CNET Warning

DrBeenGolfing

DrBeenGolfing

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Mar 16, 2013
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Just a heads up - I've found a couple of reviews on CNET.com that have links in them that are actually redirects to malware downloads. The Panda Free review has one - it says AV-Comparatives.org, but it's a redirect to someplace you don't want to go. Be careful while on CNET.
 
If you use an adblocker, you probably will never see the links.
Cnet has these ads with the word "Download" on product download pages.

Users who don't pay attention can click on the ads thinking they are downloading the program of their choice. Other download sites have these deceptive ads as well. Thank goodness for adblockers.

Thanks.:D
 
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Their news can be an ok part but not the download sections, since its likely bundled with unknown stuffs and created their own installer version.
 
Littlebits said:
If you use an adblocker, you probably will never see the links.
Cnet has these ads with the word "Download" on product download pages.

Users who don't pay attention can click on the ads thinking they are downloading the program of their choice. Other download sites have these deceptive ads as well. Thank goodness for adblockers.

Thanks.:D
Click to expand...
Use ABP. This was a highlighted text in a sentence in a review. Look up the CNET review for Panda Free AV---it's in that article in a sentence that's reads, "To see Panda's protection score go to AV-Comparatives.org." If you click that, you'll get a redirect to a page telling you to download some type of player in order to view the page where you thought you were going in the first place---namely AV-Comparatives.org. You can tell it's just a redirect to malware download. WOT flagged it and so did Bitdefender.
 
DrBeenGolfing: I've checked the review of Panda Free AV from CNET and just stumbled the misspelled word of AV-Comparatives. (No Adblock installed)

 
"Performance
We have to confess that Panda Cloud Antivirus 2.0's benchmarks surprised us. We expected it to leave a small footprint on the system, but not be particularly effective at stopping threats. In fact, the benchmarks tell the opposite tale.

Two independent testing organizations placed Cloud AV 1.5.2, the most recent version for which test results are available, much higher on its efficacy charts than we expected it to be. AV-Test gave Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.5.2 a 14.5 out of 18, a very respectable score. It was made even more noteworthy because it outperformed its cousin, Panda Internet Security, which only earned a 13.5 out of 18.

AV-Comparitives gave the same version of Cloud Antivirus a "Advanced" rating, finding it 97.1 percent effective at blocking threats with minimal false positives.


Read more: Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition - CNET Download.com http://download.cnet.com/Panda-Cloud-Antivirus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10914099.html#ixzz2SOWHzIK6

Yeah, it is misspelled - they must have hacked CNET's system - no telling how many articles/reviews have been poisoned on CNET now.
 
I just saw the link to AV-Comparatives and it worked even with Adblock Plus installed, I believe this is just an honest mistake because CNet misspelled the url address. The correct address should be http://www.av-comparatives.org/ not hxxp://av-comparitives.org/ which is redirected to hxxp://ultimate-downloads.com.

Good thing this site is already blocked by many AV's and WOT.
http://www.webutation.net/go/review/ultimate-downloads.com

However I wonder why SmartSceen Filter on IE, Google Safe Browsing and others don't detect it.

Thanks.:D
 
With WOT and Bit defender turned off, you'll get a page that won't let you do anything but click the install button. I had to shut the computer down to get out of it.
And, if you click that link on a android os, you get redirected to Amazon local UK.
 
People still use Download.com? :rolleyes:

I stopped using them close to 3 years ago after they started bundling downloads with their slow ad-infested, offer infested, trace making CNET installer which doubled the time to install the software you actually wanted.

I went ahead and clicked on the link you fellas are talking about and I got redirected to 3 different completely non-related (long URL's with referral links) junk websites ending finally at a car dealership website instead of AV-Comparatives.

If you're looking for great download websites try FileHippo, Softpedia and MajorGeeks all of which I use without issues.

Thanks.
 
Users may refer to CNET for Product Reviews and visit the links to for more details, so yes, I do believe many still use CNET site.

I get redirected to a Fake Flash Player update:
[attachment=4353]
 

Attachments

  • fakeflash.PNG
    fakeflash.PNG
    88 KB · Views: 595
That's one of the redirects.
Funny, when on that page in Opera and SlimBrowser, I was able to hit the back arrow and get out of it, but using IE10 it locked the screen and had to shut down the computer.
 
I'm able to close the IE10 without problems, could be an isolated issue on your part?
 
Okay.

Has anyone reported this to CNET? I can't find a Contact Us without having to Log in.
 
That's strange, misspelled website turned to be detected from user agent string of browsers.
 
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