tiny pop-ups

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by perubique, Jul 2, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Sorry if I'm wrong here o_O, but I don't know where to ask that question:

    Why would a website open a pop-up window of 1px x 1px size?

    Thank you :)
     
  2. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Have any picso_O Seems interesting.
     
  3. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
  4. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Hm. I don't know. I detected it when my browser (K-Meleon 1.1.5) blocked the site from opening it and showed an empty pop-up. I checked with the Wikipedia and if this kind of thing is used for counting visitors -that seems ok. Would you rule out any malicious use?

    Thank you for answering :D
     
  5. dw426

    dw426 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2007
    Posts:
    5,543
    That doesn't sound like a web bug, it seems more like a security setting may have blocked a function or all of a website and the dialog box was glitched in some way. I don't know that for sure, but most web bugs I've seen don't have pop-ups, they are embedded in the page itself. If you can, try repeating this and get a screenshot if possible please.
     
  6. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Sorry, couldn't do. Anyhow the pop-up was completely empty just some text including 1px x 1px. But from your reactions I gather you don't say it's malicious in any case. Could it also be some interference with K-Meleon's layers?

    Again thanks a lot :)
     
  7. dw426

    dw426 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2007
    Posts:
    5,543
    Well, I can't say it 100% isn't malicious, but I'm not sure what kind of malicious activity it would even be. Has your system acted up in a strange way or has your antivirus/antimalware scanners found anything? It seems like some temporary website screw-up to me if it couldn't be repeated.
     
  8. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
    A picture would have helped. Next time you see something weird like that, hit the print screen button and copy/paste it to paint and save it to the desktop so you can upload it. A picture really is worth a thousand words :).

    Were you at a "safe" site when this happened? Was the pop-up from your security program, browser pop-up, or a web-site pop-up? I would run scans with your security programs. If you need a good free anti-malware on-demand scanner, SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware are both good. The free versions are for scanning only and don't offer real-time protection against malware. For real-time protection, you would need the paid versions.

    www.superantispyware.com
    http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
     
  9. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    I agree. Next time, I'll be prepaired. It was a new site and I was just very puzzled. As K-Meleon is very minimalistic in it's design, one cannot always tell, where the pop-up comes from.

    I run scans regularly (daily) and use KAV 7, a-squared (paid version) and AVG-Antispy (free version). And of course: Knoppicilin. Just got to know superantispyware; seems to be no alternative, very few signatures or am I getting something wrong?
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2008
  10. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
    I'm not sure what you mean by "no alternative". Also, I think SuperAntiSpyware numbers there signatures in a different way than most companies, but rest assured, it is very good at detecting and cleaning current malwares. Anyways, it looks like your covered in the scanning department.
     
  11. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    I managed :) When I first got to know about blogging I put up one page on blogspot.com and added sitemeter to it. When I try to access this link (http://s14.sitemeter.com/emailstats/unsubscribe.asp?site=s149865Iytv2J1s&ID=109372) a tab opens (now in ff3) with the title:

    unsubscribe (GIF Image, 1x1 pixels). Here's the pic...

    onebyone.png

    As a said: the rest is an completely empty tab o_O
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 5, 2008
  12. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
    My HOSTS file (MVPS) blocks S14.sitemeter.com It also looks like one of my AdBlockPlus subscriptions blocks it too. Are you running anything that may be blocking sitemeter? Let me see what happens if I can reverse my protection.

    dw426, what do you think?

    Edit: here is the sitemeter line in the HOSTS file. The first line is just the comment for that section.

    [SiteMeter Inc][Tracking Service]

    sitemeter.com #[SecuritySpace.WebBug]

    s14.sitemeter.com (there are others like this with different numbers)

    I guess it could be a webbug. I really don't know for sure. In FF3 I get the unsubscribe tab, but I don't get the GIF IMAGE, 1 x 1 pixels) I also get a message on the webpage about unsubscribing from some email thing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2008
  13. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Of course I use AdBlockPlus in FF3. In K-Meleon 1.1.5. I just get an empty layer (they insists it's different from a 'tab')? Same result in Opera 9.51...
     
  14. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
    It sounds like you have something blocking it. Are you using Spyware Blaster or another "immunization" type of program? It could be possible they are blocking it.

    I installed K-Meleon 1.1.5 and here is what I see. I temporarily removed the restrictions of my HOSTS file. This is also the same thing I see in FF3 even with AdBlockPlus running.
    kmeleonsitemeter.JPG
    With the sitemeter blocked in the HOSTS file, I get a "Page Load Error" tab as well as the Failed to Connect on the page.
     
  15. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    I run Spybot Search & Destroy once in a long while (I rarely ever use IE). But ...hm...where would I find that hosts file? o_O
     
  16. ccsito

    ccsito Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Posts:
    1,579
    Location:
    Nation's Capital
    You can download one here for free.

    http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
     
  17. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Thank you very much! Downloaded the file and now I will gladly take the chance and make a fool of myself:

    What do I do with it?
     
  18. ccsito

    ccsito Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Posts:
    1,579
    Location:
    Nation's Capital
    Did you read the instructions included in the download? Also the webpage provides instructions after downloading.

    http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
     
  19. ccsito

    ccsito Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Posts:
    1,579
    Location:
    Nation's Capital
    Your earlier inquiry seems to be on why a certain site would generate a pop up and if you had a installed HOST file that might be causing it. So downloading one does not answer your question. Spyware Blaster has a list of websites that are blocked (or immunized) when you attempt to access them because they are known to harbor spyware. So my earlier suggestion does not address your earlier issue. Sorry for the misdirection. :(
     
  20. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    As I said: make a fool of myself :)

    But: did read the instructions now - lol - checked the file and ask, shouldn't it be read-only? And do I have to reboot (this is probably obsolete, cause I will have rebooted when I get the answer) so just for curiosity.

    Thanks

    ps: never mind about about misdirection and earlier issue - I am learning :D
     
  21. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    2,121
    Location:
    Mountaineer Country
    Spybot does have an immunization feature. It's been a while since I have used Spybot, but you can probably see what all is immunized. If your just wanting to see the page, try finding the particular setting that is blocking the page. I will probably be labeled sitemeter or S14.sitemeter.

    Spybot's immunize feature does work with IE, FF and Opera. See step 8 for more of a description. http://www.safer-networking.org/en/tutorial/index.html
     
  22. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Thanks very much :) Didn't know that...

    About the hosts-file. It's now installed and obviously I have rebooted now, but shouldn't it be read-only? As for now it is not.

    "A day in a life of a fool..."
     
  23. ccsito

    ccsito Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Posts:
    1,579
    Location:
    Nation's Capital
    I don't use HOSTS file, but I thought that it should be set to allow updates so it should not be a read only file since new sites are added over time? :doubt: Someone who uses it can probably answer your question.
     
  24. perubique

    perubique Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2008
    Posts:
    19
    Good question! So, what about updates?:cool:
     
  25. ccsito

    ccsito Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Posts:
    1,579
    Location:
    Nation's Capital
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.