[jdgalt]

Just now, BBO showed me an ad for the software application BridgeIQ+ (at BridgeIQPlus.com). So I downloaded and tried to install it (on Windows XP). I got about halfway through installing it when my antivirus software, AVG, reported that it's infected and removed it.

The BridgeIQPlus.com site doesn't have any way to contact the purveyor, so I'm posting here in case someone at BBO (who sold them the ad) would be able to contact them and get the problem fixed before it hurts somebody.

[diana_eva]

jdgalt, on 2014-January-01, 21:31, said:

Just now, BBO showed me an ad for the software application BridgeIQ+ (at BridgeIQPlus.com). So I downloaded and tried to install it (on Windows XP). I got about halfway through installing it when my antivirus software, AVG, reported that it's infected and removed it.

The BridgeIQPlus.com site doesn't have any way to contact the purveyor, so I'm posting here in case someone at BBO (who sold them the ad) would be able to contact them and get the problem fixed before it hurts somebody.

Thanks, we'll let the advertiser know. This must be some tech glitch, the software is legit and the programmer who created it, Kevin Wilson, is trustworthy.

I just tested with Windows 7 and everything went smoothly, no warnings or errors.

[kenberg]

It's a small world. I knew Kevin Wilson when he was10 or so, swimming in Alice Yoke's pool. His parents, Marge and Bill, were bridge friends and Alice was a part owner of the Laurel Bridge Club. He was a good kid then and I expect he is a good guy now.

Ads and downloads are getting scarier, at least for me. I can remember when the dangerous ads had bad grammar and stupid claims about helping someone get his fortune out of Nigeria, They are getting more sophisticated, and I am getting more wary.

Added: This note is an example. I looked at it after posting and some of the words were highlighted, and linked to some ad,, and not by me. I don't much like someone else highlighting words in a message I post. Fortunately, clicking "Edit" and then "Save Changes" gets rid of it. Please don't eliminate this option to get de-highlight my words. At least as I view the posts with Firefox, both "application" and "install" are highlighted in the post above mine. One links to a degree mill, the other to camping supplies. It is my plan to never patronize an organization that links their ads to my posts through words that I, not they, have written.

[Grypho]

I am Kevin Wilson and I'm investigating why your anti-virus program would reject BridgeIQ+. I believe that it was rejected as an "uncommon program". Not that many users in the world have tried to install BridgeIQ+. I went to AVG and have asked them to test the program and remove it from this status so that it will load properly. I understand the need for safety and I will make sure that AVG allows my program through their firewall as soon as I can. Thank you for reporting here so I am even aware there was an issue.

Long time no see Ken. I'm 44 now so that was some ago. I have very fond memories of Alice's pool. Thanks for the kind words.

[barmar]

kenberg, on 2014-January-02, 07:19, said:

Added: This note is an example. I looked at it after posting and some of the words were highlighted, and linked to some ad,, and not by me. I don't much like someone else highlighting words in a message I post. Fortunately, clicking "Edit" and then "Save Changes" gets rid of it. Please don't eliminate this option to get de-highlight my words. At least as I view the posts with Firefox, both "application" and "install" are highlighted in the post above mine. One links to a degree mill, the other to camping supplies. It is my plan to never patronize an organization that links their ads to my posts through words that I, not they, have written.

AFAIK, that linking isn't done by our forum software. Sounds like you're infected with some adware -- check your Firefox add-ons.

[kenberg]

barmar, on 2014-January-02, 10:29, said:

AFAIK, that linking isn't done by our forum software. Sounds like you're infected with some adware -- check your Firefox add-ons.

I will, thanks. I seem to get pop-ups from radio stations as well. I have no idea how this came about but I am glad to hear it isn't BBO.

[Antrax]

Yeah, it's well known adware. This might be relevant: http://botcrawl.com/...e-text-enhance/

[jjbrr]

While you're at it, life is so, so, so much better with adblock plus.

Just disable it for all bridgebase sites!

[kenberg]

Thanks, guys. I started with Spybot since I had it on my computer already. I forgot I should log on as administrator to have complete control but it got rid of several things. These ads are getting very resourceful. Mostly I have had little trouble but some years ago I had an amusing, well sort of amusing, glitch. I was using Google to find the home page of a French mathematician, first name Francois. I found the correct last name, first name Francoise.. She was definitely not a mathematician and somehow her page would pop back up about ten minutes after I closed it. I had to get help from the IT guys to fix this. A bit embarrassing.

I will se if anything gets linked as I post this.

Link free. So far, so good.

[Antrax]

kenberg, on 2014-January-02, 15:14, said:

These ads are getting very resourceful.

You don't even want to know where real computer viruses are at, these days.

[kenberg]

Antrax, on 2014-January-02, 21:55, said:

You don't even want to know where real computer viruses are at, these days.

Absolutely. For me, the scariest part of this NSF stuff is that if they can do it, so can others. Maybe NSA can do it better, but there must be plenty of folks who can do it well enough to cause a lot of havoc.

[blackshoe]

My favorite memory regarding the NSA is the statement of a Navy LT who worked there. I ran into him at a computer security conference back in the 1980's. He said "If we had our way, there wouldn't be any users!"