The malware service we’re using found one more problem. I deleted the file.
Use this thread to report problems. If you have a problem, please clear your cache, if you don’t know how to do that, here’s an article that explains it.
Malware Update
by @heymistermix.com| 119 Comments
This post is in: Previous Site Maintenance
Betty Cracker
That worked for me. Thanks so much for taking care of this, MM. You’re a mensch.
moonbat
Thanks, mistermix. Those big red flashy messages were scaring me!
Dolly Llama
I’ve got Firefox, and it’s still borked for me. I have cleared the cache. No dice. Works fine on IE, though. I’m on a PC. I’ll check it on the Mac when I get to work and report back if there’s a problem there.
Ben
Cleared the cache in Chrome and was able to access the site once but am now still getting the Malware message.
01jack
On Linux, clearing cache in Chrome was no help, in Firefox clearing cache got rid of warnings.
Jim C
FWIW, I’m still getting it on Safari for Mac OS X, even after clearing the cache. (Sent this from Chrome, working normally)
mistermix
It seems like it’s clean for a while then re-infects. I’m going to keep looking.
gelfling545
I’m getting the warning now. I didn’t see it yesterday at all. Hmmm.
RSA
On my Mac, clearing the cache worked for Chrome but not for Safari.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@mistermix: I put a link on the earlier malware thread about the current fashion in website infections. Briefly, the source of the reinfections could be somewhere on the server that you may not have permission to get into. Also, having the iframe show up appears to be conditional; it won’t appear every time you hit a given page. If you don’t already have the hosting company involved, get them involved.
OzarkHillbilly
FWIW, when I first came here this morn there was nothing. I followed a link and when I came back it was flagged. Since then, no problemo.
Thanx for doing the thankless job of cleaning out the litter box MM.
J R in WV
I find StopBadware arrogant and borderline malware itself. Am I the only one that sees anything wrong with how they execute their mission?
At the least they should be listing specific problems they claim to be aware of, with a list of steps to take to eliminate the issues, and links to places where free assistance and advice is available, the very first time you encounter them.
If they provided a list of files with hits and the type of problem in each file, including the file structure where it lives, it would be obvious if the problem was on the hosting server somewhere where BJ support (Thanks MM!) can’t deal with it directly.
Ubuntu / Firefox now seems OK after I’ve cleared the cache.
Ubuntu / Chrome seems OK, I never got the bad software warning screen using Chrome, so no cache work needed, it seems.
RobertDSC-PowerMac G5 Dual
Safari and Camino still give warnings. TenFourFox and Opera did not. I tried a post in Safari and the error came up when I went to post my message. Now I’m writing in Opera.
Guy
Chrome on my Ipad and Android mobile is fine. On my Windows 7 desktop it still throws the alert even after clearing the cache.
Boudica
Same for me.
Genine
I cleared the cache and I’m still having a problem on Firefox and Chrome. I can only access the site on my Android phone
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@J R in WV:
They do provide that information to the owner of the site. But they are working from what Google’s spiders crawl. So, they can only see the public files that are infected, not the hidden file that causes the infection to recur.
Hence my earlier advice to nuke it from orbit. If everything you can access is deleted and replaced with an uninfected backup, and it still recurs, it’s somewhere in the server’s operating system and probably beyond your reach.
Nicole
Using Safari on a Mac- clearing the cache allows me to visit the home page, but when I try to click on one of the articles I get the malware window again. It’s fine on Opera on the same Mac, though.
ChrisNYC
Cleared cache still get malware block except on phone. I use chrome.
Neddie Jingo
Still seeing it, OSX Mountain Lion, Chrome 27.0.1453.116. Not seeing it on Android tablet or iPhone.
Cleared Chrome cache to no effect.
Nicole
For what it’s worth, I tried doing a google search on safari “Balloon Juice Tunch MARC” to find a link to the RIP Tunch thread and when I clicked the link it also gave me me the malware window.
No problem accessing the site on my iPad, but it won’t let me post comments (I tried hitting the reply button and it just went back to the top of the page).
Alex S.
The NSA is still in my Chrome.
Percysowner
Still getting the malware warning on Mac Osx 10.6.8 using Firefox. Can get in using Safari and on my IPad using Mercury Browser
cmorenc
Chrome is still giving the flashing red warning for malware. (I’m using the latest version of Chrome). This still happens AFTER clearing the cache, closing and restarting Chrome.
IE allows me to come here (hence my post), but I’ve had it crash mysteriously the first time I came.
Earl
Also.
OzarkHillbilly
@OzarkHillbilly:
Forgot to mention I use Firefox. And I didn’t clear my cache. Yet.
TaMara (BHF)
Nope, cleared my cache, restarted my browser and still getting the malware on Chrome. IE7 is fine and my Avast! says nothing is wrong. Hope that helps.
PeakVT
No problems here, though I have YesScript installed and have blacklisted the site.
Jacquie
I picked something up on my work computer (for shame, I know) that’s interfering with my VPN. I’m trying to correct it without having to make a (billable) call to tech help. Cleared cache, ran McAfee Stinger and Microsoft Safety Scanner, restarted, no luck. Any advice?
handsmile
Thanks for your trouble-shooting repairs, mistermix.
However, as several others users of Safari/Mac have reported above, even after clearing my cache, the Google Malware warning still appears when I try to access this site through the browser. Able to get through using “History.”
ETA: Would this service problem have anything to do with Yatsuno’s photo appearing here on the Seattle meet-up thread? Perhaps such dark lords of the IRS must remain incognito?
Ridnik Chrome
Cleared cache in Firefox, but still getting warnings. IE works, though.
diakron
Firefox just reported “badware” on this site as of 9:34am EDT.
terraformer
Yup, still getting the malware warning – iMac, latest Chrome version, cleared cache, restarted Chrome.
Rosalita
Still getting the warning from Chrome… got it on my mac at home and now on my office PC. I cleared the cache.
amk
Got the badware warning on FF when I first opened the main page. Dismissed it and moved on to the threads.
third of two
Warning from Chrome, no warning from IE.
Original Lee
Warning from Safari on my iPhone but so far nothing from IE or Firefox on my PC. Firefox has been borked up for me since the last update, though.
TaMara (BHF)
mistermix thanks for your hard work. It looks like Balloon-Juice is Google approved. :-)
Villago Delenda Est
Win 7 Chrome user here…I got the warning last night…ironically after viewing the thread on this from last night. I’m still getting the warning after clearing the cache, so Google is still seeing something, or has not updated the settings on their side.
Eric U.
cleared my cache and firefox locked up, bizarre. Not blaming this on the malware warning, I doubt I have picked anything up from here
soprano2
I cleared the cache on Chome, and I still get the malware warning. My Explorer at work blocks you as a malicious site. However I can get here with the browser on my phone.
TaMara (BHF)
Ok, I know you had to remove some pictures, but I demand this one be put back:
https://balloon-juice.com/2013/07/01/ahh-the-innocence-and-stupidity-of-youth/
That JC picture was priceless, we cannot be denied.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Jacquie: Have you tried MalwareBytes?
Chat Noir
Running Firefox 22.0. Cleared cache before logging on but still get the warning page. I’m on a MacBook.
Botsplainer
Do I actually have to clear cache and history in Chrome?
Betty Cracker
@Botsplainer: It won’t do any good if you do it now anyway. There’s still some sort of issue. I cleared my cache and didn’t get the malware warning once, but now it’s back. Le sigh. I hate technical issues. I’m so useless at resolving them.
satby
@cmorenc: Yeah, me too; cache cleared as well.
Jacquie
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Trying it now; appreciate the link. I’ll let you know if that cleans it up.
stratplayer
I just cleared all my browser caches and I’m still getting the scary warning in Firefox and IE. Chrome is fine, as well as all my Android browsers.
ThresherK
Glad to know I wasn’t imagining things.
MariedeGournay
I have Firefox on pc and I’m still getting the warning.
Jay C
I hadn’t been getting it when I first logged on this morning (c. 10:15 ET), but just got it on FF (c. 11:08) (IE seemed to log on OK). I cleared the cache, then logged on BJ again, but still got the page and warning.
Haven;t tried it on any Macs yet
Maude
In Firefox, Options, Security, un check the block attack sites. That will stop the messages.
Felonius Monk
Cleared cache in Firefox — still getting the warnings.
cintibud
Cleared out Cache in FIrefox but still get the warning when I close and restart Firefox
Jacquie
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Tried MalwareBytes; noting malicious detected. Whatever it is also got by my Symantec Endpoint Protection. The BF suggested restarting in safe mode and trying to manually delete it; anyone have thoughts on the efficacy of that plan?
amk
@Jacquie:
super anti spyware free version.
smedley the uncertain
Still getting the warnings. WIN 7, FF 22.0, AVG Free.
Cleared cache, closed FF and restarted. Warnings were back.
schrodinger's cat
I am still getting the malware warnings in both Firefox and Chrome on my laptop running Windows 7 professional edition, even after clearing the cache.
smedley the uncertain
Just for G and Gs; ran CC Cleaner on FF to clear cache, cookies etc.. Problem still present
gbear
I can now visit the site if I use Internet Explorer (this wasn’t the case earlier this morning). If I try to visit via Google Chrome, I immediately get a warning screen saying that the site is infected with malware. I cleared out my browsing history (which is set up to clear everything else out with it), but I still get the warning screen on Chrome. I’m going through accute Balloon Juice withdrawl this morning.
amk
methinks it’s tunch yanking our collective chains. that fat bastard.
Violet
When people say they are “still getting warnings”, is that from the browser itself–like when you try to go to the page, it has been indexed as a Not Safe page, so the browser doesn’t let you go there? Or, is it your anti-virus software that is throwing up a warning saying “Malware detected”?
Just curious if people are actively encountering the malware or if it’s a lingering issue with how Google or whoever lists the site.
If you Google balloon-juice.com, the warning comes up just under the link for the site on the results:
That means Google still has it listed as a problem website.
gelfling545
Cleared the cache. The only difference is now I’m getting the warning on Chrome as well as Firefox. This is on my Windows machine at work. No idea about my Mac today yet but there was nothing showing last night. Latest Firefox – just updated within a few days. Windows 7 os I believe
Jacquie
@amk: Trying that now, thanks.
amk
@Violet: Yup. It’s a google issue. mm needs to contact them. What the fuck they are doing in firefox browser beats me.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Jacquie: Manually deleting what, though?
What are the symptoms?
I don’t generally have a high opinion of McAfee or Symantec. I freely admit this is at least partly an old-timer’s prejudice, as both have released some howlingly bad software in the past.
Most of the big names in anti-virus have a free online scan available. This page has links to most of them. I’d start with Kaspersky, ESET, and F-Secure.
Loneoak
As long as it is a site maintenance thread … Here’s an unrelated problem I’ve been meaning to write to you about. On Chrome on iOS hyperlinks are not working correctly on BJ. Typically one would press and hold a link to get a dialog window that would allow one to open the link in a new page. However, on my device, only on BJ, that dialog window refuses to pop up and I am forced to open the page in the same window, leaving BJ for the other site. Not a big deal, but interrupts my typical reading process in an annoying fashion.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
Hmm, my response to Jacquie has been gnomed. Release me from moderation, oh powerful ones!
@amk: Google makes their badware database freely available, and Firefox is happy to take advantage of that gift. In general, it’s a good idea.
Samuel Lockhart
So where’s the porn?
taylormattd
As of 9:20 am pacific, Google chrome is still screaming “malware” at me. Viewing right now via mobile
gelfling545
OK, now for me, on Firefox everything is showing as an attack site, even some very restricted sites at work so I’d imagine the problem goes beyond this site. The work sites are ok on Chrome so I’d guess a Firefox problem.
Dolly Llama
Just checked on my work machine, a Mac. Still screwed in FF but looks ok in Chrome and Safari.
WereBear
My Chromebook was unhappy. Cleared cache, still unhappy. Clicked on anyway… which I don’t recommend, but Chromebook has a “sealed original” to compare to.
Rebooting now.
…
AND still unhappy.
OzarkHillbilly
Got the warning again when I came back.
Went to clear my cache. I can not. It is impossible. Doesn’t even look anything at all like his screenshots. The Clear Recent History is not highlighted. Ever. But, I know I am computer stupid so I will let my wife deal with this she sees fit.
FlyingToaster
I had it last night and this am on Mac Firefox; I installed NoRedirect and added StopBadware to it. Since we already run NoScript and various other security features, we were clear that this had gone from “PITA” to “oh FFS stop it!”.
I think that the ongoing issue is verifying and then percolating the “is this fixed?” information across the server farms.
Yatsuno
Got the message this morning. Firefox on Win7.
gbear
Just tried to go back and read a posting from a few days ago. When I clicked on it, it brought me back to the main page with the ‘Rolling Stone’ posting as the first story. As of a few minutes ago, google was still listing Balloon Juice as an infected site, and I still can’t get to it via Chrome.
Good luck getting it fixed. Computers problems can suck so bad.
Mike E
Google-plexed on FF IE at work…cache clearing no werqy.
Mike E
I just pasted the address and now I’m back in…oddly, my RAZR had no issues with the site.
Violet
I clicked on the “Ignore this warning” link on the red alert “attack site” page that comes up in FF. This is new this morning. I had to click on it last night, and was fine getting to the site first thing this morning. Cleared cache, ran AVG and MalwareBytes (found nothing), and rebooted. Now am getting the warnings again.
FYI, last night on the “And We’re Back” post, I posted that I was getting an AVG malware pop up warning. Probably the additional problem that you found. Haven’t had one of those since.
kc
IE won’t even let me open it, and thd Chrome warning is so scary I’m afraid to open it on my pc. Posting this from my phone
dp
Cleared the cache in Chrome; still doesn’t work. I’m here via Internet Explorer.
Johnny Coelecanth
Google Chrome is still reporting the site as infected, even after clearing the cache.
Details included: “Malicious software is hosted on 1 domain(s), including hanton.de/.
I hit “Proceed at your own risk” and haven’t gotten any malware yet so, fingers crossed.
Johnny Coelacanth
Google Chrome is still reporting the site as infected, even after clearing the cache.
Details included: “Malicious software is hosted on 1 domain(s), including hanton.de/.
I hit “Proceed at your own risk” and haven’t gotten any malware yet so, fingers crossed.
And please delete the post in moderation, I typo-ed my own name.
wvng
@kc: yep, posting from my IPod. Chrome on XP still screaming after cache clear.
fuckwit
Can someone explain to me what the hell exactly happened?
What malware did these services think they found? Where? How did it get in here?
Chaplain Weasle
regular android browser: still has warning thru google
opera mini on android (Motorola) phone: no problemo
!!
Roxy
I’m on Windows 7 using IE and have had no problems
Just tried Firefox and have gotten the infamous red page
dance around in your bones
I had a few of those scary red screens yesterday (Win 7, Firefox 22.0) and immediately shut down the browser, ran MalwareBytesAntiMalware (free version) which found no threat, cleaned out all my temp files, restarted the computer and have had no problems since.
I have no idea if what I did above had anything to do with it.
I also run NoScript, AdBlockPlus, WOT (which still gives the site an excellent rating), Avast! antivirus, WinPatrol, SpywareBlaster and asst other paranoid protections. I kind of like having a condom over my laptop, even if it springs a leak now and then :)
Hope y’all get it fixed soon.
EthylEster
I’m using FF v. 22.0
I followed the directions for clearing the cache.
Quit FF.
Started FF and navigated to BJ
Same problem.
jheartney
On Mac running Lion. Safari lets me through but Chrome puts up Malware warning. Clearing cache had no effect.
jheartney
After leaving and returning to the site, Safari now blocking as well. Typing this from FF.
gogol's wife
At home as of noon I could not get through on either Firefox or Safari. I could override the warning to get to the site, but then it wouldn’t let me go to comments. And the site looked screwed up. I tried clearing the cache according to instructions but it made no difference. Now I’m at my office, and on this computer it’s fine on Firefox. But I’m worried that it will still be messed up at home — and when I’m there, I can’t comment.
Mnemosyne
No problem on my iPhone running Safari. I will try clearing the cache on my work computer after my doctor’s appointment.
Ripley
Still borked, FF 21.0 Win7.
For those checking their hard drives over this (not a bad idea if there’s genuine disease coming from BJ), the noted antivirus/malware programs are good but seldom is one enough – definitely run several, including one that checks for rootkit infections – they’re nasty fuckers (AVG Free does this). I’d also recommend the free HijackThis program – it has a learning curve as it’s not an automatic cleaner, but it finds stuff the others might miss.
Sarah in Brooklyn
I just cleared the cache, restarted Chrome, still getting the bad page.
JaneE
Cleared cache, still getting malware warning. Chrome browser.
RaflW
Still getting malware warnings at 2:48 pm CDT.
Also, FYWP is eating my comments on the thread above because I’m using some damn no-no word I can’t figure out. Is there an f’ing directory of no-no words plz??
dance around in your bones
@RaflW: There used to be a list of spam words on the WordPress site but they seem to have removed it (I was going to link it for you).
The main triggers are anything to do with gaming establishments and the games people play in them, any word that refers to name brand drugs or the legal establishments one buys them in. Even a word that contains the illegal word within it (i.e. am.bient) will send you into mod hell.
Of course, often FYWP will just send you there for the fuck of it. At least we can say fuck as much as we like :)
Em
I’m using Firefox Portable at the moment (my job will only allow IE to be installed) and it’s still coming
up as an attack site for me. 4:11 pm EST 7/17/13.
eta: of course as soon as I posted this comment the site went back to normal for me.
dance around in your bones
@RaflW:
P.S. If you are trying to mention Cory Boo.ker, you’ll get modded unless you stick a period in there like I did. Related to the gaming establishments in some odd way. Also, pus.sy will do it.
Keith G
Home from work and this was waiting for me.
efroh
Thanks for taking care of this mistermix!
Thlayli
Cleared the cache, still got the warning.
Chrome on Mac desktop.
Linnaeus
Still getting malware warnings, too. Chrome running on XP.
Jacquie
Wound up using McAfee Rootkit Remover. All better. Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions.
Kristine
Cleared caches. Still getting warnings from FF and Safari, running OSX 10.8.4.
drkrick
Still getting a malware warning from Google at 6″00 pm eastern after clearing my history. Firefox on a Mac.
Dolly Llama
Still getting one on FF on a Mac after clearing the cache, and I’m also getting it on Chrome now, though Safari still lets me through. This is a step backwards from this morning, when I could get it on Chrome OK on a Mac machine. It’s also not letting me publish comments on the mobile site.
Dolly Llama
Ted & Hellen did this shit. Guaran-damn-tee you.
Eric
@JaneE: Same prob. No prob mobile
JMS
Problem in Firefox even after clearing cache. No problem on IE 10.
Ducktape
This is the first I’ve tried today on my PC. Firefox is blocking it still, at 16:25 PDT. Got here on my iPad instead.
Grrrrr
Ron
Cleared cache in Chrome under Win8, still get malware warning.
JCT
Still problems with latest Safari after clearing cache. Had to access via iPhone to post. Frustrating!
gogol's wife
Now on my Mac I am no longer getting warnings on Safari, but am still getting them on Firefox — 8:27 Eastern.
Dolly Llama
OK, seeing this now on a Mac with FF, no warnings.
ETA: Seems to work fine on Chrome and Safari on this same Mac. And the edit function works, too. :)
Bill Cole
Looks to me like you’re still infected. Every page has a link (36 lines from the bottom) with a title attribute including the phrase “Powered by WordPress” that leads to the the main distribution site for the net’s most important website malware vectors.