To the Hosts -- SpyWare

[RichardK]

This is a follow up to the thread that was started regarding AdWare and Spam.

 

My ISP is EarthLink. The have a very strong application -- "Spyware Blocker". The fact is, if I run a scan and remove all SpyWare on my computer, and only visit your CruiseCritic site. Within a mater of a few "clicks", SpyWare has been reintroduced onto my computer?? I've tried this "experiment" on a few occasions with the same result.

 

Details of which follow:

 

Description:

Name: BridgeTrack Cookie

Author: Planning Group International, Inc.

Category:Cookie

Threat Assessment:Low

 

Description:

BridgeTrack is a cookie capable of tracking Web site visitors and their personal preferences.

Characteristics:

The BridgeTrack cookie has the ability to track personal preferences and Web surfing habits. The marketing information gathered by this cookie could allow the Web site to display advertising banners that are targeted to your preferences.

Method of Infection:

This cookie can be placed in your Web browser whenever you visit a Web site that is affiliated with Planning Group International, Inc. (the author of this cookie).

[BottledRed]

I don't believe the problem is with the site, and this is why: I've read these boards from 4 different workstations, and had the pop up problem: NEVER. Of the 4 workstations, they are at 3 locations, all with different ISPs.

 

The problem with voracious spyware is that no one blocker or software can find it all. I believe many people have been infected with one, and there is nothing the hosts of this site can do about that.

[tef43]

Not only "Bridge Track" but "Avenue A" also attempts to load whenever I visit the CC home page. If I bypass the home page and come directly to the message boards, I do *not* get the alert.

 

A nice feature of Spybot S&D is that you can set it to alert you when spyware is attempting to load and is subsequently blocked. I have not received *any* popups since installing S&D,

[BigDave]

Cookies are a way of tracking who you are from a particuliar site.

 

Most sites use them so they can do things like keep you logged in (like they do here at CC)

 

The one you mention are placed by the banner ad sites, (or by redirection from banner ad sites).

 

The reason that spyware and adware blockers track them is that through the use of banners a number of advertising sites share backend info (best case, so they can target the banner ads you're seeing based on the sites you've visited, worst case so they can correlate your computer with your email address you gave at another site, and target your spam :( )

 

Many folks consider this kind of data mining and tracking to be intrusive(heck, I do) and thats why adware & spyware blocking software targets those cookies.

 

Note: these cookies can not and will not generate pop ups, they are a function of having banner ads and since we don't pay for this site I don't mind them being placed!

 

(I do clean them out when I run my spyware blocker though because I try to minimise data mining done on me)

[RichardK]

BigDave>>>Thanks, you've explained that very well.

 

It must be associated with the banner ads. Unless I clean out my Internet Explorer cache, I retain the cookies that "keep" my screen name and password, the last time I visited, etc.

 

And, as the other poster said, their are several other cookies (SpyWare) that load themselves onto my computer over time from the CC site as well.

 

I continue to clean any SpyWare out on a regular basis because I feel it is intrusive, however, I do believe that if it has to do with banner ads, CC can do as they wish since this is their website.

[GoinCruisin]

Sorry to say that most of the free programs, while good, just don't catch it all. We have installed Ad-Adaware on all of our customer sites as well as one of two other paid applications. You need to run an engine that actually stops the adware/spyware prior to it jumping on your system... Ad-aware has a plugin that claims to do that, but it does not catch everything, nor do most of the popular "free" programs. There are several very good, less than $30 programs out there that combined with Adaware can make a big difference... you will see the amount of spam you get decrease as well.... Regardless, you need to keep whatever you are using updated (hopefully you are using something that is updated as spyware/spammers are constantly coming up with ways around the "system")

[Dannzzigg]

I use Zero Knowledge's Freedom Firewall, and it has worked to keep me free from almost all spyware. I run Ad-aware weekly, and the only thing it has ever found since installing Freedom is tracking cookies, which you get every time you click a website that tracks your movement. No pop-ups here!

[derf5585]

Remember this Board is free. If we want to keep it free we must accept even praise the popups. For they will set us free. I getting carried away. I mean Tor they will keep it free.

[GoinCruisin]

I think this site uses banner ads for their sponsors, not pop-ups...

[pholter]

Well, once again Seabourne Cruises is killing me and only when I visit here. I'm talking 3 at a time for the same ad- then over and over again. I've done spybot 3 times today alone. The last time I purchased SpyWare Killer, I actually ended up with more!!!

[BigDave]

One more thing I normally wouldn't even bother mentioning because there isn't much that can do about it. (and my technical partial answer to it can't be done by most folks)

 

Java popups.

 

Java is a intermediate programming language (bytecode, between scripting and compiled programs) thats included with most browsers, seriously you need it to do some things so you can't get rid of it, but you can't as limit it as much as I'd like.

Lately there have been a number of sites doing pop or float overs on web sites written in Java so they won't be blocked by 'pop-up blockers', some obtrusive, some less obtrusive. CNN has the best managed ones.

 

I saw some java popovers pop up here a few days ago, and they were very obtrusive and rude.

 

I would press the X for close on them and they would close and them pop right back up in the next second, close, pop-up, close, pop-up, close, pop-up, close, pop-up...

Note: since they are not a proper wondows dialog there is no guarantee the x will do what it is supposed to.

 

It made the site virtually useless to me, so I jumped on my router and traced the traffic.

 

The redirect that was bringing me the java popup was from IP 168.75.65.85, which name services resolves to adserver13.contextad.com or adserver9.contextad.com (different name servers came up with slightly different names)

 

I blocked that address from my network, and I have a few extra delays/timeouts, but it's better than having the site become almost imposible to use from PITA Java pop-overs.

 

Now I've mentioned blocking it, they'll probably move the offending ads to another IP or two, and I'll have to make changes again.

[glrounds]

Switched over to FIREFOX browser from Microsoft Internet Explorer. Eliminates ALL popups. Never (almost never) get one. :(

 

Also bookmarked CC Carnival message boards, not the home page. Faster and home site can't put "cookies" on as easily. :D

[derf5585]

"adserver13.contextad.com or adserver9.contextad.com"

 

Adserver Software

from

http://www.soft411.com/software/adserver.html

 

How to Stop Popups in Windows XP.

from

http://devinexecution.com/noads/

[CruiseFever]

I'm a big fan of Spyboy Search and Destroy too, it does all I need it to do and was recommended by my PC Doctor

[Annieeee]

I have pest patrol but it does not stop everything. What is a good program that finds and gets rid of the spyware, free and for purchase. Thanks

 

 

Annieeee

[derf5585]

"recommended by my PC Doctor"

 

Who is this PC Doctor?

It's not the "PC Doctor" program is it?

[SATXLady]

I rely on recommendations from Dr Bombay -- he has a syndicated weekly column from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I read him in my local paper business section every Sunday. I will caution you that if you're thin-skinned, you may not appreciate him. I probably do because I frequently want to say the same sort of things that he does to people who don't run virus checkers, install security patches, etc.

 

You can find Dr Bombay's recommendations on his website (http://www.bombayinstitute.com/); select "Fix it yourself" from the left hand menus. He gives suggestions about several programs. I personally use Ad-aware, Spybot, and Spyware Blaster with pretty good success. I run them all about once a week and while I do find a few new cookies each week (I'm down to just 2-3), I do notice a great improvement. But, no matter what you run, You must regularly update the software definitions because new crap keeps being released. In other words, the software won't do you much good after a few weeks if you con't keep it updated, sort of like your virus checkers.

 

I also use the Google toolbar with popup blocker enabled (but I did not accept the PageRank option when I installed it).

[BigDave]

Thanks!

 

I had tried blocking one server with a local ip entry 127.0.0.1 a while ago and it hadn't worked well.

 

I hadn't even thought about using 0.0.0.0.

 

"adserver13.contextad.com or adserver9.contextad.com"

 

Adserver Software

from

http://www.soft411.com/software/adserver.html

 

How to Stop Popups in Windows XP.

from

http://devinexecution.com/noads/

[LauraS]

This issue -- popups and spyware -- proves a conundrum for Cruise Critic. In addition to that, the advertising staff here at Cruise Critic also have to deal with me annoying them beyond belief with regard to intrusive popups etc on the BOARDS.

 

Since I'm not a techie, I'll just address the issues I know about, since many of you above cleary understand and explained spyware, tracking software, popups and the software necessary to track and remove the stuff.

 

"bridgetrack" is Royal Caribbean's (Celebrity) tracking software. They use it on their banner ads. They are simply tracking how many times individuals visit the various pages they sponsor on Cruise Critic....particularly the message boards. I have no problem with that and I'm not giving away any secrets by sharing with you. Cruise Critic does not provide them with any identifying information about you specifically, and the tracking software doesn't specify to them "hey, here's (Cruise Critic User Name) again, and he visited yesterday!". They don't put a user name to the "headcount" tracked by the cookie. Make sense?

 

Last week, there was, in fact, an annoying banner on the boards for a short period of time that, when your mouse went anywhere near it, it opened a large ad covering posts/navigation tools on the boards. The moment I saw it, I asked our advertising folks to remove it. They did.

 

It is obvious that we need to be able to advertise. And the majority of our members visit our boards. I don't blame our ad folks for trying different advertising techniques on the boards.

 

I also know, since I spend the majority of my day on the boards, that there is nothing more annoying than popup/under/over ads on MESSAGE BOARDS. It interferes with the use of the boards, and detracts from the users experience. (I hear the advertising staff groaning loudly in office)

 

I look at the ads on the boards differently than our ad folks. I see them as "BILLBOARDS"...I know you folks see them, they register in your minds but you just don't click on them. Understandable. You are here to read the boards....(Hint hint: the ad folks wouldn't keep trying these other types of ads if you folks would just CLICK on the ads once in a while VBG!)

 

Everywhere I go on the internet lately I just want to scream -- I cannot stand popups, or ads that move across the page you are trying to read...ads that "vibrate"...they'll try anything to get your attention -- and I'm so frustrated by them. Yet, being on the other side of the spectrum in the management and expenses associated with a website, I know they have no choice -- it is a matter of survival. So, I deal with it best I know how...as some of you have outlined above. (advertising staff REALLY moaning and groaning now)

 

I do my personal best to keep that off the boards. HOWEVER, this is a major trend in the web advertising industry. You may find more and more of these types of ads elsewhere on Cruise Critic.

 

Who knows what the future will bring. I really believe that the advertising on Cruise Critic is far far less intrustive and annoying than the majority of sites out there. We hope to be able to keep it that way. I keep my fingers crossed that our members will support our advertisers, or at least view their offerings once in a while.

 

 

Thanks for your time,

 

Laura

[CruiseFever]

"recommended by my PC Doctor"

 

Who is this PC Doctor?

It's not the "PC Doctor" program is it?

 

No, I use http://www.YourTechOnline.com. I prepay for a block of time and whenever I have a question or just want to get a tune up so my machines run better I log on 24/7 and they take care of it.

 

It's kinda cool because they take control (with my permission) of my screen so I sit there and watch them do it.

 

They were the ones that suggested and installed Spybot Search and Destroy along with a free virus software that they like called AVG Anti-virus. I figure they work with this stuff all the time and have helped me with some real stumper questions so I'll go with what they recommend.

[PrincessMelody]

I use "Ad Aware" It's free and works pretty well.

[SevenVII]

Switching from the commonly used Internet Explorer to a different browser is also very nice. I use Mozilla Firefox and pretty much am temporarily immune to most popups and advertising cookies because they are coded for IE mainly. Now, switching browsers isnt the grand fix all or anything like that, but for me it works great because I dont have to go and clean up as much trash as when I was using IE.

[MiamiVice]

I use a combination of Pest Patrol (if you stay current on your updates it catches more than anything I've ever used before) and Spyware Blaster. Spyware Blaster blocks intrusive Active-X spybots that infect your PC. The current number it blocks is 3100.

Between that and Pest Patrol I have been spyware free on every Windows box I have. Ad-Aware and SpyBot Search and Destroy are both better than nothing but I would give Pest Patrol a serious look,

[CruiseFever]

I love the names of all these programs, they sound so efficient and war-like.

 

I wonder if Carnival will come out with some form of these things like

 

FunDeath2Bugs or something

[Cruising89143]

So far Ad-Aware and Spybot have worked for me. I update and run once a week.