As some of you know, my website was hacked by a web bot looking for open security doors way back in October 2009. The problem was brought to my attention by Google alerts and then fixed by a professional web designer and blog coder in November 2009, but Trend Micro (an anti-virus program) has declared my blog and website “dangerous” ever since. Every once in a while I receive an email from someone saying they can’t visit my website or blog because their AV program is telling them not to. And every single time I ask which AV program they use, it’s Trend Micro.
This has been very disturbing to me, as over 18 months have passed, a professional website designer and coder fixed the problem for me, but because my site had a problem for one month in 2009 it seems like TM will make me pay forever. The feeling seems to be that if the blog ever had the problem, it might have the problem again. But I know the mistake I made when I updated my blog back in 2009 that led to the problem, and I don’t need to be taught the same lesson twice. I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll go back to a professional to ensure I don’t make the same mistake.
At any rate, I am very happy to announce that my main website URL – www.cindyprocter-king.com – and my blog URL referrer – www.museinterrupted.com – have now both been declared safe by Trend Micro. I had to fill out some form a TM tech told me about and send it in for each of my three URLs.
People with Trend Micro, however, still can’t visit www.cindyprocter-king.com/blog without getting the warning. So, in essence, they can’t visit www.museinterrupted.com either, because it will bring them to the URL Trend Micro doesn’t like. If they put my blog URL into their safe lists, then they don’t get the warning. I hosted several guest bloggers after the 2009 problem who had Trend Micro. All of them inputted my site names into their safe lists and had no problems. But, once a problem always a problem is the way I feel this situation is being treated by the AV software. And that is their right.
To try and fix the issue, I need to change the name of my blog link. I don’t know when I’ll get time to do that. A shoulder injury is limiting my computer time. But at least TM users should now be able to visit my home page and books pages without getting a warning. They just can’t click on my blog link.
Once the changes are made and I receive assurance from TM that the blog tests as “safe”, you can bet I’ll be announcing it all over the place. I’ll have to. Because my blog URL will have changed.
Bit defender is claiming your unclean as well. And it I can’t get to the http://www.cindyprocter-king.com url without BD having a fit.
That’s because cpk is the main site, so some programs won’t like it because they don’t like the blog, which stems off it. Like I said, I’ve had this problem since October 2009. At least Trend Micro has restricted it to the blog page only now. The only option seems to be to change my blog URL, but that’s a complicated process for me at the moment. I need to get a pro to handle things.
I didn’t even know about Bit Defender, so thank you, Mike. Maybe I can find a page on their site that will allow me to submit the URLS, like I did with TM. But, with TM, once a problem, always a problem. The warning even states something like that, I’ve been told. That the blog either has a problem now or did at one time.
In my case, it’s the “did at one time.”
I’m waiting to hear back from the person who coded my blog if they can handle this for me. What might be easy for them to do will take days of figuring out for me. Time I can’t spare.