Update - another blogspot blog that transmitts viruses and spyware
Update to my Spyware on Blogspot? post.
Gilbert Wesley Purdy over at Obiter Dicta experienced the same issue I warned of January 24, 2005: using the "next blog" button on blogspot hosted blogs may bring you to a blog that can infect your computer with a virus or spyware. Gilbert's excellent account of his time consuming experience can be found here.
Because our old blogspot blog is still operational with the "next blog" button, I put the following warning on all of the blog pages:
Below is Blogger's response to my concerns. My experience prompted me to move my blog from mtlaw.blogspot.com to mt-law.com/blog:
Gilbert Wesley Purdy over at Obiter Dicta experienced the same issue I warned of January 24, 2005: using the "next blog" button on blogspot hosted blogs may bring you to a blog that can infect your computer with a virus or spyware. Gilbert's excellent account of his time consuming experience can be found here.
Because our old blogspot blog is still operational with the "next blog" button, I put the following warning on all of the blog pages:
CAUTION: Mallory & Tsibouris Co., LPA does not endorse the use of the "Next Blog" icon at the upper right hand corner of this blog. Please see this post for further information.
Below is Blogger's response to my concerns. My experience prompted me to move my blog from mtlaw.blogspot.com to mt-law.com/blog:
Hi there,
Thanks for your email. In this version 1.0 release of the Blogger Navbar,the NextBlog button brings users to a random blog that 1) has a navbar, 2) was recently updated and 3) is listed as a public blog. Right now, it's impossible to know what sort of blog you're going to land on. However, we are working on how best to help our users avoid content they don't want tosee along with other ideas and upgrades to the Navbar. Your feedback is appreciated in this process.
Please note that you can turn the Navbar on or off at your leisure if you use Blogger's FTP option together with your own hosting provider. This option is located in the "Template" section of your Blogger account. Users of Blogger's free hosting service do not have the option of turning the Navbar off.
Sincerely,Blogger SupportOriginal Message
Follows:------------------------From: Alvin Borromeo {U 754807} Subject: Use of
Next BlogDate: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 06:56:50 -0800 (PST) I used the "Next Blog" feature and went to nana294.blogspot.com [WARNING, don't go to the site on the left]. My PC immediatly gave me messages indicative of spyware being loaded onto mymachine. Sure enough, my browser now opens up to searchmiracle.com.How do you remove the "Next Blog" feature from my weblog?
posted by me at
10:37 AM
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5 Comments:
May I ask which browser you were using..?
I'm fully expecting a chorus of "I told you so's" but I use IE 6.0
Ben, excellent article and research. Thank you for the comment.
IE is a product which is known to be more vulnerable to exploits than any other browser. Generally, if you visit sites you don't know, you are taking a certain security risc. That's what it boils down to, and I dont't think it has too much to do with if blogspot is hosting malicious content or if anybody else does...
So it's more like that visiting any unknown web page "may bring you to a blog that can infect your computer with a virus or spyware", and it is more likely to happen if you use IE.
Andrew, you are welcome. The "research" was unintended, however I felt that people should be warned of the danger.
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