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Some words are highlighted, and when you click them you get an advertisement. How did this happen?? It's a private blog!!! No one is supposed to access it but me! How do I get rid of whomever has hijacked my blog?
Please and thanks!
The blog I need help with is waynecountylandofstupid.wordpress.com.
Numerous threads on this. It's something in your browser or computer. It may be a browser add-on or toolbar. Or it may be adware or some other malware.
Check your browser forst. Delete or disable any add-ons or extensions or tool bars you're unfamiliar with.
WordPress.com does not use text enhance or text link ads or pop-up ads or links in comments. So far everyone who has reported this has had a browser-add-on or browser extension that causes it. In some cases it was embedded into free games they downloaded from the internet. In others it was in toolbars and shopping apps.
Please try logging out, clearing your browser cache and cookies, disabling all browser add-ons and extensions, clearing your browser cache and cookies, and then rebooting and logging in again. View your blog and tell us if you still see advertising or not.
This is what happened: I tried downloading an ebook app from this site (!), and it changed my toolbar to something called Claro. I followed the advice I found on Google to clear it, but I could not get rid of it from Mozilla Firefox. (I successfully cleared it from IE8, which is what I have to use for work). I also ran Spybot and Malwarebytes as well. Also, I back-tracked and chose a system restore date of about 3 days ago. But even though I did all these things, including what it told me to clear it from Firefox, it keeps showing up! So I deleted Firefox and am using Google Chrome as a browser. I checked, and it is not showing up in Google Chrome.
But how do I get it out of my blog?? Actually I have 3 blogs, but the other 2 (which are public) don't seem to be affected, just this one (which is private). Sorry that I am not very computer literate. . . just in case, I got rid of all the games on my computer as well (I don't use them anyway, and if they are going to harbor viruses, I don't want them!).
Thank you for helping me!!!! I have no clue what to do next!
I don't believe the blog in infected. I believe the browser or your computer is the source of the problem. However, as we Volunteers cannot view private blogs I'll flag this thread for Staff attention and they will take a look at your private blog.
Run a full virus scan after making sure your virus protection is up to date, ie within two days.
Yes, I ran a virus scan (Avira--is that an OK program? Should I be using something else?) and I ran a malwarebyte scan and a spybot and then something called Superantispyware free edition.
Thank you, Timethief, for referring this to the staff.
Would my computer still be infected if I have done all these things? including getting rid of Firefox when I could not clean the claro thing from it.
Is anyone familiar with this claro virus thing? Is there anything else I can do to make sure it's gone?
Thanks so much!!!!
I don't want to upset you in any way but there us some very pervasive malware than can only be removed by deep scanning. Let's not overreact. Let's see what Staff can see or not see on your private blog, okay?
but I could not get rid of it from Mozilla Firefox
See here > http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/934685?page=2
I don't see any of that on your blog. Typically, users have attributed this to a corrupt or infected browser extension or add-on.
If deactivating all of your browser's extensions or add-ons resolves the issue, please try reactivating each one individually until you find the cause.
Timethief: I checked out that link. A couple of people had listed the malware-safemode system that I tried. It apparently worked for them but not for me. There was another set of instructions there, but I could not figure them out, and besides, I already uninstalled Firefox, and hopefully the problem went away. . . watch out, though! At the end of that link you sent? Someone sent a URL that takes you to Babylon, another fake search site!
Oh, and the people at WordPress might want to know that this all started when I tried to download their ebook software called Anthologize. Don't touch it unless you want the Claro virus!!!!
MacManx--did you check my private blog? Is all the advertising stuff gone?
When I downloaded Google Chrome, the Claro virus got in there, but I was able to delete it from the extensions.
Plus in addition to running all that anti-spy software, I changed all my passwords.
Is there anything else I should do? Thanks to all the smart people here! Wish I knew what I was doing. . .
McManx--yup, it's gone!!! Thanks so very much to everyone who advised me!!!
If you aren't seeing any advertising now then I think your are 'good to go' or in this case 'good to blog'. :)
Whew, what a horrible couple of days!
Thanks again so very much -- I learned a lot from the collective wisdom here!
You're welcome!
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