Opera Browser
As good as the Opera browser normally is, it now opens the forum homepage with a series of mostly, apparently Chinese characters. Unusual.
Doesn't matter if compression is on/off, or through a VPN or not.
Had to switch to Chrome to send this.
I installed version 48.0 this morning. I have not yet noticed this issue with any other sites.
posted by: Wilson 29-Sep-2017/18:16:46-7:00
I haven't seen that in any browser, even things like Dillo and OffbyOne. Aside from the ad at the top of the page, there's absolutely nothing but pure HTML - no JS or even any CSS. What code is associated with the characters?
posted by: Nick 29-Sep-2017/20:39:13-7:00
Should have copied the characters.
Having powered off the computer and gone back to the forum some hours later, in the new Opera, - there is no longer an issue!
Its odd. Not likely the page was intercepted and replaced since it was tried with VPN services and through their compression server. Must be something related to the new browser install.
All good now.
posted by: Wilson 29-Sep-2017/22:57:34-7:00
This site doesn't explicitly declare a charset, the browser likely incorrectly attempted to detect the character set in use--perhaps based on ad content.
posted by: Chris 30-Sep-2017/19:55:41-7:00
Thanks Chris. I added an ISO-8859-1 charset.
posted by: Nick 30-Sep-2017/21:39:16-7:00
The charset attribute seems a good explanation. I believe Opera uses Chromium & Blink, like the Chrome browser does. The unexpected appearance of Chinese characters has been a Chrome issue in the past.
At least I won't be changing my brand of coffee just yet.
posted by: Wilson 1-Oct-2017/6:48:34-7:00
I appreciate the heads up Wilson :)
posted by: Nick 1-Oct-2017/9:28:44-7:00
Wilson, I think you have been hacked, or the opera software you downloaded has been tampered with.
I have experienced things like this in the past while using Windows (I use Linux now), with Chinese characters unexpectedly showing up, and in placed where they shouldn't have.
Could those be traces left by an intruder in your system? I have no idea, I am not an expert but I am considering the possibility.
posted by: Donotfillintheblank 1-Oct-2017/15:05:26-7:00
I hope not. It was on Windows. Downloaded from a stub which could have been helpful to security. I try to use Linux when a more secure environment is needed. No guaranties except maybe a fully encrypted computer never networked.
Think I better do that data backup today.
posted by: Wilson 1-Oct-2017/17:37:27-7:00
I am posting this from Opera 48.0 (portable version). Everything looks good to me.
So I'd back Nick's suggestion that the problem is not in Opera - not an official download, anyway.
Portable Opera etc ... Lots of zero-install (i.e. no messing with Windows' Registry) software here: https://portableapps.com
posted by: Sunanda 2-Oct-2017/2:53:28-7:00
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