Best Ad Blocking Software

WelshJim,
I stand corrected. SpywareBlaster puts their database into IE's "Restricted Zones ", not the Hosts file. I don't know why I got it mixed up, but I did, and I'm glad you corrected me. I posted the "Surf IE Safely" link because Mr. Huffy seemed interested in other ways to protect his computer from malware.


The lowdown on a Hosts file from MS (In XP the path is C/Windows/System 32/ Drivers/etc)

Johanna

 

I understand how the hosts file works, It was the how and which Programs use the host file that i needed to understand better, The information above has cleared alot of issues for me.

Cookies are delicious delicacies.
In regards to where cookie information is stored:
(-Mozzila Firefox-)
Cookie information is stored in two files: cookies.txt and hostperm.1 (older versions used cookperm.txt instead of hostperm.1). Both of these files are located in your profile folder.

cookies.txt Holds all of your cookies, including login information, session data, and preferences.

cookperm.txt
hostperm.1 Holds preferences about which sites you allow or prohibit to set cookies, to display images, to open popup windows and to initiate extensions installation.

To import cookie information from IE to Firefox:

1. In IE, "File -> Import and Export -> Export Cookies ".
2. Open newly exported "cookies.txt" in a text editor and put a period before every line that starts with a domain. So a line starting with "altavista.com TRUE / FALSE 1388491200 AV_ALL 1" will become ".altavista.com TRUE / FALSE 1388491200 AV_ALL 1 "
3. Then, move the "cookies.txt" file to your profile folder.

Proxy and Pacfile Info: http://www.schooner.com/~loverso/no-ads/
One thing i feel worth mentioning,
Using hosts file blocking method with a http proxy wont work because the local host file is simply not used by IE.

When using a proxy server, the HOSTS file is bypassed, and has no effect since DNS resolution is always handled by the proxy.

One solution is the Proxy Auto-Configuration Script setting.

1. If your proxy address is yourproxy_host:yourproxy_port, and local intranet address is 10.1.X.X, then create a simple text file with the following content (without first and last quote):
"
function FindProxyForURL(url, host)
{
if (isInNet(host, "127.0.0.0 ", "255.255.255.0 ") )
return "DIRECT ";
else if (isInNet(host, "10.1.0.0 ", "255.255.0.0 ") )
return "DIRECT ";
else
return "PROXY yourproxy_host:yourproxy_port ";
}
"
Of course you should write your real proxy address instead of above address, and also if your local intranet is 192.168.X.X, you should write 192.168.0.0 instead of 10.1.0.0.

2. Save it to a .pac file, for example:
C:\WINDOWS\proxy.pac

3. Go to IE LAN settings (Internet Options/Connections/LAN Settings/), and add above file as Proxy Auto-Configuration Script: turn "Use automatic configuration script" checkbox ON, and enter: file://c:/windows/proxy.pac

Also turn off the normal proxy settings.

4. According to the http://www.schooner.com/~loverso/no-ads/ page it's important to do two other settings (however I think it works without it):

- Quote: "For all versions of IE, you must correct the security settings. Under Tools->Internet Options, select the Security tab. Select Local intranet and then click the Sites box. Then, remove the check mark next to the include all sites that bypass the proxy server option. "

- Quote: "For IE5.5 and later, you must disable the Auto Proxy Caching mechanism, as it defeats the ability to to block ad images on servers that also serve non-ad content. To prevent this, add the registry key described in MS KB article Q271361. To make it easy, you can just download and click on this registry file: http://www.schooner.com/~loverso/no-ads/IE-auto-proxy-cache.reg
Details: This sets the EnableAutoProxyResultCache registry key for the current user. It also adds a new group and checkbox to the IE's Internet Options Advanced tab, that allow you to easily change the setting in the future. "

So this way, Windows is using hosts file, it checks addresses in hosts file first, then if not found, it goes to proxy. It doesn't require any special formatted hosts file (pac file), the same hosts file should be used as normal.

If you want to control or block cookies, or dynamically alter content, then you should try Proxomitron (or Junkbuster)
Proxomitron Information:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prox-list/
http://www.kye-u.com/proxo/forums/index.php
http://computercops.biz/forums.html
Edited: Proxomitron is not an easy to use program and you should understand HTML to use it properly. But it is highly configurable and is strongly recommended to those with knowhow.
Regards,
Eric

 

Eric Hoffy--I know nothing about Mozilla and how it handles cookies.
But in Internet Explorer, if a cookie is blocked (which was your question), it is blocked and therefore not stored anywhere on your PC.
The location of accepted cookies in IE is usually in a folder called Cookies, but if you want to delete an individual accepted cookie, you either do it using a cookie manager or delete it from whereever you keep your Temporary Internet Files.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;278835
Since I do not think you have told us what version of Windows you use, I cannot tell you the directory location of those two different files.
And in IE there is no such file as "cookie.txt" . All cookie files are indeed .txt files, but they are usually named with your name and the site that deposited them on your PC. For example "username@americanexpress[1].txt "

 

Welshjim,
I was never concerned with where cookies were saved to.

The following is what i was after. This might be do'able in IE once you find the file that saves the blocked cookie list?

hostperm.1
-Holds preferences about which sites you allow or prohibit to set cookies, to display images, to open popup windows and to initiate extensions installation.
This file can be found here:
On Windows 95 or Windows 98 without log-in, the profile directory is typically
C:\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\[User Profile]\[random string].slt\

On Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME with log-in, the profile directory is typically
C:\Windows\Profiles\[Log-in Name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\[User Profile]\[random string].slt\

On Windows 2000 or Windows XP, the profile directory is typically
C:\Documents and Settings\[Log-in Name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\[User Profile]\[random string].slt\

Note: on Windows 2000 or Windows XP, the Document and Settings directory is hidden twice. To access the directory, enable Windows Explorer to view System and Hidden directories and files


What I wanted to do is quickly populate the list to block cookies.
Here is how I did it:

1-Find your hostperm.1 File and open it.
2-Go to this website http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?hostformat=hostperm.1;showintro=0
3-Choose select all from the Edit tab, then Copy from the edit tab.
4-Alt tab to your hostperm.1 File and paste it at the end of the file.
5-Save it and close your webbrowser


FireFox Adblock:
1-create a new file called import.txt
2-Go to this Website
http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?hostformat=adblock;showintro=0
3-Choose select all from the Edit tab, then Copy from the edit tab.
4-Alt tab to your import.txt File and paste it, then save the file and close it.
5-In firefox web broswer select Tools -> Adblock -> Preferences -> Adblock Options -> Import Filters
6-Now select your import.txt file and select ok (you may have to click this twice)

With all the techniques I now have a fully updated Adblock, Image, Cookie, Website block. Using the Hosts file, hostperm.1, and Adblock


These Techniques apply to Mozilla Firefox users only.

 

Eric Hoffy--

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showpost.php?p=243097&postcount=14 ??
Somewhere we are not connecting.
In IE there is no list of blocked cookies. There are settings in HOSTS, IE Tools|Internet Options|Security tab|Restricted Sites|Sites as well as in IETools|Internet Options|Privacy Tab that control whether cookies from certain sites (not always named--in the Privacy tab they are just "Third Party" Sites) are blocked.
You can see the Restricted sites list in the Registry
(HKCU_Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zone Map\Domains)
but you can of course also see it in Restricted Sites. You can add to Restricted Sites manually or you can use SpywareBlaster or IESpyAds.
And you can read the HOSTS file in NotePad.
But there is no list of blocked cookies, just sites, and per what I said about the Privacy tab there is no list of Third Party sites.
I think I have offered all I can.

 

I have found to date that if you have a good antivirus program ( i recommend KAspersky Antivirus) coupled with the new firewall in XP SP2, that you wont get adware etc. Do full system scans now and then with your antivirus to get any little bits that slip through, but it is all you need to do.

If you already have adware i recommend Spybot, and hate Adaware (it interferes with too much and slows down the PC).

I have had Kaspersky antivirus and SP2's firewall only for a long time, and i go to many sites i shouldnt, and receive all kinds of funny emails, yet i have not been infected at all during this time.

 

Those work will work fine in most cases, I believe we were looking for even more advanced ways of blocking undesirable internet sites, files and cookies.
Another thing that has not been mentioned is changing Computer Configuration policys (group policys), If you have no experience doing this then its best to leave the settings where they are, For those with more experience you can access it from the run menu -> gpedit.msc (but you would know this)

Also (I dont mean to be a stickler, just sharing the information )
Here is where windows creates a list of cookies to block with I.E.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\P3P\History\(websitestoblockcookie.com)
Please Note Data Value:
00000005 = block all cookies, and do not prompt again
00000001 = accept all cookies, and do not prompt again

The above registery location is populated by SpyWareblaster automatically, I have to give a major thumbs up to SWB, and excellent program all around. Thank you Welshjim for the heads up on SWB.

Regards,
Eric.

 

As a technician i dont recommmend inexperienced users touch the policy settings on thier PCs. You will do more harm than good.

If you do what i suggest above, which is what i have done for thousands of clients who have no trouble now, then you dont need mroe advanced ways to block the stuff. You dont need a shovel to swat a fly.

Also helps if you do not have things on your PC that attract flies.

The main cause of adware is people installing software they get free on the internet. They come adware included. No amount of blocking will stop it then. And if your adware blocker does block it, software it is from may malfunction and slow your machine to a crawl. Be careful of what you install on your PC. If you notice bad behaviour or adware/virus attacks afte installng something, remove it first thing.

Adware also comes in email commonly, so dont give your email address online to sign up for anything. Use a Yahoo or Hotmail type account for this type of thing, so you dont get anything in your main mail if you make it onto a mailing list.

Also one thing i didnt mention is make sure you keep up to date with Windows Updates as they plug security holes as they are discovered.