Browser lockup and other various subjects...

On 4/29/25 11:37 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:

Somehow I got my Chromebook browser completely locked up saying I had a
 virus and to contact xxxx to get rid of it. However since it said it was a
 Windows 11 virus I wasn't too worried. But I was surprised that it was able
 to lock up the Chromebook completely so that I had to reboot it to recover.
 Perhaps Chrome stuff is not really as safe as advertised...

We had something like that in 2019 on my wife's laptop, in which a
full page web page "Your system is infected with 3 viruses" seemed to
have locked up the (Windows 8.1) computer.

My wife's current desktop (HP 23" Envy Touchsmart bought in 2014) is also
 using Windows 8 and still works great.

However it turned out that
Ctrl-Alt-Del could still access Task Manager and Task Manager could End
the offending process.

I remember years ago having a Windows browser locked up by a similar scam
 but IIRC not the whole machine. I tried everything I could think of on the
 Chromebook with no luck. I was frankly (no pun intended) surprised that
 Google actually had let me down...

The page  had a Microsoft logo and "Windows" in the text, but no
Windows version. It also had 'Scan Now' and 'Press OK to begin the
repair process'. For some strange reason, I never tried those buttons
Of course there was no virus and it wasn't even a get-money/ransomware
thing, more an ads things.

I try to never take chances. I never click the link on suspected scams,
 browser or texts etc. Paranoia perhaps...

 According to my notes, the main culprit was rackcdn.com.
 I found the 'official' term for a thing like this, malvertising.

Hadn't heard that before. Appropriate though.
-Subject change-
Got this new Pixel tablet toy with Android 15. It won't let me sideload my
 old Groundhog newsreader so I'm stuck with this PhoNews which is a PITA
 when reading. I can't find any other Usenet readers (not downloaders) in
 the Play Store. Wonder if anybody knows of any? I'm not sure if I'm ready
 for sideloading from outside the store for security reasons but will listen
 to all suggestions...