Keep your adblocker on.

[ls99]

It not only blocks ads, it blocks malware diguised as ads.

The linked Techdirt article discusses the relatively new nagware popping up on various sites, telling the reader(s) that the article they wish to read will only be available if the adblocker is turned off.

One security researcher tested Forbes weebsite. When the adblocker was turned off, some malware was prompty loaded onto to the viewer's computer.

.... Forbes serves up streaming pile of malware-ads.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...ker-serves-up-steaming-pile-malware-ads.shtml

Edit add:

If the foregoing is not enough to ruin your day, well, how about your smart TV getting hijacked.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...-enough-to-get-hijacked-pick-up-malware.shtml

 

[aja8888]

It not only blocks ads, it blocks malware diguised as ads.

The linked Techdirt article discusses the relatively new nagware popping up on various sites, telling the reader(s) that the article they wish to read will only be available if the adblocker is turned off.

One security researcher tested Forbes weebsite. When the adblocker was turned off, some malware was prompty loaded onto to the viewer's computer.

.... Forbes serves up streaming pile of malware-ads.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...ker-serves-up-steaming-pile-malware-ads.shtml

Scary stuff. Thanks for the article!

 

[ls99]

Fast reader, see also the edit I just added.

Abd a good night to all.

 

[aja8888]

Fast reader, see also the edit I just added.

Abd a good night to all.

HaHa...hacking a smart TV! Next, your Nest thermostat, and...

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Yeah Forbes recently started blocking "some" adblockers (including me). So I blocked their adblocker. And so it begins.

 

[GrayHare]

When the adblocker was turned off, some malware was prompty loaded onto to the viewer's computer.

That's not easy for malware to accomplish. That article rather states the site was "primed to infect their computers". That's true of many sites these days.

 

[walkinwood]

Yeah Forbes recently started blocking "some" adblockers (including me). So I blocked their adblocker. And so it begins.

You can now do this within adblocker itself. Just update your subscriptions and restart your browser.

 

[photoguy]

I've used an adblocker for a long time but just recently got around to installing Ghostery which blocks trackers. I should have done this much sooner -- it's amazing how many trackers a site will have (e.g. CNN has 12, ).

In theory trackers shouldn't slow down page rendering (since calls should be asynchronous) but it sure feels like browsing is faster. Perhaps bias on my part.

 

[bUU]

Wouldn't it be better to block the web tracking deeper than the browser? I've always wondered if anyone used a service that, rather than doing the web tracking blocking from within the browser, instead kept the HOSTS file up to date, sending IP calls to web tracking servers into 127.0.0.0. Anyone?

 

[Chuckanut]

HaHa...hacking a smart TV! Next, your Nest thermostat, and...

And.... then your wearable networked hi-tech stuff.

Think of the fun Boris in Babushk will have when you are wearing clothing he can control.

 

[Chuckanut]

Privacy Badger is another good one.

Forbes wanted me to turn it off. I would not.

 

[ls99]

When the hackers hijack the internet connected fridge, things can get interesting.

Raise the temperature, reorder huge amount of food, lock the door. The possibilities are endless. Could be amusing, well maybe not.

How about the Roomba becoming a spy?

 

[bld999]

Looks like the smart tv episode occurs when you surf using the built in browser. Doing that without a real keyboard would be so painful it is unimaginable in my case.

 

[photoguy]

Wouldn't it be better to block the web tracking deeper than the browser? I've always wondered if anyone used a service that, rather than doing the web tracking blocking from within the browser, instead kept the HOSTS file up to date, sending IP calls to web tracking servers into 127.0.0.0. Anyone?

I think that would make sense but I'm not aware of an easy service to do this (I haven't really looked into it).

However one thing that's nice in having a browser extension is that it's easy to turn on/off blocking on a per site basis. Sometimes that's needed because some pages won't work properly. Also ghostery will block things like discus comments or addThis social widgets -- which is usually fine by mine but I can see how I might want to make exceptions.

 

[audreyh1]

When the hackers hijack the internet connected fridge, things can get interesting.

Raise the temperature, reorder huge amount of food, lock the door. The possibilities are endless. Could be amusing, well maybe not.

How about the Roomba becoming a spy?

How about just your thermostat conking out after a software update?
Nest thermostat owners out in the cold after software update cockup - The Register Buggy code blamed for drained batteries, failed heating

I refuse to allow any of our home devices to be auto updated or controllable from the internet. Heck, I won't even let my blood pressure monitor send my data to the Omron web site (from which I could then access the data without having to type it in). DH was talking about adding some home device that sent data up to some internet server before we could access the data, and I told him - no way! Not to mention it's unusable if the net is down. I think this was just for an outside temperature monitor.

Some of the computerized cars out there aren't very secure.

 

[Gumby]

Commander Adama was right about the danger of networked computers.