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Scam?


phids

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This is an invitation to malware, and it just popped up for me while using Firefox.  I have noticed a lot of these kinds of false "Urgent Firefox Update" popups over the past 6 months to a year, which is why I installed an ad blocker.  When I researched the issue in the past, it seemed like these were being fed through ads on certain sites.  Interestingly enough, I was on a site just now and had just disabled the ad blocker when I got the malware popup.  I am actually kind of surprised that Firefox (or someone else) has not done more to combat these false popups since they could easily fool people.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi phids :)

That "trend" of malware you're describing has been going on for a while now. Basically, you are redirected to a website via an infected ad that tells you to upgrade your web browser, and downloads a .js or .jse file which masquerade itself as the update, but is in fact, a dropper for X malware. As long as you ignore these (don't click on the file that is being downloaded, and delete it), and keep your adblocker enabled, you should be fine.

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Hi Aura - my post was actually in response to another user's issue in another thread ("Drive by update Scam?").  I'm not sure why my response showed up in a new thread.  In any case, I'll add here that what's interesting about this malware is that it seems to be generated by ad generators that feed ads to some pretty big (and legitimate) sites.  In other words, some big ad delivery networks may be (unknowingly) sending these on to us.  Annoying.

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In any case, I'll add here that what's interesting about this malware is that it seems to be generated by ad generators that feed ads to some pretty big (and legitimate) sites.  In other words, some big ad delivery networks may be (unknowingly) sending these on to us.  Annoying.

This is also known. It's called "malvertising" and sadly Ad Providers aren't all bulletproof.

And sorry, it looks like I just noticed your reply today.

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