cool, since I am a nerd, I don't know how to do all that stuff, just happy that I don't have to go any further than one click in the top bar to go from one site to another. All neat in one package...

This will sound strange, but this bug is adding links to certain words in posts, such as Molly's post #15 which has weather (double underscored) linking it to TLBsearch. The same with the word mail.

SysTemX, sounds like your browser has been hijacked by hyperlink adware. There are several versions floating around out there. Try running Ad Aware and any other AV software you might have. Hijackthis can come in handy too. Here are a few links might help...

Firefox Support
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/929127
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tr ... ed-malware

Ad Aware AV from Lavasoft.com
http://www.lavasoft.com/

Remove: Text Enhance
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-text-enhance-virus/

Remove: Nav Links
http://www.precisesecurity.com/adware/g ... -and-links

Thanks GnuTux
Here is a screen shot of one aspect of the virus for anyone who may have picked up the bug and is unaware.

Now this is the very reason why I virtualize (use an XP Virtual Machine running under a now Win8 host (did so for Win7 before ol' Betsy died on me; lol). Only way to protect your OS. An anti-virus program just gives you a false sense of security.

GREAT NEWS
With a lot of sweat and tears and a great deal of help from GnuTux
The dirty great virus appears to have been put out of my misery.
I highly recommend everybody visit the links provided by GnuTux and definitely install ad-aware (other protection failed)

A NOTE THOUGH: the virus diverted attempts to connect with browser support so suggest AD-AWARE first. Also interfered with passwords and email so be hasty.

LyleJK - Haven't heard of a safe VIRTUAL BOX and trusting again - do you have a link?
Hopefully this helps someone

Virtualbox is a computer simulator. I have a copy of both WinXP and Ubuntu which I created virtual machines for (paid over $120 for the XP Pro license; Ubuntu 64-bit is free which is what I am using for my other Virtual machine. I also have Win98 which I use to run my Uno game; lol). Virtualbox is opensource but Oracle owns it.

https://www.virtualbox.org/

What I do is create gold standards and recover from those gold standards often enough. It literally takes 3 seconds to recover from a gold standard (far cry from re-imaging an OS which can take 10s of minutes; recovering from a the gold standard is the exact equivalent). Most modern computers support virtualization acceleration so running the VM is as if you are running the OS native (and on my Win8 ASUS machine, it's like uber fast; faster then any XP workstation I ever used).

Additionally, I created shares between my VM and my host OS (yes, this can be a vulnerability so be smart with this), so I do all my editing/creations in Win8 64-bit and then upload to here and elsewhere via my XP VM.

Thanks very much lylejk. A sound investment. IMO windows 8 is the most vulnerable advanced security ever :-)
Planning on fedora mate as soon as practical.

I don't trust any OS to be the primary OS for browsing (not even Linux). Creating a sandbox is the only (and I mean only) way to protect your system but who knows if even that's good enough. I can only tell you that using sandboxes for the past 6 years, I've had 3 drive-bys (one recently) trying to install bad stuff on my system. I just X then VM and recover from the gold standard and all's forgotten (as far as the bad bug's concerned). I use to run rudimentary anti-trojans (not even an anti-virus) in my sandbox, but now, I don't even do that. That's how confident I am with using sandboxes. I still, of course, run an anti-virus in my Host OS; just have too (and hopefully my host will never get hit). Using sandboxes require's discipline though. I'm actually so paranoid that I run Sandboxie inside my XP VM (in essences, I'm double-sandboxed). lol

I had a PDF sent to me some years ago written by a guy who worked in the anti-virus industry. It claimed that anti-virus publishers were the biggest producers of virus infestations, thereby creating the need for the cure. Very compelling read.
I will take steps for VM thanks.

Systemx i recommend Sandboxie. This runs programs including your browser in a virtual sandbox. I use it and have no complaints.

Thanks to Lyle for showing me this handy software years ago.

Have not tried SBIE in a 64-bit environment yet Rod. I believe you are now running Win7 right? How's your experience with SBIE in Win7?