Ads, ads, ads… We encounter it on most websites, in social networks – in general, before we find a recipe for your favorite strawberry jam on the Internet, for example, we “step over” a huge number of ads. If you are tired of obtrusive ads – ad blockers help you, they will not let your brain get “clogged” with extraneous information. According to Deloitte, as of the end of 2019, 44% of Americans were blocking ads online, with 26% using ad blockers on all devices at once. However, there are such blockers that it’s better not to use them at all.
It would seem that what harm can come from simple ad blockers in your browser? Analysts at AdGuard found 295 malicious extensions for Chrome that injected ads into Google and Bing search results. Most of the 80 million times downloaded programs pretended to be ad blockers. And it’s far from the first of its kind.
Such cases, with millions of fake software downloads, are registered regularly. For example, in 2018, AdGuard reported that more than 20 million users had installed fake ad blockers and were actually members of a botnet. A fake program can contain anything from a cryptocurrency miner to an information-stealing virus. Also, the number of ads may not decrease, but increase.
Over the years, the number of blocker users is only growing, thus increasing the audience for fraudsters who want to pass off their malware as a useful utility. Various companies and organizations, of course, are not happy that their ads are not seen by the target audience because of these blockers – they deprive advertisers of possible income. But if the average online user has decided to no longer see ads that distract them and interfere with their tasks, there’s nothing to stop them.
Roskatchestvo’s Center for Digital Expertise urges ad blockers to be safe when searching for and downloading them. All of these rules must be followed in combination. We tell you more about it:
Look carefully at the name of the app or extension, and don’t download everything
Attackers secure high positions for their apps in stores by using popular keywords. For example, malware apps can be found in Chrome Web Store output for the words adblock, adguard, ublock and other similar queries. Sometimes they are complete clones of apps with slightly different spelling of the name, sometimes they are just a mixture of different names that should be theoretically familiar to the user. The goal is to inspire confidence and motivate the user to download the application.
It’s easy enough to get confused by different apps. The most intelligent option to avoid a clone – is to go to the official website of the developer and in the file section to find a link to the official application in the store. In this way you protect yourself from downloading a fraudulent digital product.
Pay attention to the developer of the application you want to install
The browser extension stores, as a rule, do not have a developer verification checkbox, but they do list the website that is the source of the plugin. Check to see if it matches the developer’s official website, which you can find in the search engine? If there is no such link, if it leads to a suspicious site, or if a suspicious developer is listed – abstain from downloading the plugin.
Rating and number of downloads will tell a lot about the application
Pay attention, as with applications, the rating given to the plugin by users and the total number of downloads. Obviously, if there are only a few hundred or even less, it is best to refrain from downloading the plugin. Sometimes cheaters can cheat by scamming the number of downloads, but it is not measured in tens of millions that is how many downloads real plugins have . Reviews are also worth paying attention to, although in the case of plugins they are less informative and subjective than in the same app stores Google Play or App Store.
Follow the general rules of information security
Pay attention to exactly where you go, what you download, and always keep anti-virus turned on when surfing the Internet, both on your computer and on your phone. The antivirus itself should be updated regularly so that your device is ready to face new cyber-threats. Recall that last year Roskachevo compiled a rating of antiviruses, which will help you protect your device from digital threats.
What measures can we take to protect our data when using ad blockers?
Have you ever been concerned about online ads invading your privacy? Well, here’s a thought-provoking question – could using ad blockers potentially put your data at risk? Some argue that these blockers may inadvertently collect and sell personal information. What are your thoughts on this?
Is there anything more infuriating than ads that invade our online experience? Well, what about ad-blockers that not only eliminate annoying ads but also compromise our privacy by secretly extracting our personal data? It’s alarming how some tools built to protect us can have ulterior motives. Have you come across any safe and reliable ad-blockers that genuinely prioritize user privacy? Please share your recommendations, as protecting our data is of utmost importance in today’s digital world.