Malware via Pprune?

[Capot]

This invitation appears at the bottom of the page on Pprune from time to time.

Is it as lethal as it appears to be, and if so, how did it get on Pprune?

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff141/picshooter/Pprunemalware_zpsee25d736.png

[ChrisA87]

It's "just" a Google Ad.

https://support.google.com/adxbuyer/answer/181490?hl=en

[Capot]

Thanks for that, and I even took a deep breath and clicked the link, half-expecting Avast to block it.

But it didn't, and I read some of the stuff about preventing malware getting into a computer.

The most potent method, AFAIK, is never, ever to click on unknown links, especially when they are totally unidentifiable and look as suspicious as this one does. But Google doesn't say that.

I have just confessed to doing exactly that. What an idiot I am.

[BEagle]

Unfortunately the plethora of spam-inspired advertising on PPRuNe now includes adverts which provoke security warnings.

Please will someone wake up those people in Yankland who run the previously-excellent PPRuNe and get them to sort out the advertising rubbish which now infests this site!

[Milo Minderbinder]

whatever you say, YOU have a responsibility to protect your own PC and the only way is by using safe browsing habits

as we've said before many times, use Firefox with the Ad-Block, Ad-block popup, No-script and Ghostery plugins and you stand a good chance of being safe.
Use any other browser and you are at risk

[mixture]

whatever you say, YOU have a responsibility to protect your own PC and the only way is by using safe browsing habits

What he said.

I mean.....

I even took a deep breath and clicked the link

:ugh:

You deserve what you got.

[Sunnyjohn]

Mixture and I do not always agree but this time we do. If in doubt, don't click!

[Keef]

You absolutely need top-class protection for your PC these days.

I don't click on links in e-mails (or not without doing some checks first) - but this morning I received an e-mail that triggered an Avast warning as soon as I went to open it. In fact, it didn't open (thanks to Avast). I can't recall previously having an e-mail that set off the alarms like that.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Avast changed the way it scans e-mails with the last major update.
Whereas before it had problems scanning SSL mail connections, now it can and it therefore stands more chance of picking up rogue mails