I have also had the same issue with Google images. For example, I searched on a paint color vs. a granite. I do what you do. My computer seems to be fine after I run a scan.

No problems ever here on the forum.

The tech guys at work just sent out a warning about this - it's coming through Google Images, nothing to do with granite. It can come up with any image search. The particular one they were warning about is where a fake scan appears to be running, tells you that you have a virus, then tells you that you have to buy their software to fix the problem.

Our tech folks advised that when you're looking at google images, check the URL of the image before you click on it. If you're searching for kitchen cabinets, for example, but the URL is virusscan2011.com, then you can bet you should steer clear. Some may be more cleverly hidden than others, of course.

They also warned that at least one of these fake virus scanning programs affects Macs, so PC users aren't the only ones who should take extra care.

Yes, the mac version tries to trick you into installing it, but it can't do anything unless you give it your password to install. Be especially cautious about typing that--think about why you're being asked. If you don't know why, don't do it.

I had the same thing happen to me last week! I ran my anti-virus program and it cleaned it up.

I forgot to say that on my macs I use glimmerblocker as my ad block and I've never seen the Mac Defender/Mac Security come on, so that's one way to help protect yourself.

When I try to click on an item listed on a page of google hits, I get some unrelated nonsense. I ran a malware scan yesterday but it didn't change anything nor was anything found. Not getting the 'scan now' pages. My malfunction is google related plus my pc keeps dropping windows.

Thanks dee850. Maybe it's best to avoid google images for a while.

I guess Google is not living up to their "Don't Be Evil" slogan :P

Maybe it would help if you go to Advance Image Search before you begin your quest looking for images, and check the SafeSearch box that says "Use Strict Filtering". Be careful everyone! A computer infested wit malware is an absolute nightmare...

Google isn't giving you viruses. It's just providing links. You decide what to do with the links provided. If you do think Google is to blame, please contact them--they are responsive.

Thanks for the warning, Ginny!

this happened to me a couple of weeks ago and I lost everything on my computer...all the years of info and pics I had saved for our new build, not to mention all the info from the rest of my life...

Gharborwa - I am so sorry! That is terrible. We lost a computer to this same sort of virus last fall. It took over the laptop, everything froze, and you couldn't even turn it off. DH fetched another laptop from a different room and used it to try to look up the fix. While doing this, he knocked over his glass of wine, spilling it over the first, infected laptop, which fried. That's one way to get rid of a virus. Anyway, we took the fried laptop to our local computer fixer, and he was able to get all of our documents,etc, off our hard drive. If you still have the computer, have you tried calling one of these tech wizards? I hope you have some success.

The experience did teach me the value of those external drives, like seagates, for backing up.

thanks, Ginny20. I did take it to our trust computer guru, and he said he backed everything up and that when I added Office and iTunes, etc, I would get it all back, including all my Word docs, but so far I haven't figured out how to do that...I have nothing!

It's funny.

Uh, in a non funny way I mean.

Let me try again.

It's coincidental. Just a few months ago I had another client lose years worth of data with no decent back up system in place so I finally got off my duff to locate a good online backup.

I'm really glad I finally got a good system. It suprises me how much more secure I feel. :)

Hi!..I have had a program on my computer for years called
W O T!!! and I love it. I also have Microsoft Essentials!
This little program lets me know on my google search page which is safe or not...the safe sites show a little green circle and the not safe little red circles...
WOT is a community-based, free safe surfing tool for browsers that provides website ratings & reviews to help web users as they search, surf & shop online. hope that helps!
Here is the download link..
http://www.mywot.com/en/download

I got one of those virus' also by using Google images. I was looking at a photo of flatware. All of a sudden my computer was taken over and I couldn't get it to do anything. The virus wanted me to purchase some kind of software to fix it. I ended up calling Dell and having them remotely take over my computer to fix it. Ended up costing me $200. Now that I have Norton 360, it will tell me if a image is safe and I'm run into several more lately that have a virus attached to them.

I use Macs and I've had a problem lately with things slowing down to a crawl and needing a "Force Quit" to solve it. Is this related?

Probably not, florantha, if your browsers are working normally. Did you give your administrative password to something to let it install without knowing for sure what it was? Are you being sent to random porn sites? Here's a complete explanation of the mac version of this thing and how to get rid of it, but if you didn't deliberately install it, you don't have it:

Here is a link that might be useful: mac defender trojan removal

If that's not the problem, florantha, how full is your hard drive? Is your OS up to date? Which version of OS X are you running?

Writersblock, I think I'm fine on that score.

If the malware is introduced by a beefy Mr.Clean-like graphic, then I've been introduced to it. I got lots of solicitations for it recently and went as far as clicking on the 'learn more' button that took me to a website. I decided I wouldn't buy.

My freeze-up problems may be related to something else entirely, which might be solvable by owning newer, beefier computer parts.

First of all I need to replace the missing A on my keyboard. Plays hob with touchtyping.

>went as far as clicking on the 'learn more' button that took me to a website.

Then you did download it. Clicking the learn more button is the "yes, I want this cr@p on my computer button". Did you install it?

let me get this straight--the purple Mr. Clean man carries the malware for Macs?

I don't understand what you mean by "the purple Mr. Clean man". Go to your applications folder and look for Mac Defender or Mac Security. If you're using a version of OS X with a downloads stack/folder, look in there, too, for the installer itself.

I don't have it.

Okay, good, then let's try to figure out why you're slowing down. Which version of OS X, how large is your hard drive, and how much free space? Is only safari slow, or is everything slow.