Help, My Google Links Are Redirecting Me

Google links often redirect.

Redirection is not usually a cause for panic. In fact, it is rarely noticeable. A redirect takes the user who clicks on an old link for a Web page through to the page's new address. The move in the page may coincide with a redesign. The page the user arrives at should contain all the general themes she expected to reach when she clicked on the link. If it doesn't, it is probable that the redirect is the product of a malicious program that's running on the user's computer.

Redirection

Appearing at the top of search results is an important marketing tool for many websites. If a Web page moves, or a website's domain name changes, then all visitors clicking on the old link for that page in the Google search results will get a “page not found” error message. It takes time for changes in a Web address to filter through to Google. Owners of a moved page or renamed website usually will set up a redirect to prevent loss of traffic. Many pages in Google search results are redirected. Google accepts and encourages the practice.

Methods

A redirect can be created in many ways, but the simplest method is the one recommended by Google. That is an HTTP redirect. HTTP is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It governs the message structure of requests and responses that transport a Web page from a Web server to a Web browser. The HTTP specification includes a series of status codes, and all Web servers and Web browsers are programmed to use them. Two of these codes are for permanent and temporary redirection. If the administrator of a site sets up a redirection for a page in the site's control panel, the server will respond to requests for that page with a redirection code and the new address for the page. On receiving these codes, all browsers know to apply to the new address for the page.

Suspicious Behavior

If Google results are redirected to completely different Web pages and the search results contain pages unrelated to the search criteria, then it is likely that a virus or a Trojan has infected the browser. Other symptoms include new tabs that open by themselves and ads popping up even though a pop-up blocker is active.

Cause

The most prevalent Trojan causing redirections is Alureon. This Trojan is able to interfere with the regular operations of browsers and monitor activities by the user on the computer and over the Internet. It can display its own pages, either stored on the computer, or redirected to other sites on the Internet. The program inserts its own entries into search results on Google or among other search engines, and can also prevent the user arriving at regular search engine pages by redirecting to its own search engine page.

References

• Google: Set up URL Forwarding
• The World Wide Web Consortium; Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1; R. Fielding et al; June 1999 Status Code Definitions
• “Practical eCommerce”; 6 Reasons to Use URL Redirects; Michael Stearns; November 2010
• SEO Company: URL Redirect
• Symantec: Backdoor.Tidserv
• Computer Associates: Win32/Alureon Family
• Microsoft Malware Protection Center:Trojan:Win32/Alureon.gen!U
• Microsoft Malware Protection Center: Win32/Alureon brings back old school virus techniques, enhanced