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Author Topic: But I'm not using AdBlock  (Read 4387 times)

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Offline Pete!

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But I'm not using AdBlock
« on: May 24, 2016, 06:27:46 PM »
Whenever I try to read an article at Forbes website (using FireFox), I'm redirected to a screen that tells me turn off AdBlock or AdBlock Plus. HULU does the same thing.
BUT... I don't have adblock installed !
Disabling NoScript doesn't help.

Does anyone know if any of my extensions or addons, would trigger whatever they use to detect AdBlock?

Extensions:
    BugMeNot
    CanvasBlocker
    Classic Theme Restorer
    NoScript
    WOT
    BetterPrivacy (disabled)
    Skype (disabled)

Plugins:
    Intel Identity Protection Technology
    OpenH262 Video Codec provided by Cisco Systems
    Prometime Content Decryption Module provided by Adobe Systems
    Silverlight Plug-in
    McAfee SecurityCenter
    Photo Gallery
    Shockwave Flash
    SumatraPDF Browser Plugin
    PDF Exchange Viewer (disabled)
I'm using the default theme, and don't have any "services" ad-ons installed.
I have ZERO space allocated for Flash(LSO) Cookies.
Pop-ups are blocked.
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Offline ky331

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2016, 06:51:46 PM »
To add to your quandary:

I *DO* have AdBlock Plus installed/running in IE.   Like you, upon visiting a Forbes-based Website, I was advised to disable AdBlock if I wanted to proceed to their article.   
And *I DID* :   I followed their directions to exclude Forbes from AdBlock's "interference".   Yet despite doing so, I still could not view their article(s), and was STILL being prompted to disable Ad-Block!   

So, like you, I've concluded there's something more to this issue.   I really hadn't thought about it, nor investigated further... but here's a thought:   are you using a HOSTS file (e.g., MVPS HOSTS) for blocking?   I certainly could see its blocking action being "misinterpreted"/attributed to AdBlock.
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Offline satrow

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2016, 06:59:35 PM »
Malwarebytes AM Premium also uses a block list, based roughly on hpHosts (also part of Malwarebytes), as part of their malicious website blocking module.
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Offline Pete!

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2016, 07:12:02 PM »
Quote from: ky331 on May 24, 2016, 06:51:46 PM
......are you using a HOSTS file (e.g., MVPS HOSTS) for blocking?   I certainly could see its blocking action being "misinterpreted"/attributed to AdBlock.
No, I've never messed with the Hosts file.
Just checked... It's still the default with every line preceded by a '#' symbol.

Satrow:
My MBAM is the "free" version. As far as I know, it doesn't do anything unless I run a scan.
I'm also using the free version of MBAE, SpywareBlaster, and SuperAntiSpyware.
The AV & Firewall are part of, or being managed by, the McAfee Security suite supplied by Optimum.

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Offline Pete!

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2016, 07:20:48 PM »
I should have mentioned...
The reason I'm wondering about my FireFox add-ons, is that I can view Forbes using Edge.
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Offline ky331

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2016, 09:10:07 PM »
Now this is getting VERY interesting:   To add to the conumdrum, I *CAN* access Forbe's sites using FF and PaleMoon, despite the fact that I *AM* using uBlock-Origin as an add-blocker in both!

That removes my conjectured HOSTS file from being the culprit... and makes the matter all the more mysterious.
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Offline Pete!

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2016, 09:59:40 PM »
Strange thing happened since my last post...
    1. Clicked on a link to a Forbes article...got a blank page

    2. Told NoScript to "temporarily allow this page...got the page telling me to disable AdBlock

    3. Noticed that NoScript was still blocking some scripts...

    4. Told NoScript to "temporarily allow this page again...got a page telling me to disable AdBlock, or to log-in. One of the options was "Log-in with Facebook...

    5. Clicked the FB logo...Entered my FB password and logged in.

    6. Got the article.

    7. After some browsing elsewhere, went to the Forbes homepage, and got it without any problems.
Is Forbes "lightening up" or was this a one time glitch?
I'll try it again tomorrow after a reboot.
If nothing changes, I'll delete my FB cookies and see what happens.
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Offline plodr

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2016, 10:33:00 PM »
I turned off noscript and AdBlockLatitude in Palemoon. Eventually I'm presented with a page to login in with either my LinkedIn account or facebook account. Since I have neither and have no intention of signing up at either site, I guess Forbes is off limits to me.

If I fire up IE 11 and turn off ABP, I can login with Google+ or something else.
I do not join any "social" sites so again, Forbes is off limits to me.
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Offline plodr

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2016, 10:46:16 PM »
Got in. (Despite the site saying to turn off my adblocker which was already disabled). Remember the site called BugMeNot that gives username and passes for sites? I used one that has a 91% success rate.
I've used info from BugMeNot in the past for sites where I might want to see something every few years but do not want to sign up for yet another online site.
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Offline Corrine

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2016, 11:11:46 PM »
If the information in the Forbes article appears that interesting, I'd search for it elsewhere!  Although from January, see How Forbes inadvertently proved the anti-malware value of ad blockers
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Offline ky331

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2016, 10:45:45 AM »
Here's an unexpected twist:   I just ran the "restricted" version of IE with NO add-ons... and the Forbes page still insists I have an ad-blocker active, which I need to disable!

I tend to doubt it's any of my other overall security programs (e.g., MBAM's website blocking) since I can access Forbes via FF and PM.   Really perplexing.   (Not that I plan to investigate this any further...)
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Offline Pete!

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2016, 12:54:37 PM »
After a reboot, the same thing happened
    1. Clicked on the Forbes homepage --->Blank page
    2. NoScript "temporarily allow this page"--->got the turn off AdBlock page
    3. Again, NoScript "temporarily allow this page"--->turn off AdBlock, or login page
    4. Logged in via the Facebook option--->Full access to Forbes
I guess I now have access to Forbes, but still wonder why it thinks I'm running AdBlock.

BTW: The only ads I'm seeing are for subscriptions to Forbes Magazine at the bottom of the homepage. If I open an article, there's a lot of blank space on the right side of the page alongside the article.
~~~~~Off Topic~~~~
@Liz:
I resisted the FB thing for years, it seemed counter-intuitive for privacy, and identity theft protection. For the purposes of joining a local special interest group, I created an account using a screen name, a throw-away email address, and fake biographical info. This is strictly against Facebook rules, and my account is subject to deletion as soon as I get caught... I'm aware I can get "caught", but our years of fighting trolls at the Dunning boards, and my time fighting spammers at the FlyFishing boards, have made me aware of the mistakes that the badguys make to get caught... But when/if that happens, creating a new account with more fake info is an option.
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Offline Pete!

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Re: But I'm not using AdBlock
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2016, 05:17:38 PM »
Quote from: plodr on May 24, 2016, 10:46:16 PM
Got in. (Despite the site saying to turn off my adblocker which was already disabled). Remember the site called BugMeNot that gives username and passes for sites? I used one that has a 91% success rate.
I've used info from BugMeNot in the past for sites where I might want to see something every few years but do not want to sign up for yet another online site.
So many sites have opted out of BugMeNot, that I seldom think of using the BugMeNot extension.

I deleted my Forbes cookies, and had the same experience I described above, except this time I logged in using the BugMeNot add-on. It took longer than the FB login, but the results were the same.
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