# Malware In SoftPedia Site?



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

For the past few days while browsing through the SoftPedia site, I've had the following occur:
1. The webpage freezes and then turns completely white. 
2. The message in the below image appears.

It happens in both Windows 7 and in Windows 10 while using the Internet Explorer 11.0.146 browser.
It hasn't happened (yet) while using the Mozilla Firefox Quantum 69.0.1 browser.

I know better than to click on or try to close anything.
After I restart the computer, everything is fine.

I've been using the SoftPedia site for years to read its news and to check for updates for apps that I use.
This is the first time that I've had this problem at this webpage.

Has anyone else here had the same problem?










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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

No problems here in the UK. No pop up warnings at the website.
Downloaded two trusted security programs to my Win 7 desktop, scanned both exe files with Comodo Internet Security. 
Both came back clean.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Are you using Internet Explorer or some other browser?

I just finished browsing the site with Mozilla Firefox Quantum, and the same thing did NOT happen - for now anyway. 

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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Sorry, I should of added. One program was downloaded with an updated Firefox browser and one through an updated version of Brave browser.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I decided to do something since my last reply to you.
I used the Internet Explorer browser to load the SoftPedia site, then I sat there and watched it without clicking on or doing anything.
Within less than 15 seconds, the site went completely white, then this new message appeared.










After I captured an image of it, I restarted the computer.
I then ran scans with Malwarebytes AdwCleaner and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware.
All 3 scans were clean.

This is getting more and more interesting.

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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

I admire your sticking with IE. However, could this just an IE problem on your pc?
It's a question that I do not have an answer to.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Apparently it's nothing to worry about:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-your-windows-is-infected-popup-scam


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I did the same thing with Mozilla Firefox Quantum, and nothing happened, so I'm beginning to suspect it's affecting only Internet Explorer.

There was an out-of-cycle security update for Internet Explorer on September 23rd:
KB4522007 - Windows 7
KB4522016 - Windows 10

I'm pretty sure this problem started after the security update was installed, so it may be at the root of it.

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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

K:

Thanks for posting that link.

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## 2twenty2 (Jul 17, 2003)

Thanks for the heads up


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

You're welcome Frank. As the article says, if it happens helter skelter then you may have a minor adware problem but since your scans turned up clean I doubt that's the case. It's likely a scam ad on that site.


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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

flavallee said:


> K:
> 
> Thanks for posting that link.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I just switched to a different computer and am going to load the SoftPedia site in Internet Explorer to see what happens.
I'll be back in a few minutes.

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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

We await your update Frank.
Talking of a different computer.
I have just visited SoftPedia website on a Linux [Peppermint] Operating System using a Chromium browser and there is nothing to report. No problems found.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

After switching to a different Windows 7 computer, I loaded the SoftPedia site in Internet Explorer and sat there watching it.
Again within less than 15 seconds, the site froze and displayed a warning message.
This time, it was associated with McAfee - which has never been installed in my computers.










After I restarted the computer, I loaded the SoftPedia in Mozilla Firefox Quantum and sat there watching it.
Nothing happened, even after I browsed through the site for about 2 minutes.

This appears to be a problem only with Internet Explorer - for me anyway.

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## SeanLaurence (Sep 6, 2019)

Frank,
I would suspect that there are some ads on the Softpedia site that have less that pure intent.
I use "Ublock Origin" on Chrome, Firefox and Edge. IE of course does allow for adblocker plugins.
It is reporting doubleclick.net, googleanalytics.com, and googlesyndication.com as being blocked. All of these are well used ad services and should be vetting their advertisers.
That doesn't mean they are perfect. 
I have loaded the https://www.softpedia.com/ with IE and have left it on while I write this. I see some ads served by google, but nothing nearly as obnoxious as you are seeing.
Maybe my ISP here in Canada uses DNS to block the worst offenders. I know my mother gets these types of ads on occasion - She has a different ISP and uses Firefox.


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## SeanLaurence (Sep 6, 2019)

flavallee said:


> .This appears to be a problem only with Internet Explorer - for me anyway.


Friends don't let friends use Internet explorer. 
http://www.intellectualpoison.com/2006/02/friends-dont-let-friends-use-internet.html

The only reason to use IE in 2019 is if you need it to run a legacy application on a corporate network that does not work with any other browser.
If your bank needs IE for their website to work properly, then I would seriously consider changing banks.
I suppose it is OK to use IE to download Firefox or Chrome on a fresh windows 7 install, now that the End of Life date is looming for Win 7, even that is a weak reason.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Sean:

Thanks for your replies and advice.
I'm a creature of habit and have been using Internet Explorer as my primary browser since way back in the late 90's when it was version 4.
I use Mozilla Firefox Quantum as a secondary browser because a select few websites load and work better in it.
My bank and credit card and on-line shopping sites all work okay in both browsers, so that's not a problem.
I very much dislike Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge and have no intention of using either of them.
I may eventually ditch Internet Explorer, but not until I'm forced to. 
I'll be testing Windows 7 after February 2020 "patch Tuesday" to see if its End-Of-Life is capable of being extended like Windows XP and Vista were.

Frank 

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## bassfisher6522 (Aug 8, 2008)

Hey Frank, have you reset IE to factory defaults? 

If this were any other browser, I'd swear your browser was hijacked. That's exactly how a hijacked browser acts, look in you programs list for anything out of the ordinary. Then open IE settings and look for addons that you didn't install or allow.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I've already gone into *Tools - Internet Options* and checked my personalized settings.
Everything there appears to be okay.

I'm going to wait until after October 2019 "patch Tuesday" to see if the same problem exists with Internet Explorer.
So far, SoftPedia is the only one of my regularly-visited websites that's displaying these warning messages.

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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...port-scam-harvesting-credit-card-information/


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