# Steath Ads for Members
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [February 2, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119 "2013-02-02T14:22:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/1 "2013-02-02T14:22:30Z")
Seriously, what is this crap?
When I see what looks like a link in a post, I usually mouse over it to see where the link goes, unless I’m really interested and don’t stop to think and just click on it.
Why the fucking hell am I seeing multiple ADS disguised as links on every motherfucking page when I’m paying for a membership? Wasn’t that part of the deal? Pay for membership, don’t see any ads?
I shouldn’t have to put up ad-block to not see ads I was promised I wouldn’t see in the first place.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/2 "2013-02-02T14:27:04Z")
You have malware or adware or something local to your computer.
Try running Adaware or Malwarebytes (both free) and see if that clears it up. You might have to run them in safe mode a second time if they’re being particularly obnoxious.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/3 "2013-02-02T16:57:34Z")
The SDMB used to have a deal going with viglink which is basically an advertising link hijacker that brings the board some additional income. I haven’t checked lately to see if they are still using it. If the links begin with something like [api.viglink.com](http://api.viglink.com) that’s all it is. If you use noscript or some similar add-on for your particular browser you’ll filter them off. Otherwise they show up for everyone on the board, whether they are guests, members, or charter members. ETA: Just to be clear, viglink is technically not malware (although some folks might consider it to be such since it is a link hijacker).
The malware problem that Joey P mentioned is also a possible problem, but check that it’s not the known viglink issue first.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/4 "2013-02-02T17:09:55Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> The SDMB used to have a deal going with viglink which is basically an advertising link hijacker that brings the board some additional income. I haven’t checked lately to see if they are still using it. If the links begin with something like [api.viglink.com](http://api.viglink.com) that’s all it is. If you use noscript or some similar add-on for your particular browser you’ll filter them off. Otherwise they show up for everyone on the board, whether they are guests, members, or charter members. ETA: Just to be clear, viglink is technically not malware (although some folks might consider it to be such since it is a link hijacker).
>
> The malware problem that Joey P mentioned is also a possible problem, but check that it’s not the known viglink issue first.
I hadn’t thought of that. I have ABP, but I thought that, even without that, no one saw anything other then some banners between the first and second post (I can see the blocked ad if I’m not logged in).
I’ve seen other boards that turn keywords into links, I just didn’t think we did it here. I’m still going with adware/malware.
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/5 "2013-02-02T17:13:40Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#):
>
> I hadn’t thought of that. I have ABP, but I thought that, even without that, no one saw anything other then some banners between the first and second post (I can see the blocked ad if I’m not logged in).
> I’ve seen other boards that turn keywords into links, I just didn’t think we did it here. I’m still going with adware/malware.
Yep - I got infected and keywords got turned into links to ads. After I did a cleanup it was fixed.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/6 "2013-02-02T17:19:33Z")
It’s not a terrible idea to run Malwarebytes and Adaware from time to time anyways. If you’re not careful and prone to this kinda stuff, maybe weekly or monthly. I tend to run it a few times a year and it finds something maybe once a year, but it’s usually not anything to worry about. But then, I’m pretty careful with what I click on.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/7 "2013-02-02T17:22:25Z")
[Malwarebytes Free](http://majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=5756&file=15&evp=693ee0b20204960edfd909666f809b26) The download will pop up when you go to the page. Download it, update it, run it. If it can’t remove everything, boot to safe mode and run it again.
[Adaware](http://lavasoft.com/thankyou.php?internal=true) Same directions
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/8 "2013-02-02T17:26:20Z")
Malware Bytes didn’t find anything (had it for years), full Norton’s scan last night didn’t find anything.
Running it again.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/9 "2013-02-02T18:22:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#):
>
> I’ve seen other boards that turn keywords into links, I just didn’t think we did it here. I’m still going with adware/malware.
I must have misread the OP. The SDMB does not turn keywords into links. It used to (and possibly still does) fiddle with actual links using viglink (it’s supposed to be transparent but sometimes that doesn’t work properly). So if someone posts a link to youtube or a news article it goes through viglink first. It’s a bit sneaky and underhanded if you ask me, but that’s just IMHO.
If you are getting keywords turned into links then you definitely have picked up a bit of malware. The SDMB doesn’t do that.
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/10 "2013-02-02T20:25:21Z")
Two scans each with Nortons and Malware Bytes, nothing. I try to download Ad-aware and it fails on install.
Then I find some goddamned Coupon-something add-on in my installed program list. Removed it and a couple of other add-ons and no longer have the issue.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/11 "2013-02-02T20:27:16Z")
> [@Chimera](#):
>
> Two scans each with Nortons and Malware Bytes, nothing. I try to download Ad-aware and it fails on install.
>
> Then I find some goddamned Coupon-something add-on in my installed program list. Removed it and a couple of other add-ons and no longer have the issue.
Did you restart in safe mode and do a thorough cleaning after you uninstalled?
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### Author:  [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/12 "2013-02-02T21:19:59Z")
> [@Chimera](#):
>
> Two scans each with Nortons and Malware Bytes, nothing. I try to download Ad-aware and it fails on install.
>
> Then I find some goddamned Coupon-something add-on in my installed program list. Removed it and a couple of other add-ons and no longer have the issue.
I seem to have had the same issue recently and here is what worked for me:
I don’t remember in which order I did these things so I don’t know if that is important or not.
Through mucho googling I found that the cause of the problem is a plug in called Yontoo. Go to your plug ins and find and delete it. (I have had Firefox reinstall it in a subsequent update and I immediately got rid of it even though it didn’t seem to do anything ominous the second time).
In order to make it disappear I also had to do a Firefox reset (faithfully following instructions - if you use a different browser there is probably an equivalent).
Go to add/ remove programs and remove Yontoo from there.
Do a search on your computer for Yontoo and remove any residual files (I found several).
I also found a Malawarebytes (which failed to turn up anything even though I ran it several times) type program called SuperAntiSpyware and ran it a couple of times which found quite a few malicious things on my laptop. (I don’t remember if it actually did this, but if you do install it remember to keep a look out for it trying to ad a search bar as these kinds of programs sometimes do).
Good luck and please report back!!
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/13 "2013-02-02T23:51:04Z")
Safe Boot scan over, didn’t find anything else.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/14 "2013-02-03T00:53:44Z")
If you didn’t try Adaware, I’d give that a shot next, after that, I’ve had good luck with a program called ComboFix.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/15 "2013-02-03T02:39:18Z")
If Malwarebytes and Norton didn’t find it, you probably have a rootkit that is concealing it. Try [Kaspersky’s TDSSkiller](http://www.majorgeeks.com/Kaspersky_TDSSKiller_d6895.html), if it finds anything only use the cure function, not delete or qurantine, as they can damage or remove necessary system files.
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/16 "2013-02-03T15:38:53Z")
Sorry if you missed it or if I was unclear, problem was resolved by removing the add-ons.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steath-ads-for-members/649119/17 "2013-02-03T15:51:29Z")
Ah. All’s well that ends well.