Be Wary of 4Shared!!!

[JenniferG]

I just wanted to let all of you wonderful ladies (and gents) know to be wary of 4shared. Some people are still linking personal freebies from there... Apparently some very unfriendly people are adding viruses that do horrible things to your drives. The viruses aren't in the files themselves, but are in the ads posted at 4shared, which sneak onto your computer when you go there...very sneaky and evil!

This happened to me last summer....And I still don't have my desktop fixed! Although it was a good excuse to buy a laptop.

btw, if anyone knows how to fix a word document that now only shows dos type instead of the actual text in the document (like a letter to someone), please let me know!

Jennifer

[debilou]

I really do like sending my large file using YOU SEND IT better

Built in virus checker.. and you can be sure they don't have other personal files in there.

What you get is only the zipped or compressed file they want you to get.

you don't have to download any software to use it. it's free... you simply zip up or compress your files...

and, (well, you do have to register first...)... go to the site.

yousendit.com

and, fill in the email address and send the file.

If you want to post a file for sending.. then you do need to download their software to your pc... not hard to do and it's for free.. but they do a virus scan before the file is sent out...

I too have been burned like Jennifer by 4 shared and am very leary about taking files from it...

[stitchmich]

Good warning, Jennifer. I picked up a virus a few months ago and I am pretty sure it came from 4shared. Scared the crud out of me because I use my computer for both personal and business. My genius husband saved me and I have stayed away from 4shared since.

[JenniferG]

Debi, I use yousendit too, particularly to send my dad and grandmother large quantities of photos quickly and easily. It's safe and easy. For things I want to share with a general population, I save a zipped file at windows live file/photo sharing.

[scamptx]

So are you saying that just by going to 4shared to pick up a zip file that you can pick up a virus? Or do you have to click on something that will allow the virus access?

[Abby]

I knew that there was a problem there before, but thought it had been fixed!

[omio]

Actually, someone said in a chat yesterday that their PC had blocked a virus during a 4Shared download. (Maybe during the SNL chat?) Can't remember who it was. I'm on a Mac so tend to be much too cavalier about these things, I think, because the idiots who create viruses love to go after any of us on any platform.

[JenniferG]

So are you saying that just by going to 4shared to pick up a zip file that you can pick up a virus? Or do you have to click on something that will allow the virus access?

I"m not exactly sure how it works, but with me, I clicked on a download link and as soon as the open/save/cancel option popped up, my computer shut down. All Black. Then when I rebooted, the BSOD came to me. :eek: But I stay away from there period now.

[JenniferG]

I knew that there was a problem there before, but thought it had been fixed!

There are some forums out there still talking about it being a current problem, so that's why I thought I'd mention it again.

[Tina]

Well, remember all DSP freebies are hosted on DSPs server! :)

[Muma]

I use mediafire for sending my large files.

[KrystalW]

:yikes: Thanks for the warning. I wasn't aware of this. I will start using yousendit.

Thanks for the info on that I'll check it out in a sec.

[stitchmich]

Well, remember all DSP freebies are hosted on DSPs server! :)

Yep, Tina, I stopped downloading from anywhere else... DSP has all that I need! :tup:

[happybeingamom]

I will not go to 4shared as I also experienced viruses from there. If it kills my computer it becomes a very expensive freebie.

My computer is still not the same.

[Abby]

Gad, you just can't protect yourself from all the scumbags out there, can you? They're just waiting to pounce on poor unsuspecting peeps, and for what? Does it do them any good???

[idtwinmom]

Jennifer! I will not use 4shared again! Thanks for the warning!

[HavaDrPepper]

The virus/trojan I got in December didn't come from 4shared but another free downloading site. I believe it was mediafire....

I've never had a problem with 4shared and I still use it.

[webfrau]

Personally, I've never had a problem with 4shared and still use it.
As the debate is still raging here I thought I'd tell you of an experience I had 2 days ago.
I run Norton antivirus which has a "site-safe" feature. I followed a link from a blog to a layout in a gallery at another site. This was just a gallery, no downloads, nothing fancy. Norton popped up to tell me that the site was unsafe, contained 14 threats, 12 of which were trojan viruses. Needless to say I left immediately without harm.

I assume that file-sharing of any sort at any site carries some inherent risk. I think the lesson is that ANY site can be potentially hostile, even if it's unexpected or seemingly innocent. Use good safe-net practices! Protect yourself, don't expect others to do it for you.

[Teresa]

I had something weird happen on facebook this morning. Something very real looking popped up to say that I had several viruses. Claimed it was IE (internet explore) security doctor. If I were not a computer savy person, I may have believed it as it really did look like maybe my own computer security pulled it up BUT it came up as a web page. Besides, I don't use IE security. I use Norton internet security that is loaded onto my computer. I logged out of the internet and flipped of the wireless on the laptop. Then I let Norton have a looksy and there was nothing there.

I wish I would have thought to take a screen shot of the window that popped up.

Just irks me that this kind of stuff is going on.

[Teresa]

Found this---

What is IE Security?

IE Security is a new rogue anti-spyware program - a fake spyware remover, which uses trojans, such as Zlob or Vundo, to enter the system. This parasite uses scare tactics to trick the user into purchasing it’s "licensed version".

Once inside and active, IE Security will flood the user with popups and fake system notifications, supposedly to inform him of an infection or multiple infections present on the system. While this may coincidentally be true, IE Security has neither the ability to detect nor remove them. IE Security will also try to reassure it’s claims by producing falsified system scan reports and redirecting the browser to various websites of highly dubious nature.

IE Security is a scam and should be treated as such: do NOT download or buy it and block it’s homepage using your HOSTS file.

[Tina]

yep, tina, i stopped downloading from anywhere else... Dsp has all that i need! :tup:
:d:d:d

[jmcrouseartwork]

Hi Jennifer, Thanks for the information, I too was a victim of that place. It's terrible. I lost my entire computer too. I was questioning if it was from there or not, I had a couple scrapbooking sites open.

I have made some scrapbooking kits and posted them on there for my sister to download.

(Which by the way I think they turned out pretty good!)

Anyway, when she downloaded one file her virus scanner popped up, (it wasn't a file from me but one from in there)

I'm not even sure I want to go in there to delete the account. Just let it delete itself and I sent your post on to her.

This type of thing just makes me so angry. No one can replace all these things and to us they are invaluable. Even backing up things you still lose so much, plus not to mention your computer all together!

Anyway - thanks for taking the time to post this and keep us aware.

Judy

[Christine]

Do the antivirus programs protect you from these? or can you still get them even though you are running Norton or McAfee?

[webfrau]

As long as your virus signatures are kept right up to date and they're known viruses then you should be protected BUT there are always new ones emerging and nothing is foolproof.

[Muma]

The virus/trojan I got in December didn't come from 4shared but another free downloading site. I believe it was mediafire....

I've never had a problem with 4shared and I still use it.


It seems any of the sites are possible problems and the best thing to do is keep up with the legit anti virus software.

[sandygb]

I never click on any of the popups that tell me my system is infected. KNOW it is not. Those messages are bogus and will attack your computer!

I already use an A-V program and firewall (Norton Internet Security) and upgrade to the newest version each year, in addition to maintaining my virus definitions file. I learned that it is important to upgrade to the most current software version, because some of the more sophisticated viruses and trojans need more agressive means of monitoring in addition to up-to-date virus definitions. My SIL in computer security taught me that.

[Bella Boo]

I just got my computer hard drive replaced because of some crap I downloaded and it affected the whole machine. Thank you so much for the info on 4Shared, I recently downloaded some stuff from there (and I think some of it came from DSP on the SNL pre-freebies) and all of a sudden my computer is slowing down when I know my computer guy gave me tons more memory than I had before. I explained what's happening to him just the other day and he thinks I might have a virus again. Hopefully he can check it and get rid of it before it causes more serious damage. It about killed me to know I didn't have anything left, all my pics were gone, etc. (Yeah, I made the mistake of no off line backups, never again).

Bella Boo