Java Viruses

Elo,

Has anyone ever got a virus, usually adware / scareware from a java applet? I got one today when looking for maths paper -.- got a face anti-virus running saying i had about 40 viruses getting me to buy their product, it managed to change both firefox's and IE's internet settings to a fake proxy so that it'd direct to say "IE Has blocked this page as your pc is infected, please scan now" Obviously my actual AV didn't kick off at all.

It's the second time I've got one of these now, the first was blocked by vistas UAC and my anti-virus clocked it anyway blocking it, this one slipped past both though and was quite difficult to remove thanks to it managing to block task manager and keep the laptop on at the same time -.- removed it eventually though.

Anyone else ever got one of these? I've just uninstalled java, can't see any need for it really most things I go on use flash now.

What firewall do you use? Ive never heard of anything like this before. :s

Windows firewall :/ Might invest in another one haha

Hmm yeah, might be something to do with it, you could try a free one such as Zonealarm, tis pretty good and will keep things like this out. Another thing is, did you allow anything that could get the virus get thhrough in the first place?

Silly Joeeee. Tehe. :p

java drive-by, pretty old method very effective though.

I've never considered what I go on online to be a threat to be honest haha until I was looking for maths papers of all things an get the worst adware I've ever had :/

Installed prevx safe online which apparently is pretty good so i'll see how that goes :P

let me note this

Install No script for firefox. This will help prevent attacks like the one above.

Threyre called 'drive-bys', pretty easy to do and believe it or not a lot of people fall for them because obviously you don't suspect anything is wrong seeing as though it's java.

Anti-Viruses should pick it up though before you click 'allow'.