Take a look at the group of pictures to the left. You can find blogs littered with this crap.Let me preface this post by saying that I am NOT claiming any of these in particular are corrupt, I am just using them as an example.
While I am not a computer expert by any means, there are things I have learned after blogging for years. One major factor in publishing any blog is having control over content. I am going to stress this one point with great emphasis.
If you use code / and or widgets that have an EMBED or SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "javascript", you are opening the door to all kinds of maladies.
In short, you are trusting the source. Let me explain.
Months ago, I had pop up redirects taking viewers from my page to another. I went into panic mode, and did not know what to do. My first thought was that someone had breached my password, and injected some type of code into my template. Here is what really happened to me, and EVERYONE else with the Rank Widget (from rankwidget dot com). The code went from working fine, to taking over my blog. Why?? The information sent to my blog was changed. I took the widget off my blog, and the problem went away. Simple
You can have a widget or embed code that has NO problems with it - change overnight. One more time ... IF YOU HAVE THIS TYPE OF CODE, THE WIDGET OWNER CAN TAKE OVER YOUR BLOG WITH REDIRECTS.
Here lies the problem. With so many different browsers, security programs, and pop up blockers, some will see the redirect, and some will not. People always jump to the "Malware" or "Spyware" conclusion. That is not the case.
Be cautious with all embed codes, and especially script with "always allow access".
Now, some web sites purposely have redirects ... even major ones. All of a sudden you have a NETFLIX ad in front of you. Webmasters with this crap should be kicked in the &^^%@!! I hate them with a passion. They are in effect collecting money by your visit whether you like it or not.
Why am I posting about this? Because I have seen it recently. I go to hundreds of blogs and they have no problems what so ever. There are two that do have this problem, time after time. Pay per click widgets on both.
If your blog is driven with HTML, this will never happen. If you use widgets or embed codes, keep your eyes open!
Netflix purchases pop up ads from leading web sites. BAN THEM!FYI ... there were reports of YOU TUBE embed codes containing malicious file downloads today, but they appear to be false. Read Actns/Swif.T virus affecting embedded YouTube vids?
Another point? Of course the YouTube site itself is safe, the content that is uploaded by other users may not be.
