How can you check a web site for viruses ?

bigman · 3rd June 2009, 14:20

For the second time in a week whilst browsing The Tribune, Chandigarh, India my PC has churned into life with lots of HD activity and then some lovely spyware (spywareprotect I think) malware pops on the screen.

Last week I thought it was just conincedence but now I am thinking it is linked to the tribuneindia web site. Is there any way of scanning a web site for malware ? Always happens in firefox as well.

HappyWheels · 3rd June 2009, 14:44

You cannot scan a website for virus!

What you can do is have a good anti-virus software which has real time virus scanning option. Norton, McAfee, et la.

So, which anti-virus do you use? (So that I can keep away from it!

)

greenhorn · 3rd June 2009, 14:57

use firefox and install the noscript addon. A pretty safe combo

sam003 · 3rd June 2009, 15:01

It might be the particular page which can have spyware or something. You can not scan any web site for viruses etc. Rather user online protection in your Antivirus. I use Symantec, never had this issue. Moreover keep updating defination files too.

bigman · 3rd June 2009, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

So, which anti-virus do you use? (So that I can keep away from it!

)

AVG, Spybot, MS Defender, Ad-Aware, Spybot all running with realtime options running where applicable.

greenhorn,

Will try that and see how it goes.

greenhorn · 3rd June 2009, 15:10

firefox by itself is far more secure than IE. And noscript just makes it bulletproof.

Noscript is like a wirewall. it disables javascript and other stuff sites use to infect PC's - and you have to manually enable javascript if you are missing something, and are sure that the site is safe

bigman · 3rd June 2009, 16:00

MS Defender picks the malware up after it has installed

AVG and the others do not detect it in realtime mode.

Just installed noscript and it is worth installing if you run firefox.

alpha1 · 3rd June 2009, 16:02

Woah!
that site really has some thing.
Avira immediately warned me and blocked the script.

pranavt · 3rd June 2009, 16:03

Firefox + Adblock Plus + Flashblock. Noscript's author was caught doing unethical things with Adblock's blacklists, so I don't trust noscript anymore.

tsk1979 · 3rd June 2009, 16:18

Use firefox, with the extensions. Tribune India site often gets malware, and every time this happens, the office firewall blocks it.
At home though I have AVG internet security which usually warns me.
However if you use noscript, it will take care of all infected websites

bigman · 3rd June 2009, 17:26

I know a journalist who works at Tribune. I might drop her an email about their dodgy site.

Rehaan · 3rd June 2009, 19:05

You could also try using OpenDNS.

It will warn you when a site has been detected to have malicious content - its not 100% protection, but it helps.

OpenDNS > Solutions > Overview

cya
R

CrackedHead · 3rd June 2009, 19:17

For people without a "proper" antivirus suite - I'd recommend that you try "Avast home edition".

Its a free antivirus product available as a download from their website and IMO - it works atleast as well as the ones that we pay 2-3K for (a google search will get you to the download link for the latest version). The virus definitions are updated regularly and there's no annoying advertisements/spam either.

I've been using it on my home PC for almost 2 years and Avast catches everything that the Symantec corporate edition catches on my company provided laptop.

d3mon · 3rd June 2009, 23:13

One solution bests them all

Use firefox with an addon named WOT

WOT >> Web of trust

Basically an online database of websites, with ratings for websites based on their trustworthiness. Checks the websites as you are browsing in an unobstructive manner.

As soon as you try to navigate to an unsafe site, it warns you with a full page alert, and advises you to close that particular website.

Get it here https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3456

srijit · 3rd June 2009, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn

use firefox and install the noscript addon. A pretty safe combo

Quote:

Originally Posted by pranavt

Firefox + Adblock Plus + Flashblock. Noscript's author was caught doing unethical things with Adblock's blacklists, so I don't trust noscript anymore.

Linky: Adblock Plus and (a little) more: Attention NoScript users

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrackedHead

For people without a "proper" antivirus suite - I'd recommend that you try "Avast home edition".

Its a free antivirus product available as a download from their website and IMO - it works atleast as well as the ones that we pay 2-3K for (a google search will get you to the download link for the latest version). The virus definitions are updated regularly and there's no annoying advertisements/spam either.

I've been using it on my home PC for almost 2 years and Avast catches everything that the Symantec corporate edition catches on my company provided laptop.

+1. Have been using this for about 6 years now on my systems. The free version is good enough. You only need to register on the site and they send you a serial key that is valid for 14 months. After 14 months, register again.

3rd June 2009, 14:20	#1
bigman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NA Posts: 1,224 Thanked: 93 Times	How can you check a web site for viruses ? For the second time in a week whilst browsing The Tribune, Chandigarh, India my PC has churned into life with lots of HD activity and then some lovely spyware (spywareprotect I think) malware pops on the screen. Last week I thought it was just conincedence but now I am thinking it is linked to the tribuneindia web site. Is there any way of scanning a web site for malware ? Always happens in firefox as well.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 14:44	#2
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	You cannot scan a website for virus! What you can do is have a good anti-virus software which has real time virus scanning option. Norton, McAfee, et la. So, which anti-virus do you use? (So that I can keep away from it! )
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 14:57	#3
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,402 Times View My Garage	use firefox and install the noscript addon. A pretty safe combo
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 15:01	#4
sam003 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delhi Posts: 533 Thanked: 67 Times	It might be the particular page which can have spyware or something. You can not scan any web site for viruses etc. Rather user online protection in your Antivirus. I use Symantec, never had this issue. Moreover keep updating defination files too.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 15:10	#6
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,402 Times View My Garage	firefox by itself is far more secure than IE. And noscript just makes it bulletproof. Noscript is like a wirewall. it disables javascript and other stuff sites use to infect PC's - and you have to manually enable javascript if you are missing something, and are sure that the site is safe
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 16:00	#7
bigman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NA Posts: 1,224 Thanked: 93 Times	MS Defender picks the malware up after it has installed AVG and the others do not detect it in realtime mode. Just installed noscript and it is worth installing if you run firefox.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 16:02	#8
alpha1 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: LandOfNoWinters Posts: 2,095 Thanked: 2,605 Times	Woah! that site really has some thing. Avira immediately warned me and blocked the script.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 16:03	#9
pranavt Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,682 Thanked: 641 Times View My Garage	Firefox + Adblock Plus + Flashblock. Noscript's author was caught doing unethical things with Adblock's blacklists, so I don't trust noscript anymore.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 16:18	#10
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Use firefox, with the extensions. Tribune India site often gets malware, and every time this happens, the office firewall blocks it. At home though I have AVG internet security which usually warns me. However if you use noscript, it will take care of all infected websites
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 17:26	#11
bigman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NA Posts: 1,224 Thanked: 93 Times	I know a journalist who works at Tribune. I might drop her an email about their dodgy site.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 19:05	#12
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,046 Thanked: 34,078 Times	You could also try using OpenDNS. It will warn you when a site has been detected to have malicious content - its not 100% protection, but it helps. OpenDNS > Solutions > Overview cya R
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 19:17	#13
CrackedHead BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 585 Thanked: 81 Times	For people without a "proper" antivirus suite - I'd recommend that you try "Avast home edition". Its a free antivirus product available as a download from their website and IMO - it works atleast as well as the ones that we pay 2-3K for (a google search will get you to the download link for the latest version). The virus definitions are updated regularly and there's no annoying advertisements/spam either. I've been using it on my home PC for almost 2 years and Avast catches everything that the Symantec corporate edition catches on my company provided laptop.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 23:13	#14
d3mon BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 915 Thanked: 4,096 Times	One solution bests them all Use firefox with an addon named WOT WOT >> Web of trust Basically an online database of websites, with ratings for websites based on their trustworthiness. Checks the websites as you are browsing in an unobstructive manner. As soon as you try to navigate to an unsafe site, it warns you with a full page alert, and advises you to close that particular website. Get it here https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3456
	() Thanks