If your browser is hi-jacked / screen frozen by this window...

[IC Hunt]

Originally Posted by palo5

... it appears not to damage the system, and can be cleared in a few seconds:

1. Press CTRL/ALT/DEL and close your browser
2. Re-start your browser, and when it asks which tasks to re-open, de-select the offending tab/window

That is what I use to do. But if you are downloading a large file, or any free file, you will lose that download; at least in Firefox.

I have now discovered how to close these pages without closing your browser. Took me a while of frustration to figure this one out. Deposit Files likes this "ad". And seemed to happen when I was downloading 4 or five large files at once!

A couple steps that I try and remember:
-open download and image hosts in a separate window; right click on all links. This way you can preserve all other opened pages and tabs as well as your downloads in progress.
-if you forget to do that as I have here is how to close those "ads."

Crtl alt del as you are already doing, click on the task manager, leave it open. This will allow you to be able to use your mouse and go to your task bar and open another empty browser (preserving all your downloads.)

Now just click cancel twice on the center warnings, they go away; then click cancel on the warnings that pop up in the lower right corner, I think there are two of those and I think there is one more thing in the lower right corner that you just need to click cancel on or click the small x in the lower right corner mini box/browser to close that as well.

Then you should be left with just that annoying ad/ page. Don't touch that page. Move your cursor down to your task bar where your Browser icon is, find the picture of that browser page and click the small x in the upper right corner to close that page from your taskbar. Works every time for me.

I use to just turn off my volume and leave the damn thing running while my files downloaded (many times over an hour) and then I could do what all of you are doing ctrl alt del reboot. You don't need to do that.

I think someone else here has recommended this but I also run ccleaner or spybot after I get these things.

[IC Hunt]

I thought I might make this really easy to remember when this occurs.

Simplified version:

Crtl alt del - Open Task Manager at bottom of choices, if you hide your task bar you will now be able to access it; leave task manager open.

-right click Browser icon in taskbar; open another empty Browser. (preserving your downloads)

-click cancel on all the pop ups that appear until you are left with just the page; if pop ups appear you need to click cancel on them

Don't click that page if it is empty

When empty of pop ups move pointer to task bar left click browser icon; find picture of that page and click small x in upper right corner to close browser page from the taskbar.

[IC Hunt]

I just got a new version of this hi jack ad! This one kept popping up the same message in the center of the screen; I watched for at least 10 seconds deciding what to do; I had a bunch of pages opened that I had just spent quite some time finding and was deciding what to download. They would have all been lost!

Finally I just started clicking cancel repeatedly as the messages kept popping up. Almost as quickly as I closed them a new one popped up. Finally they stopped but there was still another original pop up on the screen. I choose to ignore that and go to the taskbar and try and close the page. It worked! and I didn't lose any of my downloads or pages!

These ads are evolving! Got to be ready for variations. I hate to think what might be next; just remember cancel and to the taskbar, and rather quickly to the taskbar is advisable.

[buttsie]

One thing to be very wary of

All too many of these innocuous pop-ups/unders that seem easily handled
have an ulterior motive that doesnt require you to click the screen

Unblocking of bad sites / servers & domains

You can reset your hosts file with the small rkill program which i run occasionally



This program is the easiest way i've found to spot the unblocked and be alerted to that i have an issue - its duplicating a lot that already exists but its interface makes it more user friendly

Spyblaster currently blocking 17,947
https://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

[IC Hunt]

Originally Posted by buttsie

This program is the easiest way i've found to spot the unblocked and be alerted to that i have an issue - its duplicating a lot that already exists but its interface makes it more user friendly

Spyblaster currently blocking 17,947....

Well Cnet likes Spyblaster, where I always go for reviews and free programs.

Any recommended settings?

If I block ad tracking cookies will that cause problems with filehosts or other sites?

[buttsie]

You get more grief from sites about using an ad-blocker than this software
which doesnt run in the background

You might get the occasional message saying we use cookies - ok/no
- which you either accept of ignore

Most sites I visit dont seem to need it to work

Review from 2016

Only thing thats out of date is how often it updates - every 4-6 weeks for the free version
You have to do that manually

https://www.techsupportalert.com/con...eblaster.htm-0


PS

If your serious about privacy you hide your IP address
- then cookies dont have much even if you allow them

Using a proxy like www.anonymouse.org
or vpn / free proxy www.hide.me or free vpn via opera browser
a quick way to avoid tracking

[Frovo]

Depending on your browser you can also try the following approach with such a scam ad that uses javascript and password dialogs: Press and hold ESC and click to close that evil tab.