"tracker cookie" ???
Hi Folks, This may be a falsely started hare. However, while browsing with Google, I suddenly got a pop-up which informed me that a "scan" had revealed that my machine had a cookie stored which would allow "tracking", i.e. spyware which could transmit information from my machine. It then invited me to download a free scanner to cure the problem. I have more than a suspicion that this cure might turn out to be worse than the alleged disease, but I'd be interested to see other people's comments! Best wishes to all, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 29-May-05 Time: 20:22:56 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------
On Sunday 29 May 2005 20:23, Ted Harding wrote:
Hi Folks,
This may be a falsely started hare.
However, while browsing with Google, I suddenly got a pop-up which informed me that a "scan" had revealed that my machine had a cookie stored which would allow "tracking", i.e. spyware which could transmit information from my machine.
It then invited me to download a free scanner to cure the problem.
I have more than a suspicion that this cure might turn out to be worse than the alleged disease, but I'd be interested to see other people's comments!
Best wishes to all, Ted.
A "tracker cookie" is simply a cookie placed in your web-browser's cookie store (technically known as a cookie jar - yes really). It's what sites such as Amazon use to know who you are when you next visit the site. Cookies are often mentioned by tinfoil hat types as some kind of malevolent thing that invades your privacy, but that's a load of cobblers. Cookies can only be read by the site that placed them in the cookie jar (unless you have a defective browser). As for what would happen if you clicked the link - nothing on Linux most likely - but if you're running BillyWare you'll probably end up with the latest version of adware du jour. Matt
On 5/29/05, Matt Parker <matt@mpcontracting.co.uk> wrote:
On Sunday 29 May 2005 20:23, Ted Harding wrote:
However, while browsing with Google, I suddenly got a pop-up which informed me that a "scan" had revealed that my machine had a cookie stored which would allow "tracking", i.e. spyware which could transmit information from my machine.
As for what would happen if you clicked the link - nothing on Linux most likely - but if you're running BillyWare you'll probably end up with the latest version of adware du jour.
It depends where the pop-up came from. Was it the web browser? (I have very strict settings on my Firefox to try and keep that kind of rubbish away) Or was it winpopup, with just an "OK" button and nothing else? Death to all unrequested pop-ups! Tim.
please can u remove move from the alug mailing lists please thanks Danny
On 5/30/05, Daniel Mowday <elitemenace@hotmail.com> wrote:
please can u remove move from the alug mailing lists please
Hi there Daniel, You can unsubscribe yourself from the list by going to http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main and scrolling to the very bottom box. Enter your email address in it and click "Edit Options" - and unsubscribe from the list in the options page that follows. Shame to see anyone go, though :( - if it's because of space, or your main inbox getting clogged, maybe we can help :D If it's just not wanting to be on the list, then happy trails, and be lucky. - Ten
If you were on a linux box, the most likely cause is that another site you had open in the background just fired off a popup (or a popunder which you revealed when you closed another page). If you're on windows, again it's almost certainly just a normal popup but you could be infected with spyware - the best cure is to run the microsoft spyware removal tool available from windowsupdate.microsoft.com and also ad-aware from download.com. reboot your pc into safe mode and run those 2 tools, and they should catch anything on your pc. Ewan On 5/29/05, Ted Harding <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk> wrote:
Hi Folks,
This may be a falsely started hare.
However, while browsing with Google, I suddenly got a pop-up which informed me that a "scan" had revealed that my machine had a cookie stored which would allow "tracking", i.e. spyware which could transmit information from my machine.
It then invited me to download a free scanner to cure the problem.
I have more than a suspicion that this cure might turn out to be worse than the alleged disease, but I'd be interested to see other people's comments!
Best wishes to all, Ted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 29-May-05 Time: 20:22:56 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------
participants (6)
-
Daniel Mowday -
Ewan Leith -
Matt Parker -
runlevel ten -
Ted.Harding＠nessie.mcc.ac.uk -
Tim Green