Can your computer get a virus from visiting a website?

[flobadob]

I'm just wondering is it possible for your computer to get a virus just from visiting a website or do you have to download from the website. I got a link to a website from a friends email address but when I went onto it I didn't think he'd sent it and when I checked with him he hadn't sent me an email and his email must have been hacked or something.

But does the fact that I went to the website in the link mean I could get a virus or would I have to download stuff from the website?

[ChuckFickens]

If you can see the website on the screen then you have downloaded from the website, otherwise you wouldn't be able to see it. in short, everything you see on your screen and hear from your speakers is downloaded if it comes from the internet.

And yes, you can get a virus just by visiting a website.

[jake-the-peg]

If you keep your browser up to date and patched you will reduce your risk - there are some add ons that will flag up sites that are know to be dangerous.

This is one

http://www.siteadviso...download/windows.html

[TTG]

Create a 'restricted' account on your computer. Use that to go onto the internet. Search on net for how to do this as I don't have time here.

[galeck1947]

If you are using Google as your search engine then if you try to acess a website if it is known to be comprimised or infected it will warn you so as you dont take the risk of getting an infection

[squarebear]

Yes, if you have clicked on a link in an email from a malicious website, you probably already have malware or a virus. I would advise running Malwarebytes and checking it out.

[DTCwordfan]

There is a particularly malicious one called SystemTools floating around that is web borne. I had it and it knocked out my bullguard. Pulled the plug and battery v quickly and the damage wasnt too bad.....like all of the b-stard things it targets the OS.

[JonnyBoy12]

Yes, chuckfickens is right, if you are connected to the Internet at all then you are at risk. The only computer which is not at risk is one that is not connected to the Net at all.

You must get Anti-Virus software at once, if you do not already have it.

[flobadob]

I've got AVG and Malwarebytes and I do try to keep running them regularly. Nothing actually looks to have happened and I didn't hang about the site in question so with any luck there's no damage. Thanks for responses, I didn't realise that you could get a virus so easily. I always thought that you had to download and install a virus accidentally or naively which happened a couple of times before. The fact you can get it just by clicking onto a site is worrying.

[squarebear]

Yes, which is why you shouldn't click links in emails unless you are 100% sure they are gebuine.

[squarebear]

genuine*

[Old_Geezer]

Did you get a malicious email asking you to come back to Answerbank recently?

[squarebear]

Yes, I got one. Something like, "come back to Answerbank, we miss you". I am on here nearly every day!