www.ntlworld.com does covert software installations on your PC

hawkseye000 · 13-04-2004, 18:19

I have just made my once-every-two-months visit to the ntlworld.com site to check my e-mail account (which i don't really use much for obvious reasons but this aint the time or place to start a rant on that issue) and Spybot: Search & Destroy comes up with the following alert every time i visit the main page:

Spybot-S&D has blocked the download of "Avenue A, Inc."

Does anybody have any explanations?... i mean i seriously doubt it's malicious 'cause can you imagine the scandal? but it does make you think....

It doesn't help things that it's installed without even asking you...

AARGH THEY'RE SPYING ON ME !!

MovedGoalPosts · 13-04-2004, 18:29

You imply that it was your visit to the ntlworld.com that gave you this bit of spyware. You sure it wasn't buried in an email you downloaded, maybe it had lots of pretty graphics, or that was spammed to you? You never go to any other websites that could have given you this spyware.

Even allowing for the misdemeanours of ntl, I'd be surprised if their web site gave you this malware.

hawkseye000 · 13-04-2004, 18:41

I'm not flaming you here but i think you have not read my post correctly:
1)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

You imply that it was your visit to the ntlworld.com that gave you this bit of spyware.

At no point do i say that it gave me spy/malware, simply that Spybot S&D blocks something from installing. If you are referring to the part at the bottom with the crazy face, that is a joke...

2)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

You sure it wasn't buried in an email you downloaded, maybe it had lots of pretty graphics, or that was spammed to you?

I said that Spybot stops whatever it is when the main page of the site (with all their news etc opens)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkseye000

Spybot: Search & Destroy comes up with the following alert every time i visit the main page:

paulyoung666 · 13-04-2004, 18:55

even if it is ntl , i cant see them having something loose on there site

Indians · 13-04-2004, 19:29

I get exactly the same message, Spybot SD is set to block all known bad downloads, so I suspect there is some spyware type stuff on NTL's Homepage.

paulyoung666 · 13-04-2004, 19:31

yikes , ntl are infected !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BBKing · 13-04-2004, 19:49

www.avenuea.com

Seem to be an online marketing/advertising bunch, so maybe it's related to one of the adverts on the site? Or possibly ntl using them to do market research? Spybot may be stopping you connecting to them rather than the download of software, of which there doesn't seem to be any sign on the site.

Do the blocking messages give any more detail?

Indians · 13-04-2004, 21:08

I think you could be right about it being adverts, no other info other than hawkseye000 gave, maybe it's just blocking tracking type cookies ?

hawkseye000 · 14-04-2004, 09:10

i cant be completely sure but i thought it was best to let you guys know...

I thought that somebody would know what it was all about but obviously not

rdhw · 14-04-2004, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawkseye000

Spybot-S&D has blocked the download of "Avenue A, Inc."

I only find a pop-up there. Maybe that is what Spybot is blocking, and it is just mis-attributing it?

hawkseye000 · 14-04-2004, 12:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdhw

I only find a pop-up there. Maybe that is what Spybot is blocking, and it is just mis-attributing it?

Perhaps... to be honest i'm just sharing what i found with people who know more about stuff like this than me

Enterian · 14-04-2004, 12:49

It's a tracking cookie, probably from one of the ad's. Unfortunately you can't seem to go anywhere on the web without getting these. Unless you turn cookies off altogether, which can cause other probs.