[Only Topic] Malicious "Microsoft" Ad Pop-up

First topic message reminder :

Topic made into an only topic. Please only post in this topic if you are having the similar issue.

Technical Details

Forum version : #phpBB3
Position : Administrator
Concerned browser(s) : Mozilla Firefox
Screenshot of problem : https://i.servimg.com/u/f35/19/10/96/61/forum_11.jpg
Who the problem concerns : Yourself
When the problem appeared : Today 7/15/16
Forum link : http://mst3kcaps.forumotion.com/

Description of problem

Starting today, the attached ad appears right after opening my forum's home page. I have had several pop up in the past, but this one is non-stop... and with alarms.

Is this something that comes through your paying advertisers? I haven't had any reports of this type of ad popping up from other members... there aren't many.

Thanks for the help!

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Added by APE
Please post the following in your report about this problem.....
Copy and past this code and fill in the missing parts

Code:

[b]URL of your forum:[/b]
[b]Browser this problem is showing in:[/b]
[b]Screen shot of warning:[/b]
[b]Number of users having this on your site:[/b]
[b]Do you have ad's on your forum [/b](please just say yes or no )[b]:[/b]

I haven't had any problems the past few days. Maybe the problem is cleared up?

Thanks for the help with this Forumotion!

Hello,

We have managed to find the ad provider responsible for these pop-ups. We have replaced it. Everything should be back to normal. If you're still having issues with the same pop-ups tell me.

...this isnt something youre purposely doing, if it is youre getting sued because its trying to install malware and also get pops for ransomware. I had been working on it for a couple days and yes I went to the forum maybe 3-5 times per day. If this is your design then i'll have no part of this bullshit. Thats unconscionable.

The issue is with the ad providers, not Forumotionn. Someone who uses this service has added codes to the ads. That is the reason why we ask for a screenshot and link of the ad, so we can contact the correct ad provider.

Forumotion insists we have ads, they decide who adverts, responsibility...I checked and get a very small box at the top for CBS, clicking it triggers ransomware. Sorry, I do like the way mine looks but am wasting time, think what you like. please delete my acct and board. Hopefully you get this solved and I can happily build one day.

as far as I know I must have ads on my board unless I pay extra, which I do not choose to do. If the ad service is screwing you then who decides what ad service to allow. Im sorry but its your business, your responsibility. Dont worry, wont bother you again, good luck.

then you need to figure out a way to turn off the ads on your end when things like this happen.

and dont give me that, "we need the ads to make money bit" i know this. but keeping the ads when all this malicious stuff happens hurts the forums under you. and the more they are hurt increases likelihood of repeat visitations which will then lower your ad revenue even when the malicious stuff is not happening.

so what i am saying is, when things like this happen again, turn off the ads until you figure how to fix it, then turn it back on. because leaving it on when all the malicious stuff happens not only hurts our communities, but also future ad revenue after it is fixed.

besides, part of the service you are providing should also come with an effort to keep the web visitors as safe as possible as well.

The ads have to be on so we can know which provider to contact.

no offense, but i have faith that you all can figure out a way to remove ads for the general public while still searching for the ad providers screwing things up.

this is what i am asking because if you provide a service, it should also come with a good faith effort that doesn't compromise the communities you are trying to serve. that is what happened recently. we were severely compromised.

Forumotion uses different ad providers. Forumtion can not monitor all the ads. Members are the ones who see the ads the most.

you are not getting what i am saying.

it is obvious to everyone that there was something incredibly malicious affecting most forums recently. when this happens, you all need to figure a way to turn off all ads for all forums while searching for a way to rectify the problem.

Hello everyone,

May we all just calm down a little please. We understand your frustation, believe me, we do. As stated above, the issue is with ad providers and believe me when I tell you, Forumotion is doing the best it can as fast as it can to sort out the issue with the help of their ad providers. We need all the info you guys can give us about the ads though, because without that info, we don't know which ad provider to contact about the issue as this info is needed to do this.

@multiverse As for the ads being turned off, as both myself and other staff have explained before, if Forumotion turns the ads off, the issue CAN NOT get fixed, because then Forumotion can not identify which ad providers are causing the ads. This is why they can not turn them off, because then not the issue can not be fixed. Do you understand? We understand your frustation and we are working on it, but it is just not possible to do what your asking AND fix the issue. The ads have to be on to fix the issue.

We are very sorry for the annoyances this causes all your communities and forums, we are, we are frustated too. Just know though, that forumotion is working as fast as it can to sort out the issues with the providers. In the meantime, we ask that you all remain calm, be patient and give us all the info Leviosa and the pro staff ask for, so that the issue can be resolved as quickly as possible.

Sorry once again for any and all in conviences and frustations you all have had and we would appericate your calm and patience as Forumotion works with its ad providers to sort out all the issues we are having.

-Brandon and the rest of the Forumotion Team

and do you not understand that i am saying figure out a way to look for the malicious ad providers while turning off ads for the general public?

this isn't about when there is a one time ad causing problems for one forum. i am talking about times when it is a global issue affecting most everyone such as what happened recently.

I understand what you are saying. I am saying, that it is NOT POSSIBLE to figure out a way to do what your asking and still fix the issue. If there was a way, forumotion would have figured it out and done it already. You can't figure out a way to do something that is simply impossible to do.

-Brandon

Just to chime in here.
Brandon we get you have to have adds to catch the problem. However let me offer a few suggestions.
1) set up 5,10,15 test forums you can use to test and research the issues.
2) have a safety script that can temporarily turn off all forums adds. Reset the add switch after the problem is isolated and fixed.
3) Find a way to hold your add providers accountable. I would speculate their hurry to make revenue has caused a lack of good development and release procedures. Again putting you and us at risk.
4) Add hijacking is a very common issue.

Observations.
1) leaving the adds on put our members at risk. I had an older less technical member actually fall for this scam.
2) maybe I am wrong but I notice your site does not run adds.

How much does it cost to turn the ads off? My board has been active since 2009, so I have forgotten how that was calculated. Maybe you have a thread that explain this. Could you provide a link to the thread or maybe a FAQ page?

If I know how much this may cost, I can bring it back to our members and see if we can pony up the cash. The cost of removing the ads may be less than the computer repair bill(s) that result from this invasion.

Ads removal for members and moderators only cost 1000 credits for one year. Ads removal for guests and members and moderators cost 2000 credits for one year.

You can find all these in the Administration Panel:
Admin Panel > Misc > Credits management > Spend credits > Ads

Luffy wrote:Ads removal for members and moderators only cost 1000 credits for one year. Ads removal for guests and members and moderators cost 2000 credits for one year.

You can find all these in the Administration Panel:
Admin Panel > Misc > Credits management > Spend credits > Ads

I cannot access that area. It says, "Only the founder can access this section." Our founder died last year and I now share that responsibility with two other mods who were heavily involved with the start-up.

You guys know about this, but apparently, my own board does not accept me as the "founder". (LOL) How do I get my own board to accept me as "founder"?

Also, what is a credit? We only understand real money.

gyso wrote:

Luffy wrote:Ads removal for members and moderators only cost 1000 credits for one year. Ads removal for guests and members and moderators cost 2000 credits for one year.

You can find all these in the Administration Panel:
Admin Panel > Misc > Credits management > Spend credits > Ads

I cannot access that area. It says, "Only the founder can access this section." Our founder died last year and I now share that responsibility with two other mods who were heavily involved with the start-up.

You guys know about this, but apparently, my own board does not accept me as the "founder". (LOL) How do I get my own board to accept me as "founder"?

Also, what is a credit? We only understand real money.

Hello @gyso

Please read here for founders account
https://help.forumotion.com/t81878-recovery-or-change-founder-of-an-account

Thank you so much for working on this. Some of our members have been having issues as well.

Also the ads need to be on to locate the ad providers because it is not the same ad that is causing the issues. Sometimes it is different ads. I mean in appearance and links.

Hello,

Is the problem solved? Did someone have the pop-up today?

um, did not like this for my website: http://mugenmultiverse.fanbb.net/

this is not from a member, my own screenshot

Hello @multiverse ,

See if this topic helps solve your issue at all: https://help.forumotion.com/t128897-how-to-clean-up-your-forum-after-a-google-chrome-malware-alert .

-Brandon

...I went and cooled off, cause these are nice forums. But when I went today, got to my forum, opened a page and when I clicked to start a new post I got a malicious popup to download some kind of software, immediately closed it. man, cant wait for this to be solved. I hope you guys understand all this. You are offering a service, we should in this case have reasonable expectation that your service works as described and is safe. One so that we dont get a virus or mailicious software from visiting and two so people who visit our forums dont also. When bad things popup then forums become unuseable. This is your forum service, you are responsible. end of line

www.dimeolas.forumotion.com

dimeolas wrote:...I went and cooled off, cause these are nice forums. But when I went today, got to my forum, opened a page and when I clicked to start a new post I got a malicious popup to download some kind of software, immediately closed it. man, cant wait for this to be solved. I hope you guys understand all this. You are offering a service, we should in this case have reasonable expectation that your service works as described and is safe. One so that we dont get a virus or mailicious software from visiting and two so people who visit our forums dont also. When bad things popup then forums become unuseable. This is your forum service, you are responsible. end of line

www.dimeolas.forumotion.com

Could you please get a screenshot of this popup?

Hello,

This topic should be archived. Those pop-ups are not issue anymore.

Problem solved & topic archived. Please read our forum rules: ESF General Rules

dimeolas wrote:...I went and cooled off, cause these are nice forums. But when I went today, got to my forum, opened a page and when I clicked to start a new post I got a malicious popup to download some kind of software, immediately closed it. man, cant wait for this to be solved. I hope you guys understand all this. You are offering a service, we should in this case have reasonable expectation that your service works as described and is safe. One so that we dont get a virus or mailicious software from visiting and two so people who visit our forums dont also. When bad things popup then forums become unuseable. This is your forum service, you are responsible. end of line

www.dimeolas.forumotion.com

Please check this thread : https://help.forumotion.com/t128897-how-to-clean-up-your-forum-after-a-google-chrome-malware-alert