Virus Threats To My Computer on SD?

Question

Hi, everyone:

Over the past week my antivirus program is notifying me when I visit some pages on SD that a threat has been secured...that the antivirus program has safely locked the file in my quarentine. It then brings up the idea of running a computer scan because more threats may be lurking.

I'm not sure about this but I think this only happens with pages on SD from years back. So it started when someone PM'd me almost a week ago with links to pages from years ago and now it happens when someone answers a question on Q&A from a subject that was covered years ago.

My antivirus program has not had any threat secured messages for me on any other webstite that I have visited. These messages are popping up on SD only over the past week.

So is SD safe to use or is there bad stuff floating around on SD? This is a matter of great concern.

I've seen some disturbing things happen this later summer on SD. Aside from the spam problem everything was fine on SD. I so wish I could turn back the hands of time. Now I got this virus concern. :( - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

Answer 1

I reported this to support, and was told that it has to do with advertisers that the antivirus software identifies as threats. I was assured that the site itself is not infected. They want to know about it when it happens, so that they can handle it with the advertiser who's causing it to happen.

Thanks so much for this valuable information, Gekkosan. - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

Answer 2

I have the same problem when I'm using my cellphone.

The antivirus automatically log me out and I can't do anything.

So I only participate when I'm on my laptop.

Wow, that sounds frustrating to be logged out like that. I'm glad you have a laptop. That's what I have; I don't use my cellphone. - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

Answer 3

I use Norton (Symantec) software. I haven't had the problem that you describe even though I occasionally reread old threads. I don't recall having opened a picture on those old threads, so I more or less agree with Guillermo. It could be the advertisers too, as Gekkosan pointed out.

Also, my antivirus software does random scans throughout the day. Once a month I do a full scan all the way down to the "C:\" level.

I got burned once a long time ago, but no more. I would prefer a cockroach infestation to having to go through that again.

I have that same protection and it always takes care of it. I don't think it has anything to do with a thread being an older one. I've had that when someone posts a picture that Norton considers to Maybe be a site not to visit. - rac1, Aug 25, 2017

Thanks. I'll make a point of running a full scan once a month. :) It must be really tuough if you get burnt. With my first laptop I had a friend set things up but he stupidly didn't set me up with an anti virus program and things got ugly really fast. - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

Answer 4

I believe this has happened before. It's probably a picture linked from a site considered dangerous by your antivirus software. As long as you don't actually navigate to the site where the picture is from you should be fine.

Thanks so much Guillermo. What a relief! - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

Yes, it is. I've had that happen and I found out it would lead to a picture. It just means that my anti virus protection is working. No problem. :) - rac1, Aug 25, 2017

Going back, I remember this happening in other forum where I had full administrator access and was able to track the problem. It was a picture from a "malicious" site. Just showing the picture in the thread was enough to trigger the antivirus alert. - 00fac92a, Aug 25, 2017

Answer 5

Hi Sassette

I have experienced the same issue with my antivirus software giving me a warning about having to block some Spanishdict website pages on many occasions in the past! When it first happened it used to worry me that I wouldn't ever be able to use the site safely again but then I realized that the site itself is secure ...but that some of the adverts are connected to sites deemed (considered) unsafe by a number of antivirus software programmes!

I think you can relax now Sassette, it's not as bad as it seems because Spanishdict is safe provided you avoid the adverts!

From the advertisers point of view this is like scoring a home goal or shooting themselves in the foot..they are not doing themselves any favours by making their website inaccessible from a safely point of view!

Thanks, Feliz! I was in a really bad mood fearing I couldn't feel that safe using SD anymore. Now, I undertand that things are safe. Thanks goodness for the Q & A feature on SD! Of course, aside from SD everyone needs to have an antivirus program anyway. - Sassette, Aug 25, 2017

You are welcome, Sassette....you are right about needing antivirus :) - FELIZ77, Aug 25, 2017