Serebii.net Virus

[Roy Karrde]

I am not trying to set this up as a Pokemasters vs Serebii thing, but I have already informed those running the front page. Anyway for most of yesterday and at least to early mornings today, Serebii.net's main page had a 1 pixel high iframe placed in it by a hacker. This frame downloaded atleast one and possibly more trojans and viruses onto your computer. Anyone that visited his website since say Friday to be safe, should do a virus scan of their computer.

If this hacker is targeting Pokemon sites we should also watch out on other Pokemon sites we visit as well as Pokemasters.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Well, that just sucks! -o- My computers still ravaged, so thanks for the heads up. If I get it fixed this week I wouldn't want it to be ripped apart again. My god, it must be flu season!

[kainashi]

thanks for the heads up, roy.

[Rossymore]

Although I have been on the site, I have not had any problems with my computer...though I'm really not that sure.

At least if something does happen, I'll know where it came from. Thanks Roy!

[Lady Vulpix]

Do you happen to have the URL of that 1 pixel image, so that we can block it in case the hacker attacks other sites we may visit?

In any case, everyone should configure their browsers to forbid scripts from downloading, installing or executing external programs without permission.

[abunaidesu]

it's probably a bitter ex-mod

[Roy Karrde]

Sent you a PM with all I know Lady V

[Houndoom_Lover]

Wha- wha! We all should know the links and stuff to protect ourself :3 Will Lady Vulpix share her knowldge?

I'm just steering clear of the site today ^w^ I'm on the libizzal computer so...

I concur! This is REVENGE!

[Roy Karrde]

All I sent her was Google Diagnostic information from where the original iframe came from. I didn't want to put it out to everyone just in case anyone accidentally tries to go there or tries to do it on our site as a copy cat. But if Lady V wants to post the info she can.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Hrhm, good point.

It still be nice to see it. I'm just curious ^w^ Minus the destruction of the computer part, its kinda cool that people can do that...

[mr_pikachu]

Thanks for the heads-up, Roy. While I don't visit SPP myself, I'm sure that our cross-forum members appreciate your courteous warning.

[Pokemaster Ash]

Also maybe it should be clarified if it was a specific page of the site or not that was infected. After all, no use worrying anyone if they didn't go to that part of the site. I generally just check out their Dex, so I probably missed it (and my anti-virus came back with a clean scan, so added relief).

[Roy Karrde]

I'm reading up on the chat thread about it and it seems to happen on the intro page of Serebii.net or once you click the enter graphic and go to the main page. Alot of people talk about how they clicked the intro page graphic and their computer started going crazy.

[Lady Vulpix]

All I sent her was Google Diagnostic information from where the original iframe came from. I didn't want to put it out to everyone just in case anyone accidentally tries to go there or tries to do it on our site as a copy cat. But if Lady V wants to post the info she can.

OK. I'll put it in a spoiler tag. Everyone BLOCK that address. Don't check it out, remember it's a virus site, so don't open it.

The address everyone should block is: (Spoiler:) myndomain.info.

Note: the site was detected as harmful byStopBadware.org and Google. Seriously, don't open it. Just block it.

[Roy Karrde]

Another Virus was found, this time on Serebii forums. Last night a virus infected the forum's login.php, index.php and showpost.php I stumbled upon these pages but don't think I got it, due to the multilayer of protection. Apparently Serebii has become the target of some hacker to virus attack both the site and forums.

[Houndoom_Lover]

-o- The internet needs a stronger condom, I don't want serebii's AIDS.

[Blademaster]

Hahahahahahaha, sucks to be you eh Serebii Joe?

[abunaidesu]

Good to know the people Serebii plagiarizes from are finally retaliating.

[Lady Vulpix]

Good to know the people Serebii plagiarizes from are finally retaliating.

Does this mean you know who's doing this? It's not a good thing, kiyone. It's a bad thing. Lots of people out there may be getting the virus.

[Jeff]

I think she's just making an assumption. Then again, so am I.

[abunaidesu]

Does this mean you know who's doing this? It's not a good thing, kiyone. It's a bad thing. Lots of people out there may be getting the virus.

Joe has overtly admitted numerous times that the majority of his content is stolen in advance from Japanese websites. I have no idea who is attacking SPP, I'm just assuming that Joe plagiarizing is the main incentive behind the attacks ^^

[mr_pikachu]

Well, there's that possibility. There's also the chance that someone's targeting Pokemon sites (and ours could be next) or that they're just randomly picking online communities and happened to hit Serebii. It's hard to say... I'm not making any assumptions at this stage, because we just don't know.

[Roy Karrde]

It could also be because of Serebii's popularity, like it or not it, plagiarized or not, it does get some of the first information out there. Thus leading to many other sites including popular gaming news sites like Kotaku and IGN to link back to it in their articles. Of all the Pokemon websites out there, I would say Serebii is one of if not the most highly visible to the rest of the world. And thus the biggest target.

Then again this could be some a-hole going around targeting Pokemon sites one at a time. Only time will tell.

[Telume]

Another explanation COULD be bad file permissions. Since I doubt the hosts would actually allow the upload of a virus to a hosting space without notifying Joe or consequences for Serebii.

I.E: World-writeable public_html folders, I would kind of laugh if Joe mad such a stupid and simple mistake to fix.

[kainashi]

wouldn't surprise me if he did.

[RedStarWarrior]

The virus isn't that big of a threat. It never affected me nor a lot of others who actually know how to protect their computers.

[Blademaster]

I go on the Pokedex all the time and all I got is Norton. Nothing's happened to me.

[Houndoom_Lover]

It could be time coded too, though, you won't know untill you've upset it. Try to restore your computer, open Word and type in birthday Who knows!

[Mr. Brightside]

So, is the virus still there? I haven't been there in a while because of it and since i'm having a few issues with my pc i don't wanna risk getting infected.

[mr_pikachu]

I don't think anyone's really sure, particularly since it apparently vanished and then reappeared on a different page.

While I'll admit I have an anti-Serebii bias, I still think it's reasonable to suggest steering clear of that domain for a bit if you can help it. Better not to take any chances with your computer.

[Roy Karrde]

Right now Serebii is clean, the virus hit on the forums was taken care of within a few hours, and the main page was only hit for a day or so. That being said I would say enter at your own discression. There are things you should always have running on your computer, a good virus scanner like McAfee, Zone Alarm or some other firewall service, Fire Fox or Google Chrome, and AdBlock Plus add on for either of them.

You can never have too much protection, and even if there is a virus on Serebii or on any other web site, doing everything you can to lower your risk of catching it is always a good thing.

[RedStarWarrior]

Right now Serebii is clean, the virus hit on the forums was taken care of within a few hours, and the main page was only hit for a day or so. That being said I would say enter at your own discression. There are things you should always have running on your computer, a good virus scanner like McAfee, Zone Alarm or some other firewall service, Fire Fox or Google Chrome, and AdBlock Plus add on for either of them.

You can never have too much protection, and even if there is a virus on Serebii or on any other web site, doing everything you can to lower your risk of catching it is always a good thing.

Never use Chrome. *shudder*

Also, I find Webroot to be the best for me. It won't even load webpages that have exploits, unless I tell it to ignore them.

[Telume]

This is where I'm glad I have Linux, probably won't affect me.

[Magmar]

So we're clear, the virus has NOT affected TPM, but possibly TPM members who frequent Serebii.

[Jeff]

Yeah, our site's unaffected. Pretty sure that goes for the forums too.

[Redfire313]

I'm new here, and I usally go on Serebii everyday, and I haven't had a prob at all. I never heard there was a prob. (But that may be because I don't go to the forms).

Just out of curiosity, what do some of you have against Serebii.net?

[Jeff]

Joe was pretty infamous back in the day for stealing content from other sites, including us. It's been a while, but some people here still hold a grudge against him and his site.

[Knight of Time]

I've been on the site several times (not the forums, though), and I haven't seen a single thing about this virus, but I have nothing against the site, I mainly use it and Psypokes to look up Pokemon information pertaining to the games, and when I find there's something that I can't find on one of the two websites, I usually go to the other. As crazy as this "back and forth" thing sounds, it just makes me wish that both websites could each fill in on what one is lacking that the other covers, etc.

[Telume]

As long as there's other sites posting the same content, they will compete.

[Redfire313]

Ok. I didn't know that.

Anyway, there was no sign of a virus while I have been on that site (Which has been everyday for the last few months)