MinonkTalk's Rogue Web Page Link

October 17, 2011

Editor: Dave Uphoff

Some of our viewers reported that a link to the pictorial on the Pumpkin Patch Party on this website last week displayed a porno site. We apologize for this unfortunate incident and hope it did not offend too many of our viewers. I wish I could say how this happened but I can't. I clicked on the link many times and never was a porno site displayed on any of my computers.

The only explanation I can give at this time is that the incident could be the result of hackers or due to a trojan virus in a computer. The hosting service that processes the MinonkTalk website could give no explanation for the rogue web page other than a virus and they could not duplicate the incident either.

One person reported that when they tried to display the page they received a virus warning from their security program. The virus name was Trojan:JS/Tancite.A. I urge those who viewed the unintended web page to run a virus check on your computer to make sure this virus is not in your computer. If you do not have an anti-virus program on your computer you are putting yourself at risk for other intrusions like this.

This is the first time that something like this has happened on the MinonkTalk website since its inception in January 2001. Eventually, something was bound to happen. If anyone detects future intrusions of rogue web pages that are not supposed to be displayed on this web site, please contact me as soon as possible so I can remove the link.

If there are any technical gurus out there who may have an answer as to how a link to a website can be shanghaied into another web site other than from a computer virus, please let me know.

It is unfortunate that a report on the fine Pumpkin Patch Party at Sutton's Park had to be tarnished by the intrusion of a porno site. We wish to commend those many volunteers who produced another wonderful event for our community.

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