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For a very long time now I have had various problems when using Google Chrome and other browsers when trying to reach Social Networking sites. I get various messages such as: enter image description here Besides this error sometimes the page will just say "IT WORKS" and nothing else. Other times it will have me redirect to places like mediaplex. In particular when I go to Facebook. There is normally an easy fix to this. I have to empty my cache and other site plug-in data. However, I use applications that use this data particularly the flash data that is deleted when I choose to clear this. My question is how do I stop these errors from happening? I already know how to fix them, but I want to know how to make them stop!

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    It looks like you have a virus. Dec 21, 2011 at 2:33

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It looks like you have a virus. I would scan for viruses, malware, spyware, and other baddies. This looks to be a case of DNS cache poisoning or host file hijacking. Basically, you have a virus that is trying to redirect you to other malicious sites by hijacking domain names and pointing them at the wrong servers when your computer tries to resolve them into IP addresses.

The first "This is probably not the site you're looking for!" problem is a very good example of SSL certificates doing it's job. the server that you were sent to was unable to prove to your computer that it was "Buy.com", and since it knows that the real Buy.com can prove that, Chrome was able to know that something fishy was going on.

The "It works!" is the default homepage for a server that has just been set up; basically, a blank website. This is another indicator of something fishy going on with your DNS if you're visiting a website and see that when you don't expect it.

Other redirects are further hints that something is maliciously trying to redirect your browsing.

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  • Have any suggestions for virus removal? I run AVG and spy-bot all the time and they haven't found anything. All the computers in my house have been getting hit by this... any suggestions?
    – Nick122
    Dec 21, 2011 at 10:16
  • All of the computers in your house? Do you visit the same sites on all of them, or are they used by different people (e.g., your family) and still getting hit by this? You've either got a virus on all of your computers, or this is more serious than I was expecting, possibly an infected DNS server. Do you have custom DNS servers set up in your router (if you're not sure, then unlikely) ? Dec 21, 2011 at 17:51
  • The computers are used by various people but mainly go to the same typical sites, Facebook, Google, Email. I do alot more, but the rest don't. I don't know if we have a custom DNS server, I am not the one who set it up... but it is unlikely. I have run AVG, Malwarebytes, and SpyBot Search and destroy and none have turned up results. Although malwarebytes did find a few small problems.
    – Nick122
    Dec 21, 2011 at 20:35
  • I may have just fixed it. I found a site after researching DNS infection and found OpenDNS and I set that up and I can go to Facebook fine. I will see if the problem stops completely! Thanks for the answer.
    – Nick122
    Dec 21, 2011 at 21:00
  • I recently had this problem with The Futon Critic, but it went away on its own after a while, so I suspect that it too was a case of DNS poisoning.
    – Bobson
    Dec 30, 2011 at 21:00

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