Quick note about jpegs and links...........................

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

It's come to our attention (mods) that various links are being posted primarily by spammers. So you know what to look for let's say you enter a thread and you see the now infamous blue hyperlink to take you to another site; most of you already know that this is the case and 50% of you already know not to click on it, for the other 50% I'll say it now: DO NOT CLICK ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These same hyperlinks can also come up as jpeg or gif (etc.) images with links underneath them. Many of you have seen these on several websites, I'll use onionbooty as an example: you see the booty you like, you click on the jpeg and the click actually takes you to a preview movie playable via whatever media player you've specified on your machine.

To make a long story short some spammers have discovered that they can use this in our forum section and get some novice users to click on the link which might download an executable file, or something else, all of which is something you DO NOT want on your pc.

1st things 1st, please use protection: download a firewall and an antivirus program.
2nd: if you need suggestions ASK, there are more than enough pc experts on HA to help you get your pc protected properly
and 3rd:
if you see a jpeg or a hyperlink listed take the PROPER STEPS to see if it's genuine or crap. Moving your mouse pointer over the image or link will tell you where it wants you to go usually somewhere on the bottom of your browser.................

JWBL™

[elo]

So true.

[specialk]

A big red flag for spam is the "member" is a rookie with the spam link being his first post....if you see this scenerio...don't click the link.

[Legend]

May i suggest opera or firefox web browser

[hwbs]

the other thing i have found is that they are trying to blend in existing threads instead of creating a new one....they are hotlinking images through signatures...it almost looks like it is a traditional uploaded pic..so just be on the lookout and be aware...

[Ecstatic]

I recommend that everyone place their PCs behind a hardware firewall (such as a NAT'd wireless router); the only device that is then visible to the outside world is the router, and not the PC (I have five PCs on my home network behind our router; they all share the same IP address, which is the IP of the router, not the PCs). But you can open a hole in your firewall (either hardware or software) by careless browsing, so all the advice above applies as well.

[BeardedOne]

Just noticed the jpgs with embedded links. Muthahguggahs! :evil:

Also beware of the microlinks.

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

the firefox or opera browser options are excellent choices
I might suggest if you're going to use firefox that you get adblockplus

opera is a GREAT browser and I'm hoping some of the more experienced opera users will chime in with tips for browsing with it

as far as the hardware firewall, let's just say not every user on HA can or will spend the money to purchase one, but still it's an excellent point

[SarahG]

May i suggest opera or firefox web browser

Word on the street is that firefox might be sponsoring an IRL car in the not so distant future...

[MrsKellyPierce]

Back massage please

[ILuvGurls]

May i suggest opera or firefox web browser


wonderful thing

i can drive my own car....not exploder

[Coroner]

I have no understanding for those who click on the blue links because it´s so obvious that it´s a spam. Most of the spam-posts are made of some blue keywords that make no sense and If you don´t get the shit behind it, damn, you´re Rain Man!

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

Back massage please

?????????????????????!?????????????????

[hwbs]

I have no understanding for those who click on the blue links because it´s so obvious that it´s a spam. Most of the spam-posts are made of some blue keywords that make no sense and If you don´t get the shit behind it, damn, you´re Rain Man!


they are very obvious...we are just keeping everyone in the loop....

[Coroner]

I have no understanding for those who click on the blue links because it´s so obvious that it´s a spam. Most of the spam-posts are made of some blue keywords that make no sense and If you don´t get the shit behind it, damn, you´re Rain Man!


they are very obvious...we are just keeping everyone in the loop....

I have to thank as a forum-member and my previous post was not aimed at you, I was talking generally..... just a note if you think it was to you :D

[hwbs]

nah....im just updating for the people with lesser pc skills.... :lol:

[Ecstatic]

Back massage please

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I think that was Kelly's version of a Partlycloudy funny pic post. :)

[muhmuh]

I recommend that everyone place their PCs behind a hardware firewall (such as a NAT'd wireless router); the only device that is then visible to the outside world is the router, and not the PC (I have five PCs on my home network behind our router; they all share the same IP address, which is the IP of the router, not the PCs). But you can open a hole in your firewall (either hardware or software) by careless browsing, so all the advice above applies as well.

nat is _not_ a firewall

[muttley]

Back massage please

Ok here you go then.

*rubs Kelly's shoulders and back*

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

I forgot to mention NoScript for firefox, it's an extension that can be found by clicking on tools>add-ons> find more extensions

what it does is deny any site the option of add-ons such as flash, java, etc. until the end user grants that site access to run those protocols on their pc.

it is annoying to unblock sites in the beginning, but it's worth having

[peggygee]

I recommend that everyone place their PCs behind a hardware firewall (such as a NAT'd wireless router); the only device that is then visible to the outside world is the router, and not the PC (I have five PCs on my home network behind our router; they all share the same IP address, which is the IP of the router, not the PCs). But you can open a hole in your firewall (either hardware or software) by careless browsing, so all the advice above applies as well.

nat is _not_ a firewall


What Does NAT Do?

NAT is like the receptionist in a large office. Let's say you
have left instructions with the receptionist not to forward
any calls to you unless you request it. Later on, you call a
potential client and leave a message for that client to call
you back. You tell the receptionist that you are expecting a
call from this client and to put her through.

The client calls the main number to your office, which is the
only number the client knows. When the client tells the receptionist
that she is looking for you, the receptionist checks a lookup table
that matches your name with your extension. The receptionist knows
that you requested this call, and therefore forwards the caller to
your extension.

Developed by Cisco, Network Address Translation is used by a
device (firewall, router or computer) that sits between an internal
network and the rest of the world. NAT has many forms and can
work in several ways:

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l2/magi43/nat-router.jpg

The NAT router translates traffic coming into and leaving the private network.

[Ecstatic]

I recommend that everyone place their PCs behind a hardware firewall (such as a NAT'd wireless router); the only device that is then visible to the outside world is the router, and not the PC (I have five PCs on my home network behind our router; they all share the same IP address, which is the IP of the router, not the PCs). But you can open a hole in your firewall (either hardware or software) by careless browsing, so all the advice above applies as well.

nat is _not_ a firewall
It is and it isn't; I was speaking somewhat loosely. NAT is an acronym for Network Address Translation, which Peggy elaborates on nicely above. In this application, the router will source IP address going out from the internal private network to a public address that the Internet can access. Thus, NAT is a passive firewall: NAT does not actively block or protect (and in this sense is NOT a firewall). But when a private network is using NAT, an external (Internet) device cannot initiate communication with a computer on the private network, but can only communicate with that computer when the computer initiates the communication (as when you are engaging in an IM session for instance). If the external Internet device were to try to start the communication, the router will drop the packets (unless you have port forwarding set up).

I'm running a Netgear WGT624 wireless router, which has double firewall protection: NAT and SPI. NAT hides the computers' IP addresses behind the router's IP address, and stateful packet inspection (SPI) checks individual data packets to make sure they are part of a legitimate connection. The WGT624 also supports WEP and the stronger WPA encryption scheme.