# IBIS Toolbar, et al
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [January 24, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483 "2005-01-24T22:12:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/1 "2005-01-24T22:12:41Z")
Can I just say that I hate the programmers who wrote the IBIS Toolbar, EzuLa and other crap software that somehow used a IE exploit to get on my machine. May they burn in _HELLLLLL_! I swear if I ever meet these scumbags, I’ll rip their spines out through their mouths, wrap it around their throats and choke them with it.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/2 "2005-01-24T22:29:04Z")
Get [Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx) to avoid future incidents.
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### Author:  [@Phatlewt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phatlewt)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/3 "2005-01-24T22:40:53Z")
May I suggest that you direct some of your ire at the developers of Internet Explorer, the software that allowed the installation of spyware without your consent?
[Firefox](http://www.mozilla.org) is pretty secure, so the experts say.
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### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/4 "2005-01-24T22:47:06Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#):
>
> Get [Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx) to avoid future incidents.
From what I’ve heard that just replaces one set of exploits with another.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/5 "2005-01-24T23:05:57Z")
May I suggest you stop downloading free music sharing software, visiting high risk websites (porn & gambling), downloading every freescreensaver, free horoscope, free weather forecaster or free game that happens to occupy a banner ad at the top of any page you visit?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/6 "2005-01-24T23:08:53Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#):
>
> May I suggest you stop downloading free music sharing software, visiting high risk websites (porn & gambling), downloading every freescreensaver, free horoscope, free weather forecaster or free game that happens to occupy a banner ad at the top of any page you visit?
Well, that was a bit snarky, dontcha think?
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### Author:  [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/7 "2005-01-24T23:29:48Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> Well, that was a bit snarky, dontcha think?
Too honest? Too true? Not sugarcoated enough?
What?
Sam
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/8 "2005-01-24T23:40:30Z")
> [@GaWd](#):
>
> Too honest? Too true? Not sugarcoated enough?
>
> What?
>
> Sam
Back when I was using IE, I’d get crapware thrown at me from seemingly legitimate sites. It’s why I haven’t been to Ain’t-It-Cool-News in over two years. I sent an email to the webmaster about getting hit with pop-ups (this was before the advent of reliable blockers) EVERY TIME I CLICKED ON A LINK and went back to the main page. The guy replied with a “if you don’t like it, don’t visit the site” remark.
I didn’t and I didn’t and haven’t except for once from a redirect from another site.
It IS possible to get junk from other sites than porn, gambling, etc.
Fear Itself was making an assumption without basis.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/9 "2005-01-25T00:30:17Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> It IS possible to get junk from other sites than porn, gambling, etc.
>
> Fear Itself was making an assumption without basis.
After cleaning hundreds of computers, I think I know when to expect an infestation. Somehow it is never the 65-year-old grandma who only uses her computer for email, but it is always the computer used by teenagers and young adults. Yes, drive-by downloads occur at sites other than porn & gambling; song lyric pages are also notorious, as well as warez and cracking pages. You get the drift. It never ‘just happens’ for no reason, and the worst sites target behavior that feeds on irresistable temptations. Without basis? No, just playing the percentages. Until we hear from the OP about his surfing habits, we will never know, will we?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/10 "2005-01-25T00:41:13Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#):
>
> …Without basis? No, just playing the percentages. Until we hear from the OP about his surfing habits, we will never know, will we?
You’re probably right.
BUT, I think you _should_ wait for the OP to say something before making a comment.
Just sayin’…
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### Author:  [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/11 "2005-01-25T01:22:04Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#):
>
> After cleaning hundreds of computers, I think I know when to expect an infestation… Yes, drive-by downloads occur at sites other than porn & gambling; song lyric pages are also notorious, as well as warez and cracking pages.
So even if this were a universal truth, what if you **enjoy** porn & gambling? I mean, these are major usages of the internet for a number of people and shouldn’t be off limits to anyone (of age). Wouldn’t it be good if you could have some fun, and some one-handed fun, at your computer? Wouldn’t life be beautiful if snarky IT people blamed the malware developers, and not the legitimate users?
mischievous
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/12 "2005-01-25T01:43:58Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> From what I’ve heard that just replaces one set of exploits with another.
I doubt it. For one thing, it wasn’t developed my Microsoft; they bought it from someone else. Also, it was highly recommended by the head of a small network admin. company. Something like that would be very damaging to her client base if it caused problems.
> [@Phatlewt](#):
>
> May I suggest that you direct some of your ire at the developers of Internet Explorer, the software that allowed the installation of spyware without your consent?
Not everyone can make that switch. My computer at work refuses to connect using anything other than IE.
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### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/13 "2005-01-25T01:46:39Z")
> [@GaWd](#):
>
> Too honest? Too true? Not sugarcoated enough?
>
> What?
>
> Sam
Completely wrong, also. I don’t download screen savers. I have no music sharing programs. I’m talking about my POS work computer so there’s no porn, gambling games and the rest. Bite my hairy white ass.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/14 "2005-01-25T02:14:17Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> Completely wrong, also. I don’t download screen savers. I have no music sharing programs. I’m talking about my POS work computer so there’s no porn, gambling games and the rest.
You expect us to believe that despite the fact that you _never_ download free software or visit high risk websites you still got spyware? Now who’s bullshitting who?
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/15 "2005-01-25T02:24:58Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#):
>
> You expect us to believe that despite the fact that you _never_ download free software or visit high risk websites you still got spyware? Now who’s bullshitting who?
I had to deal with a spyware infestation just by accidently clicking on a “yes” button while at an abaondonware site. No porn nor free software downloads involved.
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### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/16 "2005-01-25T03:17:26Z")
I really don’t give a flyin’ fuck whether you believe me or not. It’s irrelevant. This is a rant about the assholes that write the shit that took me an hour to track it all down in the registry and other hidden places. If these malicious cumstains weren’t writing the code it wouldn’t matter if I allowed cookies or not anywhere I surf, now would it?
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/17 "2005-01-25T10:13:00Z")
I’ve had foistware try to install from a news aggregate site linked to from these very boards. Closer examination determined that, if I had been using IE, the process would have been automatic and invisible, which is why an intelligent Doper had no clue the buttload of evil that they were bestowing on other members. The site just happened to have stolen content, duly indexed by Google, that was pertinent to a discussion we were having.
Clearly we all deserved to be infected for being interested in current events.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/18 "2005-01-25T11:07:37Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> If these malicious cumstains weren’t writing the code it wouldn’t matter if I allowed cookies or not anywhere I surf, now would it?
Yeah, and I wish I could fuck whores without having to worry about getting AIDS. Curse the darkness all you want, the only way to escape spyware is to take responsibility for your own actions.
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### Author:  [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/19 "2005-01-25T13:24:27Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> I really don’t give a flyin’ fuck whether you believe me or not. It’s irrelevant. This is a rant about the assholes that write the shit that took me an hour to track it all down in the registry and other hidden places. If these malicious cumstains weren’t writing the code it wouldn’t matter if I allowed cookies or not anywhere I surf, now would it?
I’ve cleaned hundreds of spyware infections, too, and I can tell you for a fact that you don’t have to be surfing porn, song lyrics, or anything else to get an infection. Drivebys are a hell of a lot more common than some people think.
And **Homebrew** , get yourself _Hijack This!_ and use it. It’ll cut your track-down-and-destroy time in half.
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### Author:  [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ibis-toolbar-et-al/286483/20 "2005-01-25T13:33:35Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#):
>
> Yeah, and I wish I could fuck whores without having to worry about getting AIDS.
Whoohoo, I think I made it to the front of the line that’s gonna call **Fear Itself** a flaming butthole!
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