Please, don't use ad blocking on this site

[allquixotic]

IMHO the audio ads are a MINOR issue, but the ones last night pushing the malware infections have to be cleaned up by the AD guys, NO EXCUSE.

When people get infected by these ads and LOSE time, $$$, and worst valuable data the AD blockers will come out in FULL FORCE.

Nobody wins then.

Unfortunately, because most of the advertisement infrastructure is automated (that is, nobody except the people submitting the ads to the network ever "checks" them to make sure they aren't malicious), there is very little they can do except to play "whack-a-mole" by blocking specific ads (and the people submitting them) each time this malware thing comes up.

Given that malware has been pushed persistently by advertisements across millions of websites for a decade or so, I don't think they've even come close to solving the problem.

Granted, if Google (or whoever owns the ad network) paid 100,000 people to watch every advertisement that gets submitted to the network to make 100% sure that none of them try to hijack your computer, they could prevent this quite nicely -- at the cost of probably hundreds of millions of dollars per year in staffing, office space, etc., which would defeat the purpose and make it unprofitable.

Basically, you or I could write a little JavaScript session-hijacking "worm" of sorts in 5 minutes, and go and almost anonymously (using pseudonyms, unverified payment data, etc) submit these malicious advertisements on one of a number of popular ad networks, and they'd be showing up on OH and thousands of other sites within minutes.

Advertisements are still one of the best conduits for distributing malware, if you are a bad actor trying to take advantage of people. All it takes is one accidental click on an ad, and they've got you. Sometimes, if they exploit browser security flaws, you don't even have to click -- just the page loading is enough to get you!

[Can_of_corn]

Unfortunately, because most of the advertisement infrastructure is automated (that is, nobody except the people submitting the ads to the network ever "checks" them to make sure they aren't malicious), there is very little they can do except to play "whack-a-mole" by blocking specific ads (and the people submitting them) each time this malware thing comes up.

Given that malware has been pushed persistently by advertisements across millions of websites for a decade or so, I don't think they've even come close to solving the problem.

Granted, if Google (or whoever owns the ad network) paid 100,000 people to watch every advertisement that gets submitted to the network to make 100% sure that none of them try to hijack your computer, they could prevent this quite nicely -- at the cost of probably hundreds of millions of dollars per year in staffing, office space, etc., which would defeat the purpose and make it unprofitable.

Basically, you or I could write a little JavaScript session-hijacking "worm" of sorts in 5 minutes, and go and almost anonymously (using pseudonyms, unverified payment data, etc) submit these malicious advertisements on one of a number of popular ad networks, and they'd be showing up on OH and thousands of other sites within minutes.

Advertisements are still one of the best conduits for distributing malware, if you are a bad actor trying to take advantage of people. All it takes is one accidental click on an ad, and they've got you. Sometimes, if they exploit browser security flaws, you don't even have to click -- just the page loading is enough to get you!

Just love your informative posts on this topic.

[TouchemAll]

Unfortunately, because most of the advertisement infrastructure is automated (that is, nobody except the people submitting the ads to the network ever "checks" them to make sure they aren't malicious), there is very little they can do except to play "whack-a-mole" by blocking specific ads (and the people submitting them) each time this malware thing comes up.

Given that malware has been pushed persistently by advertisements across millions of websites for a decade or so, I don't think they've even come close to solving the problem.

Granted, if Google (or whoever owns the ad network) paid 100,000 people to watch every advertisement that gets submitted to the network to make 100% sure that none of them try to hijack your computer, they could prevent this quite nicely -- at the cost of probably hundreds of millions of dollars per year in staffing, office space, etc., which would defeat the purpose and make it unprofitable.

Basically, you or I could write a little JavaScript session-hijacking "worm" of sorts in 5 minutes, and go and almost anonymously (using pseudonyms, unverified payment data, etc) submit these malicious advertisements on one of a number of popular ad networks, and they'd be showing up on OH and thousands of other sites within minutes.

Advertisements are still one of the best conduits for distributing malware, if you are a bad actor trying to take advantage of people. All it takes is one accidental click on an ad, and they've got you. Sometimes, if they exploit browser security flaws, you don't even have to click -- just the page loading is enough to get you!

Agree with everything you wrote and the REAL culprit here is Google they drive the lions share of the ads on the internet, and until they REALLY want to put and effort into stopping the malware it's going to continue.

[24fps]

Agree with everything you wrote and the REAL culprit here is Google they drive the lions share of the ads on the internet, and until they REALLY want to put and effort into stopping the malware it's going to continue.

"Don't be evil".

Remember that?

[AdamK]

I, for one, welcome our Google overlords.

[weams]

I, for one, welcome our Google overlords.

I fear no "don't be evil."

[Ridgway22]

Just now, I'm watching the game on Mlb.tv (via AppleTV) and visit the OH checking for news. BLAM and BLARE, an ad with no pause, no mute, and apparently no point, starts blasting.... I click on it just to find out what in the world it could be and it goes to "popsugar.com".

I'm sorry to b*tch about such a minor thing on such a great site, but dang it, any other site I would close the browser tab and try to never visit again. After "PopSugar" (which is about the least relevant ad anyone could deliver to me), i refreshed and was greeted by a PrisimTV autoplay, can't shut it, can't mute it, ad.

/rant

/sips beverage

/spits beverage as adam jones is picked off

[TheDirtyBird]

Been having horrible load times tonight, turned on an ad blocker, drastically improved.

[Guest]

Been having horrible load times tonight, turned on an ad blocker, drastically improved.

Might have to try this.

[Jagwar]

I, for one, welcome our Google overlords.

Resistance is futile.

[No Pepper]

I liked the "Dive Bar T-shirts" ad

[Tony-OH]

Folks, if you are having issues with the flash or shockwave, please first update to the latest version. Next, run a virus scan on your computer as many viruses are activated by flash or shockwave. Lastly, try using Google Chrome. I use it haven't had any problems of late.

As always, if an ad is an issue, just report it to us (including the placement) and we'll have it removed. Thanks.

[mdbdotcom]

Folks, if you are having issues with the flash or shockwave, please first update to the latest version. Next, run a virus scan on your computer as many viruses are activated by flash or shockwave. Lastly, try using Google Chrome. I use it haven't had any problems of late.

As always, if an ad is an issue, just report it to us (including the placement) and we'll have it removed. Thanks.

And if you are using Chrome, go into the plugins and make sure there is only one version running. Here's some help from Adobe.