(Very off topic) URL4SHORT Problem...
NHskier13
19 Jan 2015
Hi.
Whenever I try to get to somewhere on this site through a google search. (Say a glossary page or something) it almost always brings me to a site that says "URL4SHORT.INFO". Normally, I just close the page, but recently I just got a download from trying to get to skilifts.org page from URL4SHORT, and i'm sort of concerned that it may harm my computer.
So anyways, why is it bringing me there, and not here?
and also, does anyone know what I might wanna do about the download? (it was titled setup.exe, and I went to my chrome downloads and hit remove from list right away, but I do not know what it could've done.
Now, I know this is really off topic, but I needed to know why and I thought off topic thread might be the best place for it.
Whenever I try to get to somewhere on this site through a google search. (Say a glossary page or something) it almost always brings me to a site that says "URL4SHORT.INFO". Normally, I just close the page, but recently I just got a download from trying to get to skilifts.org page from URL4SHORT, and i'm sort of concerned that it may harm my computer.
So anyways, why is it bringing me there, and not here?
and also, does anyone know what I might wanna do about the download? (it was titled setup.exe, and I went to my chrome downloads and hit remove from list right away, but I do not know what it could've done.
Now, I know this is really off topic, but I needed to know why and I thought off topic thread might be the best place for it.
Peter
19 Jan 2015
Thanks for the post NHskier13. This has been happening since 2012. Somehow malicious code got added to the Invision Power Board software on this and many other forums that use the same software. Unfortunately none of us forum admins are advanced programmers so we have not been able to fix it. As you discovered, it only happens when you click a link to the forum from a search engine. It does not affect anyone who bookmarks the forum or types skilifts.org/forum directly into their web browser. Also if you get to the URL4SHORT.INFO page from a search engine, just hit your back button and then try the same link again and it will take you to the correct page. Probably not the answer you were looking for but that is the explanation.
At some point we will hopefully upgrade to new forum software that will fix the issue. You can see a preview of the next version of this forum software here: http://community.invisionpower.com/
At some point we will hopefully upgrade to new forum software that will fix the issue. You can see a preview of the next version of this forum software here: http://community.invisionpower.com/
NHskier13
20 Jan 2015
Thanks, I often have tried to enter through the back by clicling "View Page" after clicking an image that says it is from skilifts.org. (Usually because the image catches my eye)
In my search history, I visited URL4SHORT.INFO at 9:01 last night. It claims to be a "Free URL Redirection and Masking Service"
"Masking Service" sounds like an excuse to have your site spiked with malicious downloads to me :P
(But I don't know a lot about websites and downloads myself)
About the download I experienced, I ran a full system check with Norton and Malwarebytes, and nothing showed up and nothing is acting funny. Hopefully I am in the clear...
This post has been edited by NHskier13: 20 January 2015 - 02:54 PM
In my search history, I visited URL4SHORT.INFO at 9:01 last night. It claims to be a "Free URL Redirection and Masking Service"
"Masking Service" sounds like an excuse to have your site spiked with malicious downloads to me :P
(But I don't know a lot about websites and downloads myself)
About the download I experienced, I ran a full system check with Norton and Malwarebytes, and nothing showed up and nothing is acting funny. Hopefully I am in the clear...
This post has been edited by NHskier13: 20 January 2015 - 02:54 PM
teachme
26 Jan 2015
Just tried it an no issue for me. Google works perfect to find site or forum stuff. I use Firefox on W7 with Avast AV. Strange...
NHskier13
05 Mar 2015
It might be your avast. Maybe I should hook up Norton insight to my chrome so that I can see if the sites I am about to visit are safer. Wouldn't hurt :P
It appears that chairlift.org is plagued by a similar issue, though it is now URL4SHORT, it is a page full of random ads. Similar to that of URL4SHORT.
It appears that chairlift.org is plagued by a similar issue, though it is now URL4SHORT, it is a page full of random ads. Similar to that of URL4SHORT.
