Has anyone else seen this? I was surfing a web page on the StarTribune when the window collapsed and a warning appeared telling me I had a virus and needed to install an antivirus software with a install or cancel buttons. I have pop-up blocker on. I grabbed a snap shot of the window. The site is xponlinescanner.com. I did not install it but I can see where someone who is confused could misread what is said. It could read very convincingly to inexperienced user. I do not remember clicking on an ad but then again my track can be a little flakey. I wish there was a way to keep auto installs from even coming up like it did.
The pop-up blocker doesn't block all pop-ups, some evildoers have found ways to trick various blocker schemes. Luckily you are on a Mac and smart enough not to fall for such.
I just had the same pop-up happen to me. I also grabbed a screenshot, and then did a 'force quit', forcing the broken Safari fragment in the lower right-hand corner to close, as well as the xponlinescanner window. I DID NOT click on the 'ok' or the 'cancel'.
I just signed up for a Twitter account yesterday--that couldn't have left me vulnerable, could it? Sorry--a true novice question, I'm afraid. Your laughter is understandable!
Thanks to anyone posting more information on this xponlinescanner window.
I have always had problems with the Star and Tribune; Pioneer Press works fine under Safari. I downloaded Firefox to read the Red Star as it freezes Safari. Red Star is a Micro$oft only paper. I do not get those pop-ups in FF. Also, MacDailyNews is notorious for ads that break in on Safari with pop-up blocker on. Guess they're getting greedy.
By the way, my iPod touch totally blocks the pop-ups from MacDailyNews. Too bad I like to read the forums on MDN, because it sure irks me they do that.
I have experienced this same situation and when I use my dsl provider web search, logged in, I get the search results. When I click on the site I want, it always redirects me to some other site that I dont even want. I have tried macscan2 to isolate tracking cookies, but it just kept doing it. You are not the only one dealing with this. If I use the dsl provider web search, not being logged in to my homepage, it takes me directly to the specific site that I click on in the search results list.
I have seen this warning twice when i'm on Photobucket.com. Comes up as a warning that your macintosh is possibly infected with a virus. You get the safari warning, and a little pop-up window down in the far right of your screen, i clicked on it and it takes to an anti-virus for Windows users. No big deal. I just laugh, quit Safari, and open it again. Just more soliciting by anti-virus software trying hook in newly converted mac users.
Cyberhawk--I am SO GLAD you posted your comment. I had precisely the same scenario--uploading to Photobucket, the little box in the bottom right-hand corner telling me I had viruses, and coming from xponline. I tried to close the box, but more and more of them kept opening, and I was terrified. They wanted me to click on a .exe file to receive the generous gift of their Anti-Virus app, but even though I know Macs can't run an executable, I'm also not stupid enough to even try to run that kind of file when I don't know the source. (I'm a long-time PC user, this is my first wonderful Mac.) After that happened, I continued (for about 2 weeks) to have random windows opening out of nowhere, going to URLs that I've never heard of. I started getting lots more Spam in my Gmail, which made me think even more that I DID in fact have a virus. Finally, Firefox (preferred browser) simply could not load my homepage, which is my Gmail inbox. It kept trying, flashing the blue progress bar along the side and at the bottom, but it couldn't get beyond the word "Loading" at the upper left corner of the window. Safari could load Gmail inbox with no problem. I was so concerned at this point that I took my MacBook to the Apple store, they moved my bookmarks from Firefox to Safari, then dragged Ffox to the Trash. I'd really rather be using Firefox, but this situation has caused me to wonder for the first time if I should have an anti-virus app on this Mac. I know long-time Mac users say it's not needed, but I use Pbucket a lot and don't want that situation to recur. (Have no idea if Pbucket has anything to do with this, but it sure is an unbelievable situation that it happened to you from Pbucket as well.) So should I not use Firefox? Do I need an anti-virus app (which I notice can be downloaded from the Apple site)? Any advice most welcome here.
If you did need anti-virus software, someday... you would hear about, it would be all over these forums. You should really use the new Safari, it's more solid and faster than Firefox. Plus, your updates for it will come faster to you than Firefox would for Mac. Apple has been perfecting Safari and Mail over many years, it's well integrated into your OS, so why wouldn't you use it?
Like said, if that annoying pop-up shows up again, just close Safari, and re-open it. Make sure you have "Block Pop-Ups Windows" checked/selected under the main Safari drop down menu, and If it starts running a little slow, just empty the Safari cache.
Hi Cyberhawk, and thank you so much for the info. I am inclined to agree re browsers--Safari with Tiger was just "bland," if that makes sense. But with Leopard, it is greatly improved. One thing I'm still not clear on is that there seems to be disagreement as to whether or not "Enable plug-ins" should be checked or not. I have it checked now, but I don't really know what the security risks are (if any), or what the effects would be if i turned that capability off. I welcome opinions in this area. Thanks again.
