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Originally Posted by ZantetsukenX
Anyone else keep having Deviantart's website installing viruses onto thier computer? Specifically the Window's Defender one.
Other than that, loved it. I was always a fan of his drawing style.
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A number of infection routes exist by using Flash as the method of insertion, which also makes the infection work with literally any browser, since the common factor is flash.
While I understand the need for banner ads and the like as a revenue stream for websites, my suggestion is to install advertisement blocking software. I don't use IE anymore, but it can still be done in the right situations with IE. Maybe someone else can offer you ideas.
For Firefox, install the "AdBlock" plugin, and perhaps even NoScript if you want to go that extra step. That will curb Java/JavaScript infection vectors.
For Opera, right-click on any menu and select "Customize." Go to the "Button" tab, and select "Preferences" on the left side. One of the check boxes it offers is "Enable Plugins." When this is unchecked, Java and Flash will not run, although JavaScript still works. Generally, unless I'm watching a video on YouTube or the like, I leave it unchecked. You can also right-click the page and select "Block Content." This will gray-out everything except images, flash, and java applets. You can then click on any advertisement you dislike (I target flash ads and anything that makes noise) and it will try to block it at its source to prevent it from coming back. Not fool-proof, but very much comparable to AdBlock. Better, you can be selective about what you block.
tl;dr: Flash and Java are great ways to get a virus now, and not even sites like DeviantArt are immune to being used this way by hostile advertisers.