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Looks like I've been hacked - certain keywords on webpages are hyperlinked to show adverts etc. These hyperlinks only show up on my iMac, not when viewing on my Macbook. So, it looks like iMac has been infected.

This happens when I view in either Safari or Firefox.

In 20+ years of being a Mac User it's the first time I've ever picked up a nasty, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to go from here...
Any suggestions on how I go about cleaning this out?

Running: OSX 10.6.8
iMac: 2.8 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
 

bobtomay

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Not hacked - they're called cookies and are based on what you have looked at previously on that individual machine. Clear your cookies in both browsers.
 
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Thanks for the speedy response bobtomay...

'fraid that's not the solution though - I just cleared my cookies to be sure and the hyperlinks are still there.

I havn't used Firefox for several months so the fact that they show up in both browsers as of this morning suggests the problem does lie outside the browsers.
 

bobtomay

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Are you signed in to google or facebook or some other similar site or have a yahoo/other toolbar installed?
 
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Thanks both for your time and help! Much Appreciated.

bbogness - the link you supplied led me in the right direction... deleted a couple of extensions... and that seemed to do the trick (well, in Safari anyway, I'll go check Firefox now). Also deleted a bunch of 'databases' (?) some kind of cookie type data storage (?) never come across these before so I binned them all.

Thanks guys - feel a lot less 'soiled' now :Blushing:

PS - New to the forums... am i not enabled to leave a 'credit' for you guys for assistance yet? I see a little grey button under your profile (mine is green) but it's not clickable... If I can't leave you any credits just a big thanks to you bot for taking the time out to help!!!
 
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Glad we could help!

Bill
 

Raz0rEdge

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PS - New to the forums... am i not enabled to leave a 'credit' for you guys for assistance yet? I see a little grey button under your profile (mine is green) but it's not clickable... If I can't leave you any credits just a big thanks to you bot for taking the time out to help!!!

To add to a members reputation (the way we give points around here), click on the Thumbs Up icon toward the top right of each post. You will also see an exclamation icon there too..

Once you click on the thumbs up, you can choose to "Approve" and add an optional comment..
 

RavingMac

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To add to a members reputation (the way we give points around here), click on the Thumbs Up icon toward the top right of each post. You will also see an exclamation icon there too..

Once you click on the thumbs up, you can choose to "Approve" and add an optional comment..

It must be my eyes, but until you said that, I never realized that was supposed to be a "Thumbs Up" on that icon. ;P

I just knew that was where I clicked to give Rep.
 
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I haven't been around that long but I had no idea what that button was for. Hovering over the button tells you what it does, but you have to initially want to know what the button does. How about changing the graphic to show a thumbs up? Probably not possible, just a rambling thought. I will definitely remember that is for the future....

Bill
 

bobtomay

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I didn't know what it was either after they changed a while back.
I just now had to move my face to within 10" of my 24" screen to be able to tell that was a thumbs up icon.

Tells me, there's something wrong with the icon when half of us that have been looking at it for a year don't even know what it is.
 

Raz0rEdge

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It must be my eyes, but until you said that, I never realized that was supposed to be a "Thumbs Up" on that icon. ;P

I just knew that was where I clicked to give Rep.

Where's my Rep for showing you the light?? :p

I haven't been around that long but I had no idea what that button was for. Hovering over the button tells you what it does, but you have to initially want to know what the button does. How about changing the graphic to show a thumbs up? Probably not possible, just a rambling thought. I will definitely remember that is for the future....

Bill

We should look at changing the button if it's hard to know what it's for..
 

RavingMac

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Where's my Rep for showing you the light?? :p

You already have better eyes than the rest of us, and you want Rep too!!! :Angry-Tongue:

LOL
Rep given . . . :)
 

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