Because we don't expect adverts and popups to be sneaky little carriers of infection? Because we don't already have anti-virus etc gear like the ones s/he recommends? Because we're completely naive idiots?
Because spreading panic and malcontent is far more fun?
S/he doesn't mention whether s/he reported it to lj as an issue - maybe they could do something about it, if so...
I'm so tired of all the panicking - it just detracts from real issues when they come up!
Dee from void-star.net here...loqiaJanuary 27 2010, 06:17:04 UTC
Just figured I should note that -- after a day of reading through the comments on the reposts of this post -- I can absolutely assure you that there are a lot of people who, a) didn't realise ads could be dangerous, and b) didn't have any of the prevention systems more tech-savvy people take for granted. There have also been quite a few people who've popped up mentioning they've spent Christmas scrubbing malware off their PCs lately, and who suspect LJ's ads to have been the vector.
It's not that people are "naive idiots"; it's just that not everyone is up to their armpits in computer security. I was actually kinda surprised as to the numbers myself, to be honest.
Re: Dee from void-star.net here...byslantedlightJanuary 27 2010, 07:04:18 UTC
a) didn't realise ads could be dangerous, and b) didn't have any of the prevention systems more tech-savvy people take for granted. See, now that I actually find far more frightening!
Thanks for popping in though - did you report the sitch to Lj, out of curiousity, and what was their response?
See I can't have blockers on my browsers at work. It interferes with the code I'm writing an checking. Therefore, after this latest fiasco I no longer look at LJ at work. I have no wish to risk the windows box I work on.
As Dee pointed out, There is no fixing really. LJ doesn't give a crap what we want. They want to make their money.
It is good to hear what people have to say - I get really frustrated with cryptic little asides that just criticise without explaining why, or looking at alternatives, there's enough of that in the tabloids and all...
I don't have ad blockers anywhere (outside my normal anti-virus etc), I never see the ads anyway on lj, so I've never needed them - but yeah, I can see they'd be more of a pain at work, with an ad-ish account only. We'll disagree about lj... *g*
Comments 17
Because spreading panic and malcontent is far more fun?
S/he doesn't mention whether s/he reported it to lj as an issue - maybe they could do something about it, if so...
I'm so tired of all the panicking - it just detracts from real issues when they come up!
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And yes it was reported in news.
More than one person on JF was crabbing about the weird behaviour and tracked it down independently.
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It's not that people are "naive idiots"; it's just that not everyone is up to their armpits in computer security. I was actually kinda surprised as to the numbers myself, to be honest.
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See, now that I actually find far more frightening!
Thanks for popping in though - did you report the sitch to Lj, out of curiousity, and what was their response?
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At least you're getting answers.
See I can't have blockers on my browsers at work. It interferes with the code I'm writing an checking. Therefore, after this latest fiasco I no longer look at LJ at work. I have no wish to risk the windows box I work on.
As Dee pointed out, There is no fixing really. LJ doesn't give a crap what we want. They want to make their money.
Reply
I don't have ad blockers anywhere (outside my normal anti-virus etc), I never see the ads anyway on lj, so I've never needed them - but yeah, I can see they'd be more of a pain at work, with an ad-ish account only. We'll disagree about lj... *g*
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