How can you get a virus by just visting a web page & not clicking...?

It's called a fly by or drive by virus. Someone has a hidden macro embedded in the page that initiates the download action just by going there. You are unaware of this until the virus shows up.

NoScript is a good plug in to deal with this sort of thing. It blocks all scripts until you allow them. Of course, you will have to allow scripts for sites to work, like YouTube when you go there. The trade off is that you have a measure of protection against hidden nasties.

NoScript - JavaScript/Java/Flash blocker for a safer Firefox experience! - what is it? - InformAction

That's one thing I never have to worry about here. Formerly Sunbelt and now GFI I decided to follow the advice someone passed along about 5yrs. back and give VIPRE Internet Security a try. As a result I ended finally going with the life time license a year ago after running a few 2yr. subscription when that offer became available.

As far as running into sites with scripted bugs laying in wait for your arrival that should be the prime indication you are dealing with an untrustworthy site rather then any place you would want to rely! A legit site will see that things are secure from hackers as well as intentional malwares while unscrupulous sites will plant bugs like spywares or ad bots on you to squeeze what they can out of you if possible.

One of the main of the main reasons for staying with just the one av software and not running 10 of them is it does have an effective web filtering process which picks up on any intentional malicious coding as well as being connected direct to the ThreatTrack site and the continual updated data base there. Actually I end up needing to shut VIPRE down at times since it can be a bit too overprotective just because a few sites aren't matching a criteria particularly when going to download some new program to look over.

I don't know which browser you use but I use FireFox and I have an extension called Wot and when you type something you are looking for and all the links come up then wot puts a green circle beside the links that are Good and a red or dark circle beside links that are bad .if you google "wot web of trust" it will tell you all about it.

Night Hawk said:

...As far as running into sites with scripted bugs laying in wait for your arrival that should be the prime indication you are dealing with an untrustworthy site rather then any place you would want to rely! A legit site will see that things are secure from hackers as well as intentional malwares while unscrupulous sites will plant bugs like spywares or ad bots on you to squeeze what they can out of you if possible...

Well, not necessarily true nowadays. ANY SITE which has ads, is a possible infection vector - even totally and completely legitimate, otherwise harmless sites.

I Have to say it has always worked for me but i also had the help of Ghostery and NoScript .But I understand that every one has their own choice .I hope everything works out for you.

simrick said:

Well, not necessarily true nowadays. ANY SITE which has ads, is a possible infection vector - even totally and completely legitimate, otherwise harmless sites.

Well besides company owned(like MS) and other non profit sites most places will have some sponsorship. But that will as far as I go on that topic. Sites that have been compromised if not having deliberately installed a bug dropper might see something passed along. The hack would need to be sophisticated as well as cleverly hidden however since a restoration of the server's backup will simply put things back the way they were.

groze said:

Not sure that really works. The reason I use bit defender traffic light. Some of those list ok by wot are not ok with bit defender traffic light.

VIPRE will flag any number of sites simply due to how things are coded while still being totally innocent at the same time. You will this mostly among the sites that are set up to be anywhere near as secure as others simply by the owner having cut costs or through neglect hasn't upgraded things over time in any type of regular pattern.
(I know that from one place only too well. )