My Work P.C. & Norton Anti- Virus really dont like the new format

[abigail4476]

Email excerpt from Huddler (some irrelevant items removed)

Hi guys,
...This update focused mainly on user experience tweaks and bug fixes, so there aren't a whole lot of significant user-facing feature changes; however, there is a lot of good stuff coming soon.  Here are the release notes:

• Reply-to for feedback emails is now set to the original sender.
• Line breaks in text emails (like feedback emails) are now processed properly.
• The smiley selection box will now expand its size properly in IE7
• The Java uploader in the gallery will only be loaded when a user clicks to load it.
• On forum index pages, the number of people viewing a forum also includes all users viewing a child forum.
• Line breaks are now processed properly in the text editor when the WYSIWYG editor is not loaded (such as when posting on an iPhone).
• It is no longer possible to try to enter more characters in a forum description than are allowed.
• When editing a subscription, the "Site only" preference now shows "Site only (no email)" to describe the function better.
• Popup PM notifications now properly take you to your PM inbox.
• The "Lock" icon now shows properly for locked wikis on wiki lists.

We are also really close to launching the Moderator Queue, which will replace the Spam Queue and the Flagged Content Queue.  We are going to be testing that over the next week or so and anticipate that we will be able to launch it either next week or the following week.  We'll be updating LearnHuddler with more information when we get closer to launching, so expect an email about that soon.

If you have any questions, please give me a yell!

---

Kyle Harmon

Partner Services - Huddler.com

 

[abigail4476]

While every problem may not be repaired yet, I think it is important to know that the SMF moderators and admin are giving their best effort to respond to all concerns.  Based on the response we have had from Huddler, we can safely assume that they are also trying to make sure all problems are resolved.  

 

[helljack6]

Man I've been testing for the past day or so just because that's how I roll and I've clicked on every ad I came across after disabling all browser security on several machines and browsers.  I was also browsing as a guest user and no dice..

I just don't see the problem.

I do see that after actually clicking on an ad that you get pop-ups and such and I've reported those ads and noticed that they didn't show up again after that.

My guess is the machines that are having issues are already infected with some sort of malware.

Hey folks, been a long time, but it's time to jump back into something I know. I like a few others, have zero problems accessing SMF.com site, with or without popups. This next part is going to shock you, I've done it both with and WITHOUT a/v software installed on my computers and have YET to have issues. This includes a computer on a VERY strict gov't computer complete with all the protections and security policies you could ever want.

Some things you should be looking at when your a/v software blocks/stops or otherwise prevents an attack/malicious script from running.

1. What is the actual error? I've researched the suspect pdf downloaded issue and it's not coming from the site. I'm putting money on that one.

2. What's the kill box look like for those of you getting some type of redirect or otherwise? Is it a red screen with a white box saying this site's been blocked? If so, again, it's not the site, YOUR computer is already infected.

It's a REALLY good possibility (slightly less likely but still very possible for machines used on a work based LAN/Internet connection) that the machines accessing this site are already infected with something. Just because you have Mcafee or Norton doesn't mean you're oblivious to spyware/malware. On the contrary, Spyware/Malware are completely different than Virus and because of that even the most current a/v software isn't completely designed to detect or much less remove spyware/malware, but moreso ONLY VIRUS infections based on how the built in detection engine was designed. That being said, if it's your home computer/laptop or if you actually have administrator rights on your computer at work, download/install/run Malwarebytes from malwarebytes.org, and Spybot from Safer-Networking.org, update and scan with these two programs as they are designed to seek out spyware/malware much more efficiently and effectively than relying on either a stand alone or all in one a/v software.

I realize that there's probably other very computer savvy people here, i've met a few. Not saying that it's not 100% SMF.com's fault either, but 99.9% of every computer i've had to remediate from things like this start with the end user, usually clicking on something they didn't quite understand or clicking on something they "thought" was a legit warning. I've said it before and i'll say it again, unless your a/v software BY design is suppose to show you some type of pop up during a particular action, WINDOWS by nature is NOT designed to do that, at all.

Some of the more common "spyware/malware" titles:

Personal Antivirus 200? (changes per year)

Personal Security Center (resembles something very similar to the Windows Security Center)

any popup that suggests that atapi.sys has become infected (big reason of constant site redirects to to exploiting of a coding flaw in atapi.sys)

If you're using Vista/Windows 7, do NOT turn off the UAC (User Access Control) setting in the control panel. I don't care what anyone tells you, unless you're an advanced system user/network admin/system admin/sweep team remediater DON'T do it. Most of the software being installed remotely or in the background require a certain set of user privileges generally inherent to an account that has admin rights over a machine. The UAC in Vista/Windows 7 takes that one step HIGHER in that even if you are an administrator, certain system access rights are still out of your reach unless you physically consent by clicking on specific prompts, something that spyware/malware haven't yet been able to replicate without extremely complex coding.

If you aren't sure and are willing/wanting to go a little distance, PM me, we'll set up a time and I'll remote into your computer and show you what you're probably missing.

 

[jaxgatorz]

The smiley selection box will now expand its size properly in IE7.. when does that happen??

 

[richoso1]

The smiley selection box will now expand its size properly in IE7.. when does that happen??

I tried it using IE7 and when i click on the Smiley's icon, I can see it loading many icons, but I can only see 3 rows and a partial 4th row.The selection box does not expand for me.

 

[jaxgatorz]

I tried it using IE7 and when i click on the Smiley's icon, I can see it loading many icons, but I can only see 3 rows and a partial 4th row.The selection box does not expand for me.

ditto

 

 

[indyadmin1974]

Email excerpt from Huddler (some irrelevant items removed)

Hi guys,
...This update focused mainly on user experience tweaks and bug fixes, so there aren't a whole lot of significant user-facing feature changes; however, there is a lot of good stuff coming soon.  Here are the release notes:

• Reply-to for feedback emails is now set to the original sender.
• Line breaks in text emails (like feedback emails) are now processed properly.
• The smiley selection box will now expand its size properly in IE7
• The Java uploader in the gallery will only be loaded when a user clicks to load it.
• On forum index pages, the number of people viewing a forum also includes all users viewing a child forum.
• Line breaks are now processed properly in the text editor when the WYSIWYG editor is not loaded (such as when posting on an iPhone).
• It is no longer possible to try to enter more characters in a forum description than are allowed.
• When editing a subscription, the "Site only" preference now shows "Site only (no email)" to describe the function better.
• Popup PM notifications now properly take you to your PM inbox.
• The "Lock" icon now shows properly for locked wikis on wiki lists.

We are also really close to launching the Moderator Queue, which will replace the Spam Queue and the Flagged Content Queue.  We are going to be testing that over the next week or so and anticipate that we will be able to launch it either next week or the following week.  We'll be updating LearnHuddler with more information when we get closer to launching, so expect an email about that soon.

If you have any questions, please give me a yell!

---

Kyle Harmon

Partner Services - Huddler.com

At the risk of ruffling feathers, I don't think this has anything to do with Jim's original problem and this thread is now getting hijacked.

While this may be a a PEBKAC error (google it) as a majority of us are not having this issue, enough different threads or posts in threads exist out there on this very issue that I would say there is some validity to the claim.

When I first heard of this I jumped right on SMF's side and took my ubernerd approach that the people having this problem already have infections or don't really know what they are doing...now I'm not so sure.

It could be on the server itself and not necessarily an issue with the software except that it happens to be running infected code.

What I think the folks that are having this issue need to do is get with a mod or an admin and get very specific (just like Jim has done here) with the issue they are having.

Screenshots are good, logging is better.  When I am helping people with the software I support though I want details:
- times this has happened (so I can look at server and application logs)

- what else were you doing when this happened

- has this happened before

- has this happened from the moment you used the new site (really think about this...don't just assume) or did it start happening later on

The best test for Jim at this point would be to have an admin make him a premier member temporarily and allow him to turn off ads and see if the problem goes away.

 

[chisoxjim]

interesting feedback,

once again, I have malwarebytes installed on my work computer as well as Norton.  The only time I have issues is on the new SMF, and only at work, and only since the new software was instatlled.  I have a popup blocker on my work pc as well.   Any other forum I go to @ work causes me zero problems.

My wifes laptop which i use at home has zero issues with SMF.  Probably different, more secure network we log into to access the net.

I thought this was the area to report problems,  This is my last post on this subject.