Conn Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Has anybody used Google recently, and been extremely annoyed when you click a link returned by their search, and instead are brought to a random website, usually an ad? Its been happening more and more, and its a huge pain in the ass, mainly because you can't even hit the "back" button. You have to go back to Google.com and hope that it doesn't happen again, which would send you to another random website. And its not just me, it happens to my girlfriend on her laptop, as well. And a couple friends. Its just something I've noticed more and more, lately. And let's face it: everyone uses the "big" search websites a lot. Have others had this problem with Google, or even other search engines? If this keeps up, I will be changing my home page to another search engine. Its a minor annoyance, in the big picture of life, but its a pain in the ass, especially after using Google for so long without this issue. Its probably above the level of annoyance that Youtube's required advertisements are, even. And that's really obnoxious. So I ask the Tailgate....have you been shaking your head and saying "what the ****, Google", lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Are you sure your computer hasn't been compromised by some sort of malware or something It doesn't happen for me Google might try to pull tricks on you and there are some ways to prevent it, for instance they used to put this big magnifiying glass near the search resultse and every time you went to click that dumb crap would just pop up It got so annoying I had to filter it out using Ad-Block Plus You may be able to do the same for your issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yeas, you generally don't want to click on the first 5-10 results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Sounds like you have malware. I've never heard of Google doing that (and I use Google 50 times a day). The first couple of results sometimes are "sponsored" which means they are ads. Skip them and use the first real link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMalcolmConnection Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Have not had this problem unless you're talking about AdDoubleClick. It's borderline spyware that almost all mainstream search engines are using. The NY Times and CNN are MAJOR contributors to this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Same here. I use Google at least 15-20 times a day, usually more, and I've had no such problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 No problems here, except their image search sometimes gums up the works. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Buy a mac and save yourself the malware headaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMalcolmConnection Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Buy a mac and save yourself the malware headaches. Barf. Not being a douche but I'm an IT professional and don't even run antispyware or antivirus on my home computers. I've done a scan just to be 100% sure in the past year and nothing. Are Macs like beginner computers? Maybe I AM being a douche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Huh. My computer's clean, swept it yesterday to make sure. I'm surprised this isn't happening with anyone else. Maybe its because I'm using one of the first 5 links given? But they don't say "sponsored"...For instance, for the hell of it, I just searched "Draft 2011", and the first result is Walterfootball.com, a reputable site. Click on it, and I'm brought to "yamman.com", or "Gimmeanswers.com" or something like it. Can't use the "back" button, have to hit "home" again and re-search, or search in my Google toolbar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Barf. Not being a douche but I'm an IT professional and don't even run antispyware or antivirus on my home computers. I've done a scan just to be 100% sure in the past year and nothing. Are Macs like beginner computers?Maybe I AM being a douche. LOL I own an IT services company and have been doing IT work since 1987. We are all douches Mac is unix based, it's not for you beginners. But if you want, I'll drop you a link or two that would mess up your pc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMalcolmConnection Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 HA, no way. To be fair, Macs are totally fine machines, and the university I work at is 50% Mac and 50% PC. We work on both equally. Virus clean-up on PC, hardware failure on Mac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boysetsfire Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Huh. My computer's clean, swept it yesterday to make sure. I'm surprised this isn't happening with anyone else. Maybe its because I'm using one of the first 5 links given? But they don't say "sponsored"...For instance, for the hell of it, I just searched "Draft 2011", and the first result is Walterfootball.com, a reputable site. Click on it, and I'm brought to "yamman.com", or "Gimmeanswers.com" or something like it. Can't use the "back" button, have to hit "home" again and re-search, or search in my Google toolbar. I know my girlfriend and I had some type of malware from our router. Even after we got her laptop and my desktop clean, there was still problems with our wireless router. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMalcolmConnection Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I know my girlfriend and I had some type of malware from our router. Even after we got her laptop and my desktop clean, there was still problems with our wireless router. I think even chipwich and I would agree this sounds pretty insane. I have never heard of malware coming directly from a router. Problems, maybe. Malware, no way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Huh. My computer's clean, swept it yesterday to make sure. I'm surprised this isn't happening with anyone else. Maybe its because I'm using one of the first 5 links given? But they don't say "sponsored"...For instance, for the hell of it, I just searched "Draft 2011", and the first result is Walterfootball.com, a reputable site. Click on it, and I'm brought to "yamman.com", or "Gimmeanswers.com" or something like it. Can't use the "back" button, have to hit "home" again and re-search, or search in my Google toolbar. I performed same search, clicked on the link and it took me to the walterfootball site... sounds like you are indeed infected with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 I know my girlfriend and I had some type of malware from our router. Even after we got her laptop and my desktop clean, there was still problems with our wireless router. Hmmm...we're directly plugged in to our college's internet via Ethernet cord. ---------- Post added January-26th-2011 at 06:48 PM ---------- I performed same search, clicked on the link and it took me to the walterfootball site... sounds like you are indeed infected with something. Weird. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to run another scan, thanks for the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I performed same search, clicked on the link and it took me to the walterfootball site... sounds like you are indeed infected with something. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Huh. My computer's clean, swept it yesterday to make sure. I'm surprised this isn't happening with anyone else. Maybe its because I'm using one of the first 5 links given? But they don't say "sponsored"...For instance, for the hell of it, I just searched "Draft 2011", and the first result is Walterfootball.com, a reputable site. Click on it, and I'm brought to "yamman.com", or "Gimmeanswers.com" or something like it. Can't use the "back" button, have to hit "home" again and re-search, or search in my Google toolbar. DEFINITELY sounds like a malware problem :yes:...I had the same damn thing happen to me before, and needed to use specific malware removal software to get rid of it and set everything back to normal. Usually Malwarebytes can do the trick. The normal stuff like Norton antivirus never got rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boysetsfire Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I think even chipwich and I would agree this sounds pretty insane. I have never heard of malware coming directly from a router. Problems, maybe. Malware, no way. Ok maybe malware no, but our router was hacked because she just used whatever the computer generated as her password. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Weird. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to run another scan, thanks for the feedback. Have you updated virus/malware/spyware definitions... you may want to give that a check... also check your task manager and see if there is any funky processes running.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMalcolmConnection Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Ok maybe malware no, but our router was hacked because she just used whatever the computer generated as her password. If you're still getting spyware, it's a rootkit. Download Combofix and run and then boot into Windows Recovery Console. fixmbr C: ---------- Post added January-26th-2011 at 11:52 PM ---------- Ok maybe malware no, but our router was hacked because she just used whatever the computer generated as her password. Could see that. If you use linksys, admin or linksys as a password, easy hackin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boysetsfire Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 If you're still getting spyware, it's a rootkit. Download Combofix and run and then boot into Windows Recovery Console. fixmbr C: One of her parents friends is an IT and he used the program LogMeIn to fix our computers through his so we're all good on our end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 You have malware and a nasty one at that. Download Malware Bytes here: http://www.malwarebytes.org/ If that doesn't work download combofix here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix Combofix is somewhat risky but gets the job done when all else fails. If your malware disables your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs when you try to fix it run windows in safe mode then run combofix, then install malware bytes again in safe mode, and run the scan there. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Weird. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to run another scan, thanks for the feedback. Some 'Search redirect' malwares do that. You have malware without a doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardi gras skin Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 HA, no way. To be fair, Macs are totally fine machines, and the university I work at is 50% Mac and 50% PC. We work on both equally. Virus clean-up on PC, hardware failure on Mac. You're saying that the macs break down at the same rate pc's get viruses? That's weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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