inundated with ADS

Spunout · #1 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 05:17 AM

we've all seen the recent ad-links that look like this on various forums/websites.
that doesnt bother me too much, but what is annoying is they've figured a way to get around your pop-up blocker. an entire new browser opens, without having clicked on anything.
sometimes its viagra or credit cards. sometimes (and worse) its the fake virus scan, thats hard to stop. those fake scans send my AVG anti-virus into a frenzy. i guess they carry malware, spyware and viruses themselves.

i'm no Bill Gates. is there anyway to stop the new browsers from opening automatically?

**Bikeguy Joe** · #2 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 07:41 AM

Never had it happen....I don't even run a firewall. I know that's nuts, but I have never had a problem.

**Ilikeabikea** · #3 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 07:45 AM

I use firefox instead of internet explorer. I don't get popups anymore...................

**Bikeguy Joe** · #4 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 07:53 AM

I run FF too.

deacon · #5 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 08:11 AM

FF vote as well no popups..... However it is just a matter of time since FF is gaining in popularity. When they begin to attack FF I will have to move to something else. I have a great "little" browser that nobody every heard of but it does not have java so it of limited value. OffByOne is the name. Its a tiny lil thing,

jasonh · #6 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 10:30 AM

Google Chrome is my vote. It'll notify you that you have a blocked popup, just in case you want to see it.

And I totally hate those green underlined link ads. Drive me bonkers.

seca40 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 11:14 AM

AVG free. Mozilla Firfox here. No trouble.

hiker472 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 07:22 PM

Well, the best thing to do is NEVER let somebody run a scan on your pc! A lot of times it's just a ploy to get you to purchase their product or put trojans, worms, and keyloggers on your pc. Also, if you enter a site and they want you to install an app for better viewing, be very careful! That is one way the latest trojan, "Conficker", is getting in.

Do scans yourself. I recommend Malware Bytes, Microsoft's Malicious software removal, and if you happen to get that nasty little win32/Zlob trojan, get a tool called Smitfraud, it's one of the only ways to get rid of it.

Don't forget to add Spy-bot to the list.

Generally a person can get away with no firewall, as long as you are not going into questionable territory, and that's why so many never seem to see the problems that others do. I myself am probably over-protected for my use, but hey, I just love my tools!

Edit: Another good tool is to install McAfee Site Advisor. It will show you details of a site and warn you of the problems found with it.

BTW, all these tools I mentioned are free!

hiker472 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spunout

we've all seen the recent ad-links that look like this on various forums/websites.
that doesnt bother me too much, but what is annoying is they've figured a way to get around your pop-up blocker. an entire new browser opens, without having clicked on anything.
sometimes its viagra or credit cards. sometimes (and worse) its the fake virus scan, thats hard to stop. those fake scans send my AVG anti-virus into a frenzy. i guess they carry malware, spyware and viruses themselves.

i'm no Bill Gates. is there anyway to stop the new browsers from opening automatically?

To answer your question, it may be quite possible that you have a trojan already in your pc. I could be wrong, but I had picked up a few somehow onetime and talk about surfing problems! The one Trojan would stay in touch with other sites, which in turn would alert ad sites to come on my screen which also bypassed my pop up blocker, besides adding more lines into my pc. When I installed a firewall, which asked my permission if a system file could access a certain IP address, I denied it. It turned out that IP addy was out of Russia! That is when I started installing scanning tools. Microsoft's Malicious Software remover is the one that found the ZLob installed and the other scanners found other things as well.

Once again, you may very well not have anything and it could just be the way the sites are set up, but it's always good to check. For me, I have no idea under creation how I got what I got, but I got it just the same.

deacon · #10 (**permalink**) 01-23-2009, 09:31 PM

excellent point about the trojan. I had one that acted just like that come to think of it. I think there are plenty of on line sites that can scan your computer and give you the name... usually if you google it you can find directions for removing them. All free of course...Not all but you can usually find free ones.