Malvertising: Not All Browser-Based Security Warnings are Legit

This is NOT a real Security Warning; It is an Ad!

If this suddenly popped up while you were browsing, would you think it is legit?

Several days in a row, I have had the Bradenton Herald open in another tab, reached by following a link to read an article. By the time I switched over to the tab, I actually had to use the "Back" button to read the article.

Folks, this is just an ad in disguise. DO NOT be fooled and click on the actual link. This is why so many of us surf using ad-blockers. And in fact, my ad-blocker is being re-enabled on this site, as I am sick of scam ads interupting my news reading.

I do not even use McAfee or recommend it to others. I am not sure if clicking the link would actually bring you to a legit security product. More likely, it would lead to malware, the exact opposite of software that protects your PC.

Do NOT fall for this adware scam!

Windows Update May Have Enabled Your Firewall

Did Windows Update Cause Your Page Loading to Slow to a Crawl?

Having Internet Issues lately? Did you do the latest Windows Update recently?

I did...and apparently it enabled the Windows Firewall with no apparent way to turn it off. I already run a firewall that is part of my a/v, and dueling firewalls make your internet slow to a crawl.

What worked for me was disabling the firewall portion of my a/v completely for about 15 minutes. Then I re-enabled it from within my a/v program. When I went back to check the state of my Windows Firewall again, it had now shut itself off, deferred to my already installed and active firewall, and I was able to load pages again.

If you are having issues after the latest Windows Update, check to ensure you are not suffering from dueling Firewalls.