Beware — searching may lead to malicious ads

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https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA221221

TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF

The FBI recommends individuals take the following precautions:

• Before clicking on an advertisement, check the URL to make sure the site is authentic. A malicious domain name may be similar to the intended URL but with typos or a misplaced letter.
• Rather than search for a business or financial institution, type the business’s URL into an internet browser’s address bar to access the official website directly.
• Use an ad blocking extension when performing internet searches. Most internet browsers allow a user to add extensions, including extensions that block advertisements. These ad blockers can be turned on and off within a browser to permit advertisements on certain websites while blocking advertisements on others.

The FBI recommends businesses take the following precautions:

• Use domain protection services to notify businesses when similar domains are registered to prevent domain spoofing.
• Educate users about spoofed websites and the importance of confirming destination URLs are correct.
• Educate users about where to find legitimate downloads for programs provided by the business.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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DrBonzo, ClearThunder

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I’ve been using AdBlock Plus and AdBlocker Ultimate together, and they’ve done a good job at suppressing unwanted pop-ups, especially YouTube.   The free NoScript add-on for Firefox also does a great job of keeping unwanted scripts from automatically playing videos and general snooping.  Major snoopers like Facebook, Amazon and Twitter, et al, are all permanently blocked on my browser.  I don’t use Google, so they’re blocked too.

I usually don’t click on ads, but I will hover the mouse over them to display the URL they want to point to.

 

"War is the remedy our enemies have chosen. And I say let us give them all they want" ----- William T. Sherman

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Alex5723

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ClearThunder wrote:

I usually don’t click on ads, but I will hover the mouse over them to display the URL

If it happens to be an extraordinarily alluring / interesting ad, then

My VERY FIRST action: save a system image on an external SSD (air-gapped when at rest),
then hover the mouse over the ad and copy the link,
paste the link in EditPad,
cut away any unreadable code.

Then I wake up my VPN,
Start TOR,
visit the remaining URL left over in EditPad.

Finally see what happens …

1 Desktop W11
1 Laptop W10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95

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ClearThunder wrote:

I usually don’t click on ads

I never see ads or pop-ups so there is nothing to click on.

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NaNoNyMouse

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Another mitigation layer to consider:  Use a DNS service that attempts to delist all known malware addresses.

 

https://blog.cloudflare.com/introducing-1-1-1-1-for-families/

 

~ Group "Weekend" ~

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oldfry, E Pericoloso Sporgersi

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NetDef wrote:

a DNS service that attempts to delist all known malware addresses

It seems to me that DNS 1.1.1.2 (and its IPv6 equivalent) and Malwarebytes have the same mission. The only difference being that DNS 1.1.1.2 is remote (nothing to install) and Malwarebytes requires local installation.

Wouldn’t having both be redundant?

Would having one of them be sufficient?

1 Desktop W11
1 Laptop W10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95

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1. Don’t take computer advice from the FBI, though in this case they are certainly correct about using an ad blocking service.
2. As for malicious domain names, the rules and bad guy tricks are explained here
   https://defensivecomputingchecklist.com/DomainNameRules.php
3. As for clicking on links, be they in an ad or not, I am a big fan of urlscan.io

Get up to speed on router security at RouterSecurity.org and Defensive Computing at DefensiveComputingChecklist.com

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Cybertooth

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https://thehackernews.com/2022/12/new-malvertising-campaign-via-google.html

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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Susan Bradley wrote:

Before clicking on an advertisement, check the URL to make sure the site is authentic.

Good advice but getting harder to do with list-manage.com, doubleclick, sendgrid… being used.

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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ClearThunder wrote:

Major snoopers like Facebook, Amazon and Twitter, et al, are all permanently blocked on my browser.

How do you do this in Chrome or Edge?

Thanks

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