954,086 Members — Technology Publication meets Social Media
Username:
Password:
Lost login information?
Have something to say? Contribute New Article Reply to this Article

Why am I getting constant popups on this site?

On almost every page I visit on this site, every time I visit a page on this site, there is a popup asking if I want to take a survey from one of the sponsors.

Fortunately I have the Google toolbar which stops most of the popups, but it is something fairly new here and fairly anoying. Even with the popup eliminator about 1 in 10 gets through for some reason. I'm tired of closing the popup!

How do I stop getting popups other than not visiting this site?

Chainsaw
Posting Pro in Training
436 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 36
Solved Threads: 11
 

It's VERY possible that it's NOT from a website. There could be a program of some kind that is making these popup's happen. You should download microsoft's anti-spyware program from microsoft's web page. This isn't the best software for fighting malware, but it helps a lot. There is also hijack this, and spybot.

Comatose
Taboo Programmer
Team Colleague
2,910 posts since Dec 2004
Reputation Points: 361
Solved Threads: 215
 

We use third-party ad serving on the majority of pages here. However, though I can safely say that we do not and never have used popups here, it could be a campaign that I am just completely unaware of.

Does this happen on any other sites as well? No one else has mentioned popups to me. However, most of the campaigns that we run are geotargeted - so you may be seeing something I have no way of seeing.

The only reason I bring up this idea is because a few days ago I did, indeed, switch ad servers. However, most likely, this is some sort of spyware that has nothing to do with DaniWeb at all. I would follow Comatose's advice and first analyze your HijackThis log. If we still can't figure out what's wrong, then we'll examine DaniWeb closer.

cscgal
The Queen of DaniWeb
Administrator
19,421 posts since Feb 2002
Reputation Points: 1,474
Solved Threads: 229
 
Chainsaw
Posting Pro in Training
436 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 36
Solved Threads: 11
 

It has been my experience, that while anti-virus software works great for viruses... they leave a lot to be desired on the end of malware. The reason being, because even though they are pests, and an epidemic that is reaching enormous proportions, they don't operate as a virus does. They may use exploits, and they may be installed unknowingly to the user... but they don't replicate and spread like traditional viruses do. Basically, to some degree, they are just normal programs (like people use every day, like word, or excel), it's just that their function annoys people. Because they are basically "normal" programs, an anti-virus software isn't going to recognize, or protect you from them. This is why there has been so much debate as to the subject of "should malware be included with anti-virus programs?". Microsoft's release of anti-spyware has a very comprehensive database of spyware and adware signatures.

While it's possible that you are 100% free of malware, I still strongly encourage you to download it from: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
just to be on the safe side. It found spyware installed on my system that didn't even affect the system (From what I could tell).

Comatose
Taboo Programmer
Team Colleague
2,910 posts since Dec 2004
Reputation Points: 361
Solved Threads: 215
 

Ok, I installed the spyware beta, and did a full scan. It's a cool program, by the way, that gives you unprecedented abilities to control startup processes and the like!

The scan found two things that looked pretty non-invasive, but I quarentined them anyway (hee hee one was the Windows Messaging Service). Still get the popups on this site though.

Mostly the Google toolbar stops them, but as I mentioned, about one in 10 makes it. This isn't a huge issue, but I'm surprised no one esle sees them. :-(

(Most people don't see my large rabbit, Harvey, either)

Chainsaw
Posting Pro in Training
436 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 36
Solved Threads: 11
 

As I PMed to Chainsaw, I will call the two ad networks which I deal with in the morning, and check up and see if either of them deal with insightexpress.com. If they do, it's as simple as blocking the ad campaign. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem familiar so I'm not quite sure if the probelem is on my end yet.

cscgal
The Queen of DaniWeb
Administrator
19,421 posts since Feb 2002
Reputation Points: 1,474
Solved Threads: 229
 

And With That,

(And my undying Disdain for malware), I not only thank you for using the software to help battle the malware non-sense.... but I'm never happier to see that you were pretty much clean of it.

By They Way, Is Harvy The one leaving carrot trails? :)

Comatose
Taboo Programmer
Team Colleague
2,910 posts since Dec 2004
Reputation Points: 361
Solved Threads: 215
 
Ok, I installed the spyware beta, and did a full scan. It's a cool program, by the way, that gives you unprecedented abilities to control startup processes and the like! The scan found two things that looked pretty non-invasive, but I quarentined them anyway (hee hee one was the Windows Messaging Service). Still get the popups on this site though. Mostly the Google toolbar stops them, but as I mentioned, about one in 10 makes it. This isn't a huge issue, but I'm surprised no one esle sees them. :-( (Most people don't see my large rabbit, Harvey, either)


Chainsaw, I don't see popups on here either, but that doesn't surprise me. Like a lot of others, I've moved to using Firefox as my main web browser (which includes a quite good popup blocker) and IE6 with Windows XP Service Pack 2 for those sites which absolutely DEMAND its use (and which ALSO includes a very good popup blocker).

Google Toolbar popup blocker ceased to be an adequately effective tool some time back ;)

Catweazle
Grandad
Team Colleague
4,335 posts since Mar 2004
Reputation Points: 229
Solved Threads: 149
 

Hey, welcome back Catweazle! Haven't seen you here in awhile.

I'm getting the same popup described by Chainsaw; I've been getting it for the past 2 or 3 days. (I'm still using IE) A screenshot is attached for your viewing pleasure, lol.

Attachments DaniPopup.JPG 152.46KB
dlh6213
Posting Maven
Team Colleague
3,117 posts since Jul 2004
Reputation Points: 63
Solved Threads: 214
 

Hello,

I am not seeing any pop-ups on this website. I browse with Apple/Firefox, Apple/Safari, Windoze/Firefox, Linux/Firefox, and Linux/Konquerer. No notices of attempted pop-ups.

I would consider myself a regular cross-platform viewer.

Christian

kc0arf
Posting Virtuoso
Team Colleague
1,937 posts since Mar 2004
Reputation Points: 121
Solved Threads: 57
 

Thanks for all the replies, and I'm thrilled someone else has seen them!

Ya, I suppose I should move out of the '80s and use a different browser. If it redeems me any, my iBook is running Safari, but my wife hogs that machine. :-)

Chainsaw
Posting Pro in Training
436 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 36
Solved Threads: 11
 

Well I spoke to one of the ad networks that I deal with, and it appears one of their advertisers has somehow snuck a script-invoked popup into one of their non-popup campaigns! Please let me know if anyone is still getting any popups :) And yes, Safari redeems you. ;)

cscgal
The Queen of DaniWeb
Administrator
19,421 posts since Feb 2002
Reputation Points: 1,474
Solved Threads: 229
 

No more popups! :)

dlh6213
Posting Maven
Team Colleague
3,117 posts since Jul 2004
Reputation Points: 63
Solved Threads: 214
 

Haven't seen them in days past either. Could be because I block scripted ActiveX and I did get a few attempts to run those in the past few days.
My popup killers didn't report blocking anything...

And yes, I use IE as well (and have never had a spyware/trojan/whatever infestation since 1997 when I started using the net).

jwenting
duckman
Team Colleague
8,392 posts since Nov 2004
Reputation Points: 1,662
Solved Threads: 337
 

hi guys i am new here and hope to be a long time member around here,pls where can i get codes to unlock any kind of gsm phones here,the name is chyke

pixiraver
Newbie Poster
5 posts since Jan 2005
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 1
 
Well I spoke to one of the ad networks that I deal with, and it appears one of their advertisers has somehow snuck a script-invoked popup into one of their non-popup campaigns! Please let me know if anyone is still getting any popups :) And yes, Safari redeems you. ;)




hey i was just googling and trying to figure out how to get rid of this http://ad.insightexpressai.com/adServer/showInvite.aspx?uninvite=0&branding=0&SiteID=&BannerID=14898&CampaignID=588&redir=http%3A//ai045.insightexpressai.com/adServer/acceptInvite.aspx%3FBannerID%3D14898%26referrer%3Ddemr.myspace.com%252fhtml.ng%252fsite%253dmyspace%2526position%253dmrec%2526page%253d11000000%2526rand%253d845438184%2526acnt%253d2%2526schoolpage%253d0%26adiqs%3DbannerID%253d14898%26



it pops up often. and its annoying. it will just go off at random times and i cant figure out whats making it go off. in the pop up it says "You're Invited!" something about a brief survey and "opinion-central"

its really annoying. so if you could help me out and stuff do tell <3

*TGO*
Newbie Poster
1 post since Mar 2007
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 0
 

This article has been dead for over three months

Post: Markdown Syntax: Formatting Help
You
View similar articles that have also been tagged: