VIRUS PROBLEMS! PLEASE READ!
We've had some complaints that people have gotten a virus from coming here to HHoW or that ads on HHoW have automatically redirected them. I've done some checking and it turns out that Forumer changed everyone over from Ads by Google to ads sold by another company. Once they did that, people started having issues. I use Firefox with AdBlock Plus at home and have had no problems. However, my office uses IE7 and I've gotten a virus there twice. I am not the most popular person with the IT department, that's for sure. At least one other member has reported getting the virus. We've requested that our forum be returned to Ads by Google. In order to do this, Forumer must review HHoW to make sure that we don't break any Terms of Service or have objectionable material. They're hoping to do this in the next few days. In the meantime, here's some info about how the virus works and how to get rid of it courtesy of another forum owner: 1) The virus imbeds itself into an ad on the forum, usually in contraversial post such as "Universal Healthcare" or "Abortion." It probably targets such threads because they get high traffic volumes. It is not coming from any of the actual posts (meaning one of our members didn't hide it there in a post); it is coming specifically from the ads. 2) It takes you to a hacker site that masquerades as an anti-virus site automatically when loading a forumer page. It takes over your computer as soon as you access the site and disables any anti-virus program you have, then tells you that you are infected, and tries to get you to agree to their “virus scan”, which actually loads a key logger and other spy viruses onto your system. Their scan insistence program totally takes over your system, and will not let you do anything else until you agree to the scan. It disables ctl-alt-del, run msconfig, and other modifying capabilities. It hides itself in your user folders at C:/Users/Your Name/AppData/Local/ It usually has a weird name like "omgly09" and the sort. You can only delete it when your computer is in SAFE MODE. Basically, restart your computer and hit F8 as soon as it boots up. It brings you to a screen with bootup options. Choose "Safe Mode." In Safe Mode this virus program does not run; therefore, you can delete it. Also go to RUN and type in "msconfig" and uncheck the virus from starting up when your computer starts up. I sincerely hope you haven't had any problems with this and if you did, you have my apologies. We're trying to get the situation remedied ASAP. Be careful out there!

I got that anti-virus virus on my work computer (which is crap Dell.) They're rebuilding my entire system it was so fragged. Luckily nothing important was lost, but still ...

It toasted my work computer too. I hope they resolve this ASAP.

Thanks for the heads-up, I've been using Chrome but will go back to Firefox for HHoW. Does this virus launch a program called Antivirus Pro or Windows Antivirus Pro? With a blue shield icon in the system tray? I spent half a day Tuesday eradicating it from someone's computer at work - or so I thought. Maybe it's not actually gone, from what you are saying.

I got the virus on my laptop and office computer and it turned an expensive horrifying experience. I now have Norton which will counter-attack/kill anything. So I can come here with no worries now - except at the office. They have something but it isn't Norton so I have to take my laptop to work if I want to play at HHOW. peggy06 = yes that's what happened to me and it wrapped around my wini sys files. My office computer had to be completely cleaned, i.e. everything deleted including my email address book/calendar. I keep boss' calendar so not good at all! Also, not a good thing when it comes time for my performance evaluation :?

I've come to this site via both IE and Firefox, but from now on, it will only be Firefox.

Apparently Forumer has checked us out and we've been approved for getting "ads by google" back. I don't know how long it takes but they've acknowledged we don't have any of the following on our site: * Warez / Piracy / Hacking / Viruses, or illegal mp3's * Adult / Obscene material * Depictions of Minors/Children (even minimal sexual context is not allowed) * Illegal Drugs / Terrorism * Derogatory/Slanderous/Racial/Explicit Material * Sharing of passwords / Serial Numbers / * Invasion on privacy / Impersonation of others * Spam / MLM * Harassment * Illegal Conduct of Any Sort (That's the official list from the Forumer TOC.)

Forumer said that they will let us know when we've been returned to Ads by Google. As soon as we know, we'll post here.

Yes! Thanks for the change! That is EXACTLY what I got. The message trying to get my to update a fake anti spyware program, but later it tried redirecting me to adult sites. Thankfully my work blocked those sites, but somehow they didn't block the virus. My issue has always been, that yes I can use firefox at work but I can't install/download anything like ad blocker. So I am using firefox for this site, but without adblocker at work.. I hope this will change some of the objectable ads too highlighting cleavage and boobs heh.

AdBlocker and Popup Blocker are add ons for Firefox. My company is very strict about downloads, but those are allowed.

Here's the full story- firefox is already installed on my work computer but its an old version. I tried getting adblocker and firefox's website wouldn't let me download it seeing I have an old version of firefox. I tried downloading the new version of firefox and that's what's blocked by work- downloading new firefox. I don't want to be requesting them to do anything special for me (update firefox).

It might be worth asking them. It's a lot easier for them to update Firefox which is a quick procedure, than to spend a day or longer battling a virus on your computer. Although, I might not phrase it to them that way! :-)