Here’s why the epidemic of malicious ads grew so much worse last year

Discussion in 'malware problems & news' started by ronjor, Jan 23, 2018.

  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  2. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    Just reconfirms my belief that ad blockers are a must, no mater what ad agencies say.
     
  3. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Agreed. Ad blockers do more to keep our company machines clean than antivirus does.
     
  4. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    Ad blockers AND script blockers....
     
  5. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    Yeah but so many websites dont work properly with scripts blocked
     
  6. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    Often no big loss for me(!)
     
  7. Reality

    Reality Registered Member

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    Well if Wilders can give a reasonable experience without scripts why can't won't others. It's no loss for me either. If all I want to do is read text, (which is most of the time) who cares about the rest.

    And yeah, ad blockers and script blockers? Essential.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2018
  8. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    I dont think its that they cant make their sites work without scripts, its that they make deliberately sure they dont.
     
  9. Reality

    Reality Registered Member

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    @RockLobster - Yes, I'll correct my oversight. (Words do matter) there's a world of difference between can't and won't
     
  10. bo elam

    bo elam Registered Member

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    Based on my experience, I ll say most sites works with script blockers, you just have to learn how to find your way around to allow the required scripts to get the content you looking for. Once you get used to doing that, the process of trial and error becomes easy. I cant remember last time I had to disable NoScript to get some content I wanted in a site and couldn't find my way around. That maybe happened once during the past 2 years.

    Bo
     
  11. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    Dont you find site logins and signup dialogues dont work without scripts? Thats what happens to me and then to make it worse, when I enable scripts to get it to work the site then accuses me of not being human followed by, click all the images with bridges... then please try again ... click all the images with cars...
    Thats about when my annoyance level makes me click the X button in the corner.
     
  12. bo elam

    bo elam Registered Member

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    Not at all.

    You should be able to sign in even without allowing scripts. But really, that's not the type of scripts you want to block. Scripts for signing up or logging in sites you visit all the time, are scripts you should white list. Specially if you trust the site. The difference when you allow or not allow scripts when signing up is that when you allow this type of script, you make things more convenient and easy when you signing up, when writing the user name, the PW. But again, this type of script is not what you want to block at all.

    Myself, I cant stand those solve me questions or whatever they called but I doubt you/we get them because we are using an script blocker.

    Bo
     
  13. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Aren't they basically the same? Ad-blockers block scripts related to ads and trackers.

    It's not realistic to block all first party scripts. A tool like Ghostery or uBlock is good enough for most people because they don't break most websites. You can't compare them to NoScript.
     
  14. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  15. bo elam

    bo elam Registered Member

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    My criteria for what to allow and not allow has to do with what I want out of a site. If I go to a new site at random and all I want is read and I dont need to allow anything for that, I allow nothing. On the other hand, if I want some other content, like a video or something, I allow whats required for the video to play. So, I allow as little as possible but as much a is required to get what I want. I dont care what kind of site it is, if I want some content out of it, I ll get it

    If a site is in my bookmarks, a site that I visit often, that is the type of site that I setup to the max. I trust the scripts that are required and blacklist the ones that I know I dont need anywhere else. And third party scripts that I find in this type of sites that I know I might require somewhere, I leave as Default. And only temporarily allow them when I really need them.

    Bo
     
  16. lofac

    lofac Registered Member

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    I completely agree with all of this. That's the mentality that I use and why I really like NoScript.
     
  17. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    What I'm saying is that if you block all scripts globally, you will probably break about 80 to 90% of all websites. Your approach is also completely unnecessary because the big browsers are pretty fast and secure nowadays. There is no need to block first party scripts on most sites. You should really give uBlock a try, it will block most ads and trackers without breaking sites but you will still gain speed and security.
     
  18. bo elam

    bo elam Registered Member

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    About breaking the internet. The question is: What does it take for an individual user to consider their internet is broken? To me personally, my internet experience would be broken if I cant get the content out of sites I visit without disabling NoScript. That doesnt happen to me with any site I visit on a regular basis. Also, tt is extremely rare for me to disable NoScript to get something out of a site I visit at random. If you ask me, how many times a year I have to do something like that, I ll say maybe once a year, no more than that. So, NoScript doesn't break my internet due to my approach. Actually, my internet experience is a 100 times better because of it (No distractions, no ads, easier to focus on what you want in sites you visit, safer, cleaner experience, less resources used by the browser, etc).

    About allowing or Temporarily allowing first party/Top level sites by default. I have never used that setting, I totally ignore it and dont need it.

    About using an adblocker. If I was to use an adblocker, I would use Adblock plus. I used it before as I also tested UBO. I like both programs and both are great blocking ads. But blocking ads is also something you can do with NoScript. Sure, it is easier doing it with the adblocker with their lists but I get a kick doing it myself. You, doing it yourself, gives me satisfaction, and not only that, your skills using the script blocker become better as you practice more and can see the difference in the websites as they get cleaned up when you trial and error allowing and blocking domains. When you get into, all this trial and error is done quickly, you don't waste time.

    Speed, resources, I am better off by not using an adblocker. Is one lesser addon. I am only using 2 extensions and I am not missing anything.

    Bo
     
  19. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Absolutely true. At least 80-90% breakage.

    In addition to blocking ads with uBlockO, I also use it to block 3rd-party scripts and iframes globally. It's the 3rd-party content that's far more likely to contain malicious code.

    EDIT

    typically it's a crafted iframe embedded in the web page that loads a separate malicious web page, so if all one does is block ads and and 3rd-party iframes, then that alone eliminates the vast majority of drive-by download attacks. Blocking 3rd-party scripts, while breaking some web pages, will add another significant measure of security.

    EDIT 2

    interesting, I just noticed Chrome browser has a same-origin iframe policy protection built-in.
     

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    Last edited: Feb 4, 2018
  20. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    OK I now get it, you actually like having to do some extra work.

    Exactly, I also once tried to block all scripts, but it got annoying real quick. That's why I started using ABP and Ghostery, later I switched to uBlock.
     
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