Comcast cable internet hacked?

March 24, 2009 10:03 PM

I'm asking this for a friend. He's been using Comcast cable internet for at least a year now, and as of tonight he cannot access any websites (on either his PC or ipod), and is redirected to the following URL: actsvr.comcastonline.com/nocache/realactsvr.html

It wants him to install software, and he can click on either customer or technician. What is going on? Does this sound like a virus, spyware, etc. or some sort of issue with the cable itself? Maybe an attack on the router he's using? How can he solve/fix this mystery?

posted by rbf1138 to Computers & Internet (19 answers total)

For what it's worth our city uses Comcast and I've never heard of anyone having this issue.
posted by BrnP84 at 10:08 PM on March 24, 2009

They cut off his cable.
posted by Rubbstone at 10:11 PM on March 24, 2009

That does look like a legitimate Comcast domain, at least according to whois. He could probably solve the "mystery" by calling his local Comcast office and asking them about it.
posted by bizwank at 10:12 PM on March 24, 2009

I googled around and it seems like to might be some malware trying to open port 8100?

Believe it or not the best writeup I can find is on Yahoo answers
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:13 PM on March 24, 2009

ie, this is Comcast stopping the malware from doing what it wants to do, which is open port 8100. Or so I read it, not being a big network guy.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:14 PM on March 24, 2009

here's the Google search btw
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:15 PM on March 24, 2009

Response by poster: I've already tried googling the issue...I only posted here because the obvious routes have turned up nothing so far.
posted by rbf1138 at 10:18 PM on March 24, 2009

Response by poster: ludwig_van says he loves you all and he hopes you see you again someday.
posted by rbf1138 at 10:23 PM on March 24, 2009

Response by poster: *to see you
posted by rbf1138 at 10:23 PM on March 24, 2009

What Rubbstone said. This is what happens when you try to connect without a valid Comcast account. His account has been disabled due to non-payment or TOS violation. It's happened to me a few times in the past.
posted by zerokey at 10:35 PM on March 24, 2009

Sorry i didn't mean the google thing to come out dickishly. I linked it because when I first googled "actsvr.comcastonline.com/nocache/realactsvr.html" nothing comes up, but when I stripped off the end after the "/" I got some results.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:46 PM on March 24, 2009

i used to have comcast. this happened to me..his cable is off/not working. He should call the cable company, it will take them a few minutes and it will be fixed (if he has paid his bill.........)
posted by slograffiti at 11:04 PM on March 24, 2009

I've had this happen to me because I was D/Ling things I shouldn't have been downloading. All my outbound network traffic was temporarily redirected to a specific server; when I opened up my browser it took me to a page that said something to the effect of, "We know what you're doing. Stop it." There was a button at the bottom I had to click to confirm that I had read the message and that I would stop my nefarious behavior or else.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 2:56 AM on March 25, 2009

When I canceled Comcast over the phone, a minute later my internet was out. It redirected me to a page to re-sign up.
posted by glenno86 at 4:07 AM on March 25, 2009

When i've had cable hoked up before, the first time I connected, all requests were sent to a similar page. There was a process the tech called 'Provisioning' that needed to take place before the connection was usable for anything.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 5:20 AM on March 25, 2009

This can also happen if you change out your cable modem - you're forced to register the new one.
posted by logicpunk at 6:36 AM on March 25, 2009

Um. That's what they do when you don't pay your bill. Trust me.
posted by IvoShandor at 6:52 AM on March 25, 2009

I recommend contacting Frank Eliason either on Twitter (@comcastcares) or by email ([e-mail]) on your friend's behalf. He's very good about getting things taken care of.
posted by hummercash at 7:34 AM on March 25, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks for the answers. He asked his roommate this morning about paying the bill...and of course, this turned out to be the culprit. Didn't realize when they turn off your internet service they can still forward you to a Comcast page.
posted by rbf1138 at 3:53 PM on March 25, 2009