Gator download pop-up

[Rasbelin]

Duh, use something else than MSIE. Less whining at least.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Asmodean
I don't get you guys. All of you write I got it, I got it, but none of you seem willing to provide any of the information that Dan requests.
If you don't want to help remedy the situation, then don't complain that the situation exists

Let me clarify the situation so you might "get" us guys.. As DanQ said:

It is likely bundled with an ad (i.e. it loads alongside with an ad that then generates it), making it even more difficult to track down.

That's what happens with me. A seperate ad pop-up shows up on my taskbar, and generates the security warning you can see on my screenshot. However after a few seconds the ad that causes the security warning automatically seems to disappear, before I have any chance to check out what it is. So as far as I know, it's impossible for me to find out the origin of the Gator problem, even though I would like help.

[Asmodean]

Hmmm...wouldn't it be possible to clear your internet cache, and your internet history, so that your machine contains no record whatsoever of your recent internet activity. After that, when the pop-up comes back, it should be fairly easy to locate it in your internet history window.

Asmodean

[Lefty Scaevola]

As long as your ad companies allow 'third (actually more like fourth) party ' ads, where the ad server only has a rediredt address, and the third party runs the ad on their server, you will get this. Many site have barred their ad server from using these, requiring them to only use ad where the code is carried on their own (eg UGO's) server, rather than some other server. Ad groups like UGO can madate this no such downloads all day long, but if they do not run the ad code on their own server they can not control it, and they get this over and over.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
As long as your ad companies allow 'third (actually more like fourth) party ' ads, where the ad server only has a rediredt address, and the third party runs the ad on their server, you will get this. Many site have barred their ad server from using these, requiring them to only use ad where the code is carried on their own (eg UGO's) server, rather than some other server. Ad groups like UGO can madate this no such downloads all day long, but if they do not run the ad code on their own server they can not control it, and they get this over and over.

This is true. At the same time, these (a) by far are providing the largest source of advertisers for us at present and (b) abuse such as is being described here has been quite limited; in fact, this thread raises the first ad-related complaint I have read in many months. Nonetheless, it is more than justified in this instance.

That said, I am not attempting to provide a justification for the practices of some advertisers to include 'add-ons' with their ads, especially "the likes" of Gator. I too disagree with the practice. If/when more information on the source of the Gator installation attempt here in question presents itself, I will investigate further and take action as need.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

[SpencerH]

I've just been having waves of the damn things tonight (pop-ups), everty time I went from page to page, but when the gator installation thingie came I had forgotten about this thread and just dismissed it.

[geeslaka]

this thread raises the first ad-related complaint I have read in many months

Does that mean you didn't read these threads?

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89730

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88671

Both less than 75 days old.

[Asmodean]

Okay Dan. I did some research on this. Basically, I disabled my firewall, allowing all kinds of evil things to enter my system. Then I set about browsing Apolyton. What I got was.....GATOR. Now how does this happen. You click a link (for instance the link to a thread). The thread then opens, as does another window. That window displays nothing. Then, a few seconds later, the security warning appears, asking if you would like to install Gator.

So what ad service is the culprit, then?? My guess is mircx. Why? Well take a look at these links, which I got from my internet history window:

http://ads.mircx.com/scripts/pop/gator.cgi?cert

Look how the word Gator appears in this link.

http://pop.mircx.com/pop/cjb/pop/106153929590553

This is another one from mircx. What it does, I'm not sure.

And then there's Gator:

http://webpdp.gator.com/v3/webpdp_v3_plugin.php?yic=HIC_CJBOLD

http://webpdp.gator.com/4/message/225/webpdp_plugin.php?q=cD0yNzUmZD05ODIxJmVsPTEmdz1QMFhONGdyNEJEa0FBQmNCUFo0

http://webpdp.gator.com/v3/webpdp_v3_detect.php?yic=HIC_RydiumINT

http://webpdp.gator.com/4/message/225/webpdp_plugin.php?q=cD0yNzUmZD05ODIxJmVsPTEmdz1QMFhoc1FyM0JEa0FBRDRsdXk4

I'll see if I can post some screenshots.

Asmodean

[SpencerH]

I've had gator twice in the last 30 min.

These are the ad histories

http://content.ad-flow.com/5/OF-INT.html

http://media.popuptraffic.com/pops/npaCash.html

http://media.popuptraffic.com/pops/Pusexyath.html

http://webpdp.gator.com/v3/webpdp_v3_detect.php?yic=HIC_RydiumINT

http://webpdp.gator.com/v3/webpdp_v3_plugin.php?yic=HIC_RydiumINT

http://z1.adserver.com/w/cp.x;rid=65;tid=2;ev=1;dt=3;ac=7;p=1;mid=1685 (which pop-ed up whan I first came to poly)

[DanQ]

Originally posted by geeslaka

this thread raises the first ad-related complaint I have read in many months

Does that mean you didn't read these threads?

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89730

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88671

Both less than 75 days old.

I honestly missed the threads you have referred to above. I'm only human...

* gasp *



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Dan; Apolyton CS

[DanQ]

Asmodean,

I would not be surprised if that based on the data you have provided the agent with the Gator ad is apart of the Commission Junction (CJ) network (I'm referring specifically to a "/cjb" directory within one of the addresses you have listed). This is not a slight on CJ but rather a reflection of (a) how large their network is, i.e. no system their size can be perfect and (b) how extensively we are running CJ ads at present. Unfortunately, the additional information you have provided does not narrow down the specific advertiser within CJ -- we have not signed up with any mIRCX affiatiln program, so that does not narrow things down further. Appreciate your efforts!

SpencerH,
Hmmm -- based on your an Asmodean's reports, it may be that there is more than one advertiser on ACS running Gator ads but I cannot be certain still at this point. You have referred to PopUpTraffic in some of the addresses you have reported on -- I will look into this some more.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

[Sarxis]

Originally posted by DanQ
I would not be surprised if that based on the data you have provided the agent with the Gator ad is apart of the Commission Junction (CJ) network (I'm referring specifically to a "/cjb" directory within one of the addresses you have listed). This is not a slight on CJ but rather a reflection of (a) how large their network is, i.e. no system their size can be perfect

I see CJ spyware cookies all the time I clean out my stuff. Evil people with no souls must work for them.

[TCO]

why do you feel the need to track it down, Dan? Just hold the guy who pays you for ads responsible.

[Dinner]

I've also seen it but I don't have the info DAn asked for.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by TCO
why do you feel the need to track it down, Dan? Just hold the guy who pays you for ads responsible.

So that the offending ad(s) can be removed from our advertising rotation. If this means terminating an agreement between ourselves and one of Commission Junction's (CJ) advertisers completely then so be it. Any monies we receive from CJ from running ads from their system are from any monies paid to CJ by their advertising clients (i.e those clients whose ads we carry).

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Dan; Apolyton CS