Could a virus put websites into a person's web history?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 78
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I am not at all technically minded but in something of a dilemma. I have just had a call from a close friend who when going onto the internet today found that the web history showed loads and loads of porn websites as having been visited. I suggested that she ask her husband about it as I didn't really know what else to say. She has just called back to say that he is adamant that he hasn't been viewing any of them.

Is there any other way they could be on there? I don't know anything about viruses but could one have done this? I asked if they have Norton or one of those and she said she thinks it is something like Macfee?

Any ideas?

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 78
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    Anyone?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 25
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    I've never heard of any virus adding to your History. They are mostly malicious in some way and adding to your history does not achieve that.

    There is however a possibility that there is some malware or a trojan installed. These tools watch what you are doing and try to re-direct you to other websites, often by popping up a window.
  • robtuk06robtuk06 Posts: 4,561
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    Oh come on, he has been on them!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 78
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    robtuk06 wrote: »
    Oh come on, he has been on them!

    Probably so, but he really doesn't seem the sort that would. Is there a way of checking if malware or something has infected (?) it
  • gerry dgerry d Posts: 12,518
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    I bet he now wishes he knew how to delete his web history :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 497
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    Send your friend (or her husband) this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB9fhjnJcB0
  • s_mirages_mirage Posts: 643
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    This would be a pretty bizzare virus. Mcafee is an antivirus so she could scan with that. Alternatively she could try an online scanner like bitdefender, or download one of the myriad of free scanners like malwarebytes or avast. It's the husband though.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 78
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    s_mirage wrote: »
    This would be a pretty bizzare virus. Mcafee is an antivirus so she could scan with that. Alternatively she could try an online scanner like bitdefender, or download one of the myriad of free scanners like malwarebytes or avast. It's the husband though.

    Thanks. Poor woman.
  • nut1974nut1974 Posts: 1,268
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    yes it can happen if you tinternet is not tight. in other words you dont run any anit virus software and its not up to date. I will say every web site you ever visit even this one:eek: will take note of your IP your P.C's MAC address ect.. and can plant things such as tracking cookies and god knows what else good or bad?? pops usually, but you click a pop up by mistake??? look out your computer is open to all sorts.

    tip 4u

    never ever open an email unless you know who as sent it!
  • hassanhassan Posts: 3,556
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    I am not at all technically minded but in something of a dilemma. I have just had a call from a close friend who when going onto the internet today found that the web history showed loads and loads of porn websites as having been visited. I suggested that she ask her husband about it as I didn't really know what else to say. She has just called back to say that he is adamant that he hasn't been viewing any of them.

    Is there any other way they could be on there? I don't know anything about viruses but could one have done this? I asked if they have Norton or one of those and she said she thinks it is something like Macfee?

    Any ideas?

    lol:D
  • jim_ukjim_uk Posts: 13,280
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    Ha ha rumbled. :D

    I doubt it's malware calling up these sites as she would of noticed them herself, worth running Spybot to check though.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 355
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    Probably so, but he really doesn't seem the sort that would. Is there a way of checking if malware or something has infected (?) it

    Sorry if this is digressing from the technicial point of this thread, but what do you mean by "the sort that would" ?
    As long as it's nothing dodgy ( ie consenting adults only ) the only issue I can see is the couple have different sex drives and obviously have problems discussing the fact.
    This is highlighted by the woman asking you for advice rather than keeping it between themselves and him denying the web history is anything to do with him.
    If they simply sorted the issue between themselves like adults, he wouldn't be interested in doing "naughty" things that don't involve his wife !
    She should think herself lucky, some men don't respect their wives enough to keep their "urges" to the limit of the Internet and simply have an office affair with a woman who'll do what the wife won't !
    Sorry to be graphic about it, but that's the reality...
  • blueacidblueacid Posts: 2,482
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    Greyowl wrote: »
    Sorry if this is digressing from the technicial point of this thread, but what do you mean by "the sort that would" ?
    As long as it's nothing dodgy ( ie consenting adults only ) the only issue I can see is the couple have different sex drives and obviously have problems discussing the fact.
    This is highlighted by the woman asking you for advice rather than keeping it between themselves and him denying the web history is anything to do with him.
    If they simply sorted the issue between themselves like adults, he wouldn't be interested in doing "naughty" things that don't involve his wife !
    She should think herself lucky, some men don't respect their wives enough to keep their "urges" to the limit of the Internet and simply have an office affair with a woman who'll do what the wife won't !
    Sorry to be graphic about it, but that's the reality...

    Sounds the case.

    People: I know of no virus that'll put stuff in your history. Depending on the browser, some may let you view the time a page was visited; that mgiht curiously line up with when this lady was out of the house, and not whenever the computer was on. A virus wouldn't know when the wife was at spanish classes/sleeping/at work, would it?

    (edit: It might, if you had your calendar in MS Outlook, but.. shh!)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 55
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    blueacid wrote: »
    Sounds the case.

    People: I know of no virus that'll put stuff in your history...
    There have been plenty of cases of malware triggering popups to porn sites (example here) which would then go into the browser history (access times should provide a clue here, though the popups themselves should be pretty visible). Webpage advertising could also include redirects to such sites (example here) - another good reason for using ad filtering.

    A related issue is that some anti-spyware software (e.g. Spybot Search and Destroy) will add porn site URLs to the Windows Registry - in this case to place such sites in Internet Explorer's Restricted Zone, limiting the damage they can do (see here).
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 29
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    This is entirely possible. I deal with a lot of malware at my workplace (blame Trend, Flash and Reader), and I've often seen hidden background IE processes doing "things".

    They can also add web history to other profiles, particularly the `system` profile when it runs as a service.

    However, not much is added to an infected accounts history unless there are a lot of popups, which is noticeable by the user. Malware-initiated redirects also add to the history.
  • surfiesurfie Posts: 5,754
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    Now I am using Norton, when on Google searching for websites there are icons beside the name of the links.
    There are four catagories. A Green Tick is OK, and Grey Question mark is untested, and Amber Exclaimation is caution and Red with a cross has an indentifable threat.

    By clicking on these you can see what threat a website has or if its carries malware, spyware or any other threat.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 29
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    A green tick doesn't mean it's "OK." It should say instead, "Not known to contain nasties but it still could, so proceed at your own peril and don't blame us."
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,285
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    To the OP: Download a program called CWS shredder from here http://download.cnet.com/CWShredder/3000-8022_4-10301587.html

    and Spybot Search and destroy: http://download.cnet.com/Spybot-Search-amp-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html?tag=mncol

    Install both of these programs and boot the computer up in safe mode. Then run these programs. If your computer is infected these 2 programs should sort it out
  • stevensdrsstevensdrs Posts: 1,705
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    I am not at all technically minded but in something of a dilemma. I have just had a call from a close friend who when going onto the internet today found that the web history showed loads and loads of porn websites as having been visited. I suggested that she ask her husband about it as I didn't really know what else to say. She has just called back to say that he is adamant that he hasn't been viewing any of them.

    Is there any other way they could be on there? I don't know anything about viruses but could one have done this? I asked if they have Norton or one of those and she said she thinks it is something like Macfee?

    Any ideas?

    It is possible for a trojan to run in the background and contact these web sites, The only evidence is the trail in the ie history folder. Such trojans are very difficult to remove as they embed in the root of all drives and make changes to the registry in order that they are activated when the computer is booted up.
    Most will prevent the addition of a new virus scanner and can prevent an existing virus scanner from running. Many also disable the restore function too.
    :(
  • TheBruce1TheBruce1 Posts: 907
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    It is possible these websites could end up in browsers history via re-directs and not by him visiting them deliberately.
    Download a program called CWS shredder from here http://download.cnet.com/CWShredder/...-10301587.html

    CWS is obsolete, it has not been updated since 2005.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,285
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    TheBruce1 wrote: »
    It is possible these websites could end up in browsers history via re-directs and not by him visiting them deliberately.



    CWS is obsolete, it has not been updated since 2005.

    It'll still find the most common forms of malware though. It even works on vista.
  • mountymounty Posts: 19,141
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    I am not at all technically minded but in something of a dilemma. I have just had a call from a close friend who when going onto the internet today found that the web history showed loads and loads of porn websites as having been visited. I suggested that she ask her husband about it as I didn't really know what else to say. She has just called back to say that he is adamant that he hasn't been viewing any of them.

    Is there any other way they could be on there? I don't know anything about viruses but could one have done this? I asked if they have Norton or one of those and she said she thinks it is something like Macfee?

    Any ideas?


    No ones going to write a virus that adds websites to the browser history, but did you check for any malware redirecting traffic? What web browser are they using?


    Greyowl wrote: »
    Sorry if this is digressing from the technicial point of this thread

    Then don't digress.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 16,275
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    Reminds me of all the calls I used to get when working for Sky, all women all wondering what the charges were on their bill.

    One of the best ones I've had is a woman ringing to complain about the porn on her bill, she was adamant that no one had used porn as there was only her and her 15 year old son in the house???
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 497
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    whip wrote: »
    Reminds me of all the calls I used to get when working for Sky, all women all wondering what the charges were on their bill.

    One of the best ones I've had is a woman ringing to complain about the porn on her bill, she was adamant that no one had used porn as there was only her and her 15 year old son in the house???


    ... and it couldn't be her husband as he was staying at their second home in the constituency. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 355
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    mounty wrote: »
    Then don't digress.
    :D:p
    As the Americans say, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... it's probably a duck !
    If the computer in question is not secure : logged in as Admin, out of date or no updates for OS/Anti-virus/Anti Spyware, how come neither of them have come across this problem before ?
    What kind of sites are being browsed to pick up such nasties ? Are there commercial sites that can drop such trojans or is it more likely to occur with attack sites that offer "interesting" pictures ? :D
    Running a full scan with uptodate Malwarebytes : http://www.malwarebytes.org/ in Windows safe mode should find the majority of nasties.
    If it returns with no infections found, it's either a very sophisticated infection or we're back to my quacking friend IMHO.
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