here is the warning I get with the BIG RED SCREEN

About This Message Board
1

As requested by TubaDiva, here is the text from the big red screen warning me to go forward at my own risk.

The format of the message is much nicer, but this is the message. I just cut and pasted it.

SFP

Warning: Visiting this site may harm your computer!
The website at www.straightdope.com appears to host malware – software that can hurt your computer or otherwise operate without your consent. Just visiting a site that hosts malware can infect your computer.
For detailed information about the problems with this site, visit the Google Safe Browsing diagnostic page for www.straightdope.com.
Learn more about how to protect yourself from harmful software online.
I understand that visiting this site may harm my computer.

2

That looks like the default malware message that comes with Safari. This is very odd, as the Google Safe Browsing diagnostic page has nothing on either the main site or the SDMB.

Is it possible for you to know where the link at the bottom of the warning takes you?

3

NETA: I was going to ask the Google help page about it, but apparently they want someone who actually webmasters the site.

4

what’s even more interesting is I’m using Google’s Chrome, not Safari.

5

Eh, they both use the same layout engine (Webkit), so that doesn’t surprise me as much. Looking at Google Images, they seem to use the same error message, just formatted differently.

6

Lemme see what I can find out about this.

Google is sometimes hypersensitive and flags stuff that’s not malware at all.

7

It does appear there is no reason that you should be getting the big red warning screen:

=====
Safe Browsing
Diagnostic page for boards.straightdope.com
What is the current listing status for boards.straightdope.com?

This site is not currently listed as suspicious.

What happened when Google visited this site?

Of the 198 pages we tested on the site over the past 90 days, 0 page(s) resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. The last time Google visited this site was on 2010-05-29, and suspicious content was never found on this site within the past 90 days.
This site was hosted on 1 network(s) including AS22772 (LOGIN).

Has this site acted as an intermediary resulting in further distribution of malware?

Over the past 90 days, boards.straightdope.com did not appear to function as an intermediary for the infection of any sites.

Has this site hosted malware?

No, this site has not hosted malicious software over the past 90 days.

Next steps:

=====
Safe Browsing
Diagnostic page for boards.straightdope.com
What is the current listing status for boards.straightdope.com?

This site is not currently listed as suspicious.

What happened when Google visited this site?

Of the 198 pages we tested on the site over the past 90 days, 0 page(s) resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. The last time Google visited this site was on 2010-05-29, and suspicious content was never found on this site within the past 90 days.
This site was hosted on 1 network(s) including AS22772 (LOGIN).

Has this site acted as an intermediary resulting in further distribution of malware?

Over the past 90 days, boards.straightdope.com did not appear to function as an intermediary for the infection of any sites.

Has this site hosted malware?

No, this site has not hosted malicious software over the past 90 days.

So unless you get this message and there is an actual name of something attached to it, Google’s just being stupid and you can come on over with no problems.

If you DO find something listed of course we want to know about it.

I’ll see what we can do to get this notice removed.

8

The warning message refers to www.straightdope.com, not boards.straightdope.com.

9

I occasionally get the Big Red Screen with what appears to be the same warning message. Possibly once or twice a month. I’m using the latest version of IE (don’t hit me!). If I try again a few minutes later - no warning. I had it put down to some of the ads.

10

Just went there with Chrome. No red screen of doom.

11

Tubadiva

Thank you for looking into this. I appreciate your attempting to track it down, and if I see it again, I will of course continue to post any new information I can find.

SFP