.

On edit, I notice none of the people who have stated to be having this problem have made donations to the forum, so I'm 99.9% sure this is the problem. The forum costs money to run and maintain, and is funded by advertising and donations. Make a donation, the advertisements go away. Don't make a donation, and you indirectly support the forum via the advertisements.

[Saudade]

This ONLY happens when visiting THIS site on my iPad. I don't blame this site, it's likely rooted in some rogue ad through Adsense. Happens in Safari and Chrome. Only way out is to close the browser and then go back in again.

I don't have a problem with supporting the site through the display of ads, but taking over my device is another matter.

[Jebus35745]

Have an iPad and get the OP's problem. I contribute money regularly to this forum and get it when I try to log in. I reset it once so far and it didn't go away. Larry

[HeavyDuty Ken]

Originally Posted by Tom S.

As I stated, if it's a web redirect, it's a virus, but if it's a pop up, it isn't. The difference between the two is a web redirect occurs when you click to go to one website and are taken to an entirely different site. A pop up on the other hand is when you are properly taken to the correct site, but a pop up window occurs with other information. This sounds like a pop up, which should disappear if you make a forum donation.

On edit, I notice none of the people who have stated to be having this problem have made donations to the forum, so I'm 99.9% sure this is the problem. The forum costs money to run and maintain, and is funded by advertising and donations. Make a donation, the advertisements go away. Don't make a donation, and you indirectly support the forum via the advertisements.

It is a redirect, and is unlikely to be a virus. It’s most probably a rogue ad or something from image hosting.

[Tom S.]

I can't help those with Apple products, but here's a link for Windows. I suggest you search using 'web redirects' or someting similar.

How to remove Web Browser Redirect Virus (Windows Help Guide)

[cmansguns]

Hello forum;

Saturday evening, 09/23/2017 I got the exact same "Walmart gift card survey" and I have been contributing to this site for years. In my opinion it has nothing to do with Apple products as I have used I-Phone for many more years than I like to admit to. I also never had this problem when on P.C. (Windows) at work, home or remote.

As to Saturday night I think it was unique in that the restaurant we were at normally has free WIFI, however their "free" WIFI was down and they gave me a password to their employee WIFI, and the moment I entered Safari, things went downhill so to speak, and when I entered the S&W website....up come the site, but instantly the add to begin the Walmart $100 survey..so I just shut everything down and later at home...no problem at all, so I wonder about the security of the restaurant "employee" WIFI (and yes....there was a disclaimer that if you use this site (not the S&W forum)you expect no privacy and everything is public, even to the parking lot and adjacent surroundings according to the disclaimer). My bad....I should have known better and will always now wait for a "secure" connection.

Just my recent experience.....never had anything like it in the past since becoming a gold contributor.

[ChuckS1]

Well, just happened again when I opened the Boer War post in The Lounge a few minutes ago. This site is the only one where this appears; it does not occur on any of the other sites I regularly visit. And since it happens with forum contributors, we know it's not related to that. Anyways, just thought I'd let the admins know.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by ChuckS1

Well, just happened again when I opened the Boer War post in The Lounge a few minutes ago. This site is the only one where this appears; it does not occur on any of the other sites I regularly visit. And since it happens with forum contributors, we know it's not related to that. Anyways, just thought I'd let the admins know.

McAfee offers a anti virus / anti malware app for $20, with a 30 day money back guarantee. You might want to check it out.

[cmansguns]

Hello ChuckS1 and forum admins;

I don't know if this is a conspiracy against only Virginians (ChuckS1 is about 50 miles north of me) but as my earlier post I got the exact same message to spin a wheel for a Walmart card and I shut it down.

Anyway..just for grins I ran the website for the promo by our Corporate IT expert yesterday (I had never seen this before last Saturday), and he fairly quickly came up with several things: the website was "promo.drakensang.top"

It is a "pop-up"

"promo" means just that: someone paid to have their "add" come up whenever a key word is entered in a non secure environment (like a free wifi in a library).

"drakensang": is a on-line role-playing game out of a German firm called Bigpoint. It is known as a "freemium" MMORPG (Massive Multi Online Role Playing Game) and lists over 35 million users...started approx. 2011

".top" is a domain registration company out of China named Jiangsu Bangning that specializes in selling .top domain names and registering same so chosen by many companies that want their adds to pop up first when key words are entered into a search engine, according to my guy (who I trust really knows his stuff).

Summary of at least this dang add and for my case....he told me the reason I don't get it at work, or at home, is because I am already on the web on secure (password enabled) browsers, and all of these have some sort of anti-spam programs installed. The fact that I had entered Safari first at the restaurant's "free WIFI" or even their "employee WIFI with password" (which he said doesn't make sense as they are the same server), already placed me in que to receive the pop-up add whenever I searched for something with the key word.

So evidently when I entered "S&W forum" into the Safari search, the trip word may have been "forum" (evidently the drackensang game has a large on-line "forum") and dah-dah..up came the exact same add that ChuckS1 saw on basically the same weekend time span.

Bottom line from my IT guy? Don't worry about it but avoid public free WIFI if you are looking for something that ties to your name or anything you wish private.

Sorry for the long rant and given this is only one IT guys take on my situation, so may or may not be valid for everyone else.

Just in closing, I have never played any sort of games on my phones, or computers, so I asked my guy and he said it is not really related....the pop up company just wants to get you onto their site and if 1 person out of 1000 or even 10,000 pop-up recipients' clicks...they have more than paid for their .top fees.

Hope this helps

[ChuckS1]

And the pop-ups/hijacking are back again, this time when I opened the paratrooper post in The Lounge. Only happens on this forum and none of the others that I regularly visit. Just wanted to let you know.

[vytoland]

i NEVER experience any pop ups, ads, terrorist, boogeymen or zombies.....

[Herknav]

It's alive and well this morning. I get anywhere from 5-20 seconds in the forum before being re-directed.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by vytoland

i NEVER experience any pop ups, ads, terrorist, boogeymen or zombies.....

Usually once people contribute to the site, the ads go away. You'll notice the majority of people seeing them haven't contributed. The forum costs money to run, and one of those means of funding is through ads.

[moralem]

I don’t mind ads but this pop up simply takes me away from the forum site and dumps me on a product site. Previously it let me at least close the pop up and still stay on the forum page I was on, now it takes me away from the forum site.....will learn to live with it since it is not an official problem and nothing that can be done.......

[msjdgman]

I too am getting the re direct on my iPad. I may not frequent this forum much more if it doesn't stop. While I understand supporting a site like this, I refuse to be blackmailed into becoming a contributor to avoid this re direct ****. I am using my laptop now without issues, but I don`t bring it home daily.

[handejector]

Originally Posted by msjdgman

I too am getting the re direct on my iPad. I may not frequent this forum much more if it doesn't stop. While I understand supporting a site like this, I refuse to be blackmailed into becoming a contributor to avoid this re direct ****. I am using my laptop now without issues, but I don`t bring it home daily.

I doubt that the popup or redirect is originating here, but we are looking into it, just like we check 24/7.
You might notice that some people who are donors are seeing it, so we must not be very good "blackmailers".
I'm really gonna miss you.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by msjdgman

I too am getting the re direct on my iPad. I may not frequent this forum much more if it doesn't stop. While I understand supporting a site like this, I refuse to be blackmailed into becoming a contributor to avoid this re direct ****. I am using my laptop now without issues, but I don`t bring it home daily.

You've answered your own problem. If it's happening on your iPad but not on your laptop, the problem is on your end, not the forum or it would be happening on both devices.

Despite what Apple would have you believe, their devices are not immune to viruses, hacks, malware or other internet maladies, just less susceptible.

[kwselke]

Maybe it's Apples way of telling you to buy their newer product?

[SATX]

I get it on my iPad, on this site only.

[kenv1950]

DONATE !!!!!!

[SATX]

Originally Posted by kenv1950

DONATE !!!!!!

Originally Posted by handejector

I doubt that the popup or redirect is originating here, but we are looking into it, just like we check 24/7.
You might notice that some people who are donors are seeing it, so we must not be very good "blackmailers".
I'm really gonna miss you.

It has to be this site, why else are people reporting that it is happening on this site only? And people are reporting it goes away when javascript is disabled. Your browser downloads javascript to run on the client side browser, another reason to believe it's site specific.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by SATX

It has to be this site, why else are people reporting that it is happening on this site only? And people are reporting it goes away when javascript is disabled. Your browser downloads javascript to run on the client side browser, another reason to believe it's site specific.

Did you happen to notice the people reporting are using Apple products? Yet not all Apple users are affected. Once again, it is NOT the forum, it is something in their operating system or browser causing the issue. I wish I could point to the problem, but again, I don't have or use Apple products. And don't believe everything you hear about Apples not getting viruses, worms or malware.

[SATX]

Scripting languages can target specific devices, so yes, a web script can target just iOS. Sorry, concerning iOS virus, you don’t know if this is the case or not. If it were malware, why does this happen on this site only?

[Tom S.]

At least in the MS world, that's the way some redirects work. As soon as you click on a link to a specific site, the redirect is triggered. For MS systems, I use a site called Bleepingcomputers. They have helped me get past some pretty nasty stuff on people's machines including ransomware. I don't know if they have an Apple equivalent or not.

[Gebe]

It's back on my iPad!

[adluginb]

Happens on my iPad also. Only this site as well.

[vinny77]

Make a donation to Apple and it will go away

[cblcar]

Happening to me with my IPads. I am a donor. Very frustrating.

[Tom S.]

Again, it is NOT this forum. Your device has a problem. For help, take a look at this link: iPad browser got hijacked, now what do I do?! - Forums - CNET

Scroll down to the 1st reply and note the advice to call Apple support. I can't vow for the phone number listed - you should verify that yourself, but the advice is good.

Web Address hijacking is one of the latest frustrations in malware land and it can affect ALL devices, despite Apple's reputation. It isn't an operating virus but a browser based change that attaches itself to the browser and redirects links to sites you visit. Again, it has nothing to do with the site itself.

[arjay]

I was getting them here and on rimfire central using safari on an iPad.Clearing history and cookies seems to have fixed it

[BigDog48]

no, and i'm all Apple/Mac.

[Old cop]

I’m getting pop up ads telling me I’m the winner of a $1000 Amazon gift card when I log onto the Forum that blocks me from progressing further. I’ve tried rebooting and that does no good so I’m trying to get this posted before it happens again. Anyone else having this problem and if so how do you deal with it?

[kwselke]

Try downloading, installing, and running Malwarebytes free version. Malwarebytes | Free Cyber Security & Anti-Malware Software If it finds any threats tell it to neutralize them. It's free and an excellent addition to any AV software you may be running. That reminded me I have not run MBAM in a few weeks.