Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning

DonaldG · 11-04-2009, 02:15 AM

This is a heads up.

I am an avid contributer to putting photographs on Google Earth (GE) - I have over 400 photos & panoramas there.

After years of happy contributions, in the last 12 hours, I have had several 'Viewer comments' on my photos/Panoramio page.

The comment contains a link to an executable file. The link is to a virus/trojan. On investigating this morning, I discovered that hundreds of Panoramio/GE contributers have also been spammed in the same way.

If you visit look at any photograph on GE, the photographs are safe. However, you may also see a comment about the photo from another viewer with a the link to a *.exe. Do not click that link. Panoramio are taking action on removing the miscreant comments but it does take a few hours before it disappears. (I have manually removed dangerous comments from my page.)

Just be cautious when clicking on any links.

yustr · 11-04-2009, 06:27 AM

Thanks for the warning...I look forward to seeing your pics.

I've always been curious what satisfaction is to be obtained from anonymous actions like this one. I’d understand it if there were a profit to be made but just knowing you infected the computers of random people you’ll never know??? I don’t get it.Maybe there’s an underground awards show to present the winner with a golden statue.

DonaldG · 11-04-2009, 08:31 AM

Click here for a direct link to my GE/Panoramio page

The first page and a half are recent uploads

**Done_Fishin** · 11-04-2009, 11:45 AM

Thanks Don, I rarely visit Google Earth but I will pass the word around that everyone should avoid clicking on those .exe links .

On the other hand, I would like to know how Google was broached and whether there is any other hidden threat elsewhere that hasn't been found yet ?? Why is it that People must spoil things for others all the time .. beats me !!

DonaldG · 11-04-2009, 11:54 AM

Panoramio is similar to a forum in as much as that any member can make a comment or ask a question of a contributer.

For example, I saw a photo taken from the air of the peninsular in New Zealand where I used to live. It clearly showed my old home. I sent a comment (like a posting) to the contributer asking if he would sell me a larger copy...

... he didn't respond

**WereBo** · 11-04-2009, 07:07 PM

Thanks for the heads-up on that Donald - I haven't yet explored Panoramio as much as I should have, I lost my template for round tuits, several PC's ago

DonaldG · 11-07-2009, 06:16 AM

You no longer have any excuses - Here it is again!

**Done_Fishin** · 11-07-2009, 06:36 AM

Thanks Don .. I'll bookmark it so that I never have to wait again

Just visit this page again and it'll be done in no time

**WereBo** · 11-07-2009, 02:10 PM

Ditto here, thanks lots Donald

11-04-2009, 02:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning This is a heads up. I am an avid contributer to putting photographs on Google Earth (GE) - I have over 400 photos & panoramas there. After years of happy contributions, in the last 12 hours, I have had several 'Viewer comments' on my photos/Panoramio page. The comment contains a link to an executable file. The link is to a virus/trojan. On investigating this morning, I discovered that hundreds of Panoramio/GE contributers have also been spammed in the same way. If you visit look at any photograph on GE, the photographs are safe. However, you may also see a comment about the photo from another viewer with a the link to a .exe. Do not click that link. Panoramio are taking action on removing the miscreant comments but it does take a few hours before it disappears. (I have manually removed dangerous comments from my page.) Just be cautious when clicking on any links. __________________ . Lest we forget...* "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner . Last edited by DonaldG; 11-04-2009 at 02:17 AM.

11-04-2009, 06:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 6,036 OS: XP Pro My System	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Thanks for the warning...I look forward to seeing your pics. I've always been curious what satisfaction is to be obtained from anonymous actions like this one. I’d understand it if there were a profit to be made but just knowing you infected the computers of random people you’ll never know??? I don’t get it.Maybe there’s an underground awards show to present the winner with a golden statue. __________________ If there are lawyers or politicians involved, logic may be a very poor tool for reaching a conclusion.

11-04-2009, 08:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Click here for a direct link to my GE/Panoramio page The first page and a half are recent uploads __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

11-04-2009, 11:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Thanks Don, I rarely visit Google Earth but I will pass the word around that everyone should avoid clicking on those .exe links . On the other hand, I would like to know how Google was broached and whether there is any other hidden threat elsewhere that hasn't been found yet ?? Why is it that People must spoil things for others all the time .. beats me !! __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-04-2009, 11:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Panoramio is similar to a forum in as much as that any member can make a comment or ask a question of a contributer. For example, I saw a photo taken from the air of the peninsular in New Zealand where I used to live. It clearly showed my old home. I sent a comment (like a posting) to the contributer asking if he would sell me a larger copy... ... he didn't respond __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

11-04-2009, 07:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
WereBo Resident Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SE London, UK Posts: 14,376 OS: Win-7, XP-Pro SP3 My System	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Thanks for the heads-up on that Donald - I haven't yet explored Panoramio as much as I should have, I lost my template for round tuits, several PC's ago __________________ I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.

11-07-2009, 06:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning You no longer have any excuses - Here it is again! __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

11-07-2009, 06:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Thanks Don .. I'll bookmark it so that I never have to wait again Just visit this page again and it'll be done in no time __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-07-2009, 02:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
WereBo Resident Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SE London, UK Posts: 14,376 OS: Win-7, XP-Pro SP3 My System	Re: Google Earth Panoramio photographs Trojan warning Ditto here, thanks lots Donald __________________ I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.