Spam or something originating at Boneyard

[tomcat]

Over the last two days I have been on BY and twice now something has taken over the screen. It is called systemerror01x21232.com and it tries to convince the computer owner that it is Microsoft and to call a number and have security problems fixed. It locks up the screen pretty well. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Chrome, if that matters.

 

[FairView]

Your solution:
Mac

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Since Facebook is the biggest propagator of false news, why would you think an advertising packager who serves boards like this would be immune from viral hackers. heck, Apple's App Store, this to Fairview above, does not ever bother screening Apps it lists for Malware. Redundancy in antivirus etc is a good, good thing.

 

[tomcat]

Your solution:
Mac

That's just silly. First off, this problem seems pretty fixable, so the real answer is "Your Solution: reset the computer." So why did I post this? Not to get a fix, but to alert other people, especially the good folks who run this site, in case there is anything they can do to remove the problem from their end.
But really?
I like Macs. My department, when I ran one, was full of designers and we used lots of Macs. But I need to drop what? $1,200? $1,400 on a Mac laptop? to stop being spammed by some scammer who is so transparently stupid that no sane person would call? I fine Apple stuff to be high quality and grossly overpriced. So when my limited income doubles, a Mac will be in my future.Yup.

 

[CL82]

I've been getting a spam image as well ...

 

[tomcat]

Your solution:
Mac

But if there is someone on here who is affected by this thing and cannot find a fix, it's nice to know there are kind, considerate folks like you ready to lend a helping hand.

 

[pinotbear]

 

[FairView]

I was just joking in that smug, arrogant Mac-user kind of way.

 

[j66kicker]

Your solution:
Mac

That won't do it. Couple days ago, on my Mac, using Chrome, I got a similar page. Don't remember if I was using the BY at the time. But a new page opened, advising me to NOT turn off my Mac or I would be at risk of hardware failure. Instructions to call an 800# immediately, verify my Apple username & ID (ALERT!!!), and get Apple to fix my issue . Believable Apple logos, etc, but just didn't seem very Apple-like. More like someone trying to harvest usernames & IDs. I closed the page and it never came back.

 

[GoingPostal]

That's just silly. First off, this problem seems pretty fixable, so the real answer is "Your Solution: reset the computer." So why did I post this? Not to get a fix, but to alert other people, especially the good folks who run this site, in case there is anything they can do to remove the problem from their end.
But really?
I like Macs. My department, when I ran one, was full of designers and we used lots of Macs. But I need to drop what? $1,200? $1,400 on a Mac laptop? to stop being spammed by some scammer who is so transparently stupid that no sane person would call? I fine Apple stuff to be high quality and grossly overpriced. So when my limited income doubles, a Mac will be in my future.Yup.

That KS for the heads up.

 

[JordyG]

From a virus standpoint the problem is the typical zero sum game. Windows OS occupies 97% of the worlds OS market. The rest (other) includes Mac OS, Linux and the host. Virus' are about eyes and opportunity. If you were a car mechanic opening his first shop, would you open to service only Renault's or would you service every possible car? It's the same with those guys manufacturing virus'. It's not that Mac's are virus invulnerable. That's complete and utter rubbish. Virus' are OS specific. Would you try to capture the attention of 97% of the people who own PC's or just the 3% of other? Symantec has reported that there are 40,000 new virus' a day targeting Windows. What's amazing is that there aren't more infections than there are.

If you're a Windows owner you know that almost every Tuesday there are security updates. CHECK AND UPDATE YOUR COMPUTER REGULARLY. Use ad blockers, and stay away from dodgy sites. If you're a Mac owner as your market share increases so will Mac as a target for the disreputable. Symantec reports that the number of virus' targeting Mac OS is steadily on the rise. Good luck to the unprotected or those with Apple's marketing wool pulled over their eyes.

Years ago there used to be a competition every year, a competition to show which OS was the most difficult to hack. They stopped this competition about 3 years ago because it became redundant. Every year hackers cracked Mac OS first and quickly. Windows usually won every year. It's a tough nut.

 

[Sonofabeach]

Over the last two days I have been on BY and twice now something has taken over the screen. It is called systemerror01x21232.com and it tries to convince the computer owner that it is Microsoft and to call a number and have security problems fixed. It locks up the screen pretty well. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Chrome, if that matters.

Yes I did... At work it was cool, I told the IT guy it happen on lunch break

 

[TRuconnfan]

Over the last two days I have been on BY and twice now something has taken over the screen. It is called systemerror01x21232.com and it tries to convince the computer owner that it is Microsoft and to call a number and have security problems fixed. It locks up the screen pretty well. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Chrome, if that matters.

This happened to me as well...twice yesterday while reading the boneyard. I didnt click on anything I was just reading when it happened.
Also using chrome.

 

[meyers7]

Geez, took ya a whole 12 minutes.

 

[Bliss]

Over the last two days I have been on BY and twice now something has taken over the screen. It is called systemerror01x21232.com and it tries to convince the computer owner that it is Microsoft and to call a number and have security problems fixed. It locks up the screen pretty well. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Chrome, if that matters.

DO NOT phone the number shown on the screen because this is NOT a Microsoft message. It is from scammers who want to sell you a "fix" for around $200 to resolve a problem they just created. (I learned this the hard way, duh.) Instead, just unplug everything supplying power, power back up again, and you're good to go.

 

[Rocket009]

I saw this too. I think it comes from one of the ads - if you move to cursor over it, it expands to the screen you saw. I didn't see any evidence of anything being written - so I think if you just quit and restart the browser, you are OK.

 

[chuck.r]

I have both Firefox and Chrome browsers, and in my experience this type of invasive pop-up spam (it usually creates its own tab or separate browser window) has always manifested on the Chrome browser, but not the other. Not singing the praises of one browser over the other (each has its advantages), just that Chrome seems more susceptible to this. Cleaning the cookie cache after each session seems to help, along with regular virus/malware scans with a reputable product. As a last resort, if the tab or window stubbornly refuses to let you exit, you can call up the Task Manager (cntrl - alt - delete) and end the task.

 

[huskymedic]

Over the last two days I have been on BY and twice now something has taken over the screen. It is called systemerror01x21232.com and it tries to convince the computer owner that it is Microsoft and to call a number and have security problems fixed. It locks up the screen pretty well. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Chrome, if that matters.

Same...

 

[mrmojack]

I had this happen also, on Chrome go to all programs, accessories, system tools, and hit system restore. That got rid
of the problem for me.

 

[thatguyed]

That won't do it. Couple days ago, on my Mac, using Chrome, I got a similar page. Don't remember if I was using the BY at the time. But a new page opened, advising me to NOT turn off my Mac or I would be at risk of hardware failure. Instructions to call an 800# immediately, verify my Apple username & ID (ALERT!!!), and get Apple to fix my issue . Believable Apple logos, etc, but just didn't seem very Apple-like. More like someone trying to harvest usernames & IDs. I closed the page and it never came back.

Make that call and you're going to get some guy named Brian or Walter with a huge Indian accent, I guarantee it.