Adf.ly is browser hijacking malware » Forum Post by Borg999

RedneckDude

Join Date 04/2009

+2197

this is old news to most people here

The name alone screams "Stay away!!!"

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adf.ly is a legit (though highly annoying) url-shortening service that generates money for site owners via advertising. it's not malware, it's not even software (depending on the definition of software of course)

my guess is that what happened to your computer is an infection with some malware that makes income for the malware developer by generating clicks on adf.ly urls.

the links you provide at the end of your post to sites like computervirusmanualremval, pccaretips and pcvirusesremoval with their "multi-awarding automatic virus removal tools" are dangerous though.

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Borg999

Join Date 02/2006

+59

Quoting moshi,

reply 2

adf.ly is a legit (though highly annoying) url-shortening service that generates money for site owners via advertising. it's not malware, it's not even software (depending on the definition of software of course)

my guess is that what happened to your computer is an infection with some malware that makes income for the malware developer by generating clicks on adf.ly urls.

the links you provide at the end of your post to sites like computervirusmanualremval, pccaretips and pcvirusesremoval with their "multi-awarding automatic virus removal tools" are dangerous though.

When I used Malwarebytes to try to get rid of it, Adf.ly was specifically listed as the issue, not some other malware.

Also, I've had NIS and MWB on my PC from day one and have it set to actively scan at all times, so it's unlikely to be something else.

A discussion on MWB about adf.ly This is no harmless program...

https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/140423-adfly-redirecting-my-chrome-browser/

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as i said, adf.ly is not even software. you probably had to deal with something like adf.ly bot, but it's really totally up to you what you want to believe. i am not going to argue.

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

Quoting moshi,

reply 2

the links you provide at the end of your post to sites like computervirusmanualremval, pccaretips and pcvirusesremoval with their "multi-awarding automatic virus removal tools" are dangerous though.

In most cases tools like that are the real problem.
scareware ransomware and these sarcasm on: "pro" tools, that often come with attached adware one could say- proper crapware with attachment

A quick manual google search would help to categorize it as adware not virus.

yeah

Quoting Borg999,

reply 3

A discussion on MWB about adf.ly This is no harmless program...
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/140423-adfly-redirecting-my-chrome-browser/

Annoying yes, but harmless and easy to remove.

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Borg999

Join Date 02/2006

+59

Quoting benmanns,

reply 5

Quoting moshi,

reply 2

the links you provide at the end of your post to sites like computervirusmanualremval, pccaretips and pcvirusesremoval with their "multi-awarding automatic virus removal tools" are dangerous though.

In most cases tools like that are the real problem.
scareware ransomware and these sarcasm on: "pro" tools, that often come with attached adware one could say- proper crapware with attachment
A quick manual google search would help to categorize it as adware not virus.

yeah

Quoting Borg999,

reply 3

A discussion on MWB about adf.ly This is no harmless program...
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/140423-adfly-redirecting-my-chrome-browser/

Annoying yes, but harmless and easy to remove.

Harmless? It was the most intrusive and aggressive PUP I've ever dealt with. It's a mistake to blow it off just because I happened to do a quick Google search and linked to the "wrong" sites. Those sites gave instructions on how to get rid of it manually, and that's what I did. I didn't use any of those programs, as I don't trust random software offered by unknown vendors. Removing it was not simple. Not only did it change the settings in my browser, it added it's own extensions, changed my server and proxy settings, and added start up items, and registry items.

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bluedxca93

Join Date 07/2014

+11

Hi,

i do use ad.fly and had very good results with it. ( use shortlinks so people can also not use it and find the downlaod easily if they are clever)

Use that for download links for linux downloads.

Didn`t see anything virus alike and used it for months.

Its really harmless on linux and absolutely not aggresive.

Whats its on windows i don`t care. On windows other sites do cause problems too.

If you want to surf on windows without virus protection and adblocker or a vpn which does that for you , you are stupid or unexperienced.

regards bluedxca93

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

Quoting Borg999,

reply 6

Harmless? It was the most intrusive and aggressive PUP I've ever dealt with. It's a mistake to blow it off just because I happened to do a quick Google search and linked to the "wrong" sites. Those sites gave instructions on how to get rid of it manually, and that's what I did. I didn't use any of those programs, as I don't trust random software offered by unknown vendors. Removing it was not simple. Not only did it change the settings in my browser, it added it's own extensions, changed my server and proxy settings, and added start up items, and registry items.

it is still very harmless if you compare it to real nasties.
That is the reason why i said annoying but easy to remove.

I provided updated perma links to good removal tools several times.
https://forums.wincustomize.com/460319/get;3514615

bluedxca93 sorry but i doubt that the OP is unexperienced or stupid.
The post alone that you use crap.ly as link shortener makes yourself seem strange since you could simply use a bunch of free and clean link shorteners out there like http://goo.gl/ for example
BTW if you surf the www on linux without protection you can get equally screwed even more than on a windows machine.
And the use of a VPN does not make you invisible.

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Borg999

Join Date 02/2006

+59

A happy user of adfly. Hmmm, no bias there. ..

And if you bothered reading my post you would see that I use av and anti malware programs. But never let reading comprehension get in the way of an opportunity to insult someone. ..

And the fact that you are praising adware shows that you are either naive or a scumbag.

I bet you believe Lenovo when they claim to have installed superfish for the consumers benefit. ..

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1720

Relax, people...no-one here is 'stupid' or a 'scumbag'.

I removed all of those long ago....

If you search just about anything on the net you'll get hits for "it's a virus...and here is how to remove it"

Doesn't mean it is, however.

An example....google 'bits service' and see the panic attacks people have.

Just as there are false-positives with so many things being flagged as 'evil' there is also the reality that 'stuff' gets in whilst doing something legitimate...so the assumption is it's the cause.

It doesn't always work that way.

Anyway....

Name-calling gets people's knuckles rapped ...so it's wise to abstain...

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Borg999

Join Date 02/2006

+59

Well for the record, I never actually called it a virus. According to pc mag PUPs fall under the definition of malware.

Didn't try to cry wolf here...

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Quoting Jafo,

reply 10

Relax, people...no-one here is 'stupid' or a 'scumbag'.
I removed all of those long ago....

And still do on occasion.

Quoting Jafo,

reply 10

Anyway....
Name-calling gets people's knuckles rapped ...so it's wise to abstain

Let's be friends here, fellas.

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bluedxca93

Join Date 07/2014

+11

Quoting Jafo,

reply 10

Relax, people...no-one here is 'stupid' or a 'scumbag'.

I removed all of those long ago....

Right!,

sry i was a bit frustrated when i see people not realizing that the web can also be dangerous instead of funny when using windows.

Stupid was a bit to much to write sry.

Quoting benmanns,

reply 8

The post alone that you use crap.ly as link shortener makes yourself seem strange since you could simply use a bunch of free and clean link shorteners out there like http://goo.gl/ for example

Simply no,

Since i do not shorten with it.

People can acces the links directly if the want to . 90 % of persons accesing the links i do publish with ad.fly refferer. are not using windows or android while downloading. So i can indeed say its a harmless site For the purpose i do use it i`ll continue it to use.

In fact any link shortener /html referrer can be considered as malware or hijyacker if you are very strict in definitions.And sourceforge net is then malware too.That would be schocking news.Did fetch some windows malware some time ago.

I do not understand this point of view at all .

On windows its a real ADWARE but hey i can assume that people do know that . People schocked by that have adblockers installed anyway.

regards bluedxca93

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

[/quote]

Quoting Borg999,

reply 11

Well for the record, I never actually called it a virus.

didnt say you did, i was refering to the last two links of your original post

+1

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