Author: Leonid Mamchenkov

For the last few days, if you go to almost any Cyprus website, you get a warning like the one on the screenshot below.

This one in particular is from the Google Chrome browser, and here is how Google explains it:

This message appears if Google Chrome detects that the site you’re trying to visit may have malware.

And just in case you didn’t know what malware is, Wikipedia to the rescue:

Malware, short for malicious software, is software used or created to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It can appear in the form of code, scripts, active content, and other software. ‘Malware’ is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software.

Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, adware, and other malicious programs.

Apparently, this time, CyTA had something to say:

CyTA said any computers receiving the message should clear their caches and cookies as the phenomenon was being caused by a virus, which was affecting connections. It said the sites were clean and did not contain malware. “It is a false message caused by a virus,” a CyTA technician said.

What?  Really? Make up your mind, sir!  Is it a false message or was it caused by a virus?  If it was, it’s not so false then, is it?  Oh, and I wish viruses were as easy to take care of as clearing browser cache and cookies…