@@ -10,17 +11,17 @@ Q: -I am trying to open Facebook, Yahoo!, Google, or some -other well-known web site and instead I am getting a blank web page +I am trying to open Facebook, Yahoo!, Yandex, Google, or some +other well known web site and instead I am getting a blank web page with a message referring to nginx: “Welcome to nginx!” or “404 Not Found / nginx”. -I suspect something is wrong and there is probably a malicious attempt here -to direct me to a rogue web page (to break into my computer, do phishing etc.). -Why is that and what has nginx to do with my attempts to connect -to Facebook (Yahoo!, Google, etc.) ? +I suspect something is wrong and there is probably a malicious attempt +to direct me to a rogue web page (to break into my computer, do +phishing etc.). Why is that, and what has nginx to do with my attempts +to connect to Facebook (Yahoo!, Google, etc.) ? @@ -29,34 +30,29 @@ A: -nginx is among the 3 most popular web servers in the world, it's being -used by over 10% of the Internet web sites, including 25% of the top-1000 ones. -It is a free open source server software, focused on high performance and -high concurrency, and it's absolutely legitimate and -has nothing to do with any kind of threatening or malicious activity per se. -A web page saying “Welcome to nginx!” is one of the diagnostics -responses that can be produced by any of the web sites running nginx. +First of all, the “Welcome to nginx!” page you see is +NOT our website. At nginx, we write and distribute a free + +open source web server software. A web page saying +“Welcome to nginx!” is just a diagnostics response that +can be produced by any of the websites out there, running nginx +web server. Currently, nginx is the 2nd most popular open source +web server in the world, it's being used by over 70,000,000 (or +10% of the Internet) websites. Most of these websites are +legitimate, but some aren't. Our software was created with a good +reason of enabling performance and scalability on the Internet, +it is licensed under +popular open source license, and has nothing to do with any +kind of threatening or malicious activity per se — +nginx is NOT a malware, and it is NOT on your computer. But someone's +malware could have indeed tampered with your computer or router, +redirecting you to a fraudulent Internet server. -However, you are right in your assumption that something must be wrong -with your browser, operating system or even router setup when you are -trying to access a well known web site and instead of a familiar page you get -“Welcome to nginx!”. This should not happen if your computer -and network are clean and safe. - - - -We recommend you to check and verify your entire system setup -(possibly with the help of your ISP or another support personnel), -and it would also be a good idea to install and run an anti-virus software -on your computer. It may happen that some malign entity is trying -to divert the traffic from your computer to a wrong server and -hijack the data, which may subsequently lead to a significant harm. - - - -What you should check is at least the following: +We recommend running an anti-virus check on your computer, and +we recommend to check and verify your entire system setup with the +help of your ISP, or another support personnel: @@ -74,81 +70,100 @@ Check your TCP/IP settings and see if the DNS servers -configuration matches the one recommended by your Internet -service provider and/or your IT support personnel. +configuration matches the valid one (suggested by your Internet +service provider or IT support personnel). + + + +Use Google +Public DNS, and see if it fixes the problem. From Google's +description of its Public DNS — "Google Public DNS is a free, +global Domain Name System (DNS) resolution service, +that you can use as an alternative to your current DNS +provider. [..] By using Google Public DNS you can: Speed up your +browsing experience. Improve your security." + + + +Clear your DNS resolver cache. On Microsoft Windows XP go to +Start > Run, and then type the following command: +"ipconfig /flushdns". On Microsoft Vista, Windows 7, and +Windows 8 click on Start logo, follow All Programs > Accessories, +right-click on Command Prompt, choose "Run As Administrator", +type in "ipconfig /flushdns" and hit Enter. + + + +Click the "page reload" button in your browser. Clear browser +data (cache, cookies etc.). E.g. in Chrome find and click +"Clear Browsing Data" (Settings > Under the Hood). Caution: +you may be deleting saved passwords information here, +so do it carefully and check what exact actions you are performing. Check if the "hosts" file doesn't contain entries other than "127.0.0.1 localhost", and if so — if these entries are for -the web site you're trying to reach and instead you're seeing a -wrong web site. The "hosts" files is located in +the web site you're trying to reach. The "hosts" files is located in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc directory. Typically there should be just one entry in it, for "127.0.0.1 localhost", that's it. The -"hosts" file can be viewed with your standard Notepad application. - - - -Try to (temporarily) use Google Public DNS and see if -it fixes the problem. From Google's description of its Public DNS - -"Google Public DNS is a free, global Domain Name System (DNS) -resolution service, -that you can use as an alternative to your current DNS provider. -To try it out: Configure your network settings to use the IP -addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as your DNS servers. [..] By -using Google Public DNS you can: Speed up your browsing -experience. Improve your security. Get the results you expect -with absolutely no redirection." +"hosts" file can be viewed and edited with your standard +Notepad application. -If you change DNS settings, clear your DNS resolver cache. On -Microsoft Windows it is done with the following command: -Start > Run > ipconfig /flushdns - - - -Clear browser data (cache, cookies etc.), e.g. in Chrome -find and click "Clear Browsing Data" (Settings > Under the Hood). -Caution: you may be deleting saved passwords information here, -so do it carefully and check what exact actions you are performing. - - - -Try to check the plugins/extensions you've installed -for use with your browser. It might make sense to re-install -your favorite browser and/or try a different one if possible. - - - -If cleaning "hosts" file (when applicable), changing -DNS servers to Google Public DNS, flushing DNS resolver cache, -or fixing your browser configuration have helped, it might be -that there's a malware somewhere on your PC or around. -It makes perfect sense then to run a number of checks using -your preferred anti-virus/anti-malware tools. +Check the plugins and extensions installed with your browser. +Re-install your browser or try an alternative one if possible. -Links describing Google Public DNS: +Something must be wrong with your operating +system settings, home router setup, or browser +configuration, if you are trying to access a well known web site +and what you get instead is “Welcome to nginx!”. +This should NOT happen if your computers and network are +clean and safe. - +If changing DNS servers to Google Public DNS, flushing DNS resolver +cache, fixing your browser configuration, or cleaning "hosts" file +(when applicable) have helped, it might be that there's a malware +somewhere on your PC or around. Find and clean it using +your preferred anti-virus and anti-malware tools. + + + +Additional articles that might be helpful: - +Microsoft: + + + +Malicious Software Removal Tool -Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool: + +How can I reset the Hosts file back to the default? - + +How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) + + + +Tech-Recipes: + + + +DNS Cache Flush, Clear, or Reset in Vista, +Windows 7, and Windows 8