Ads in google search (FireFox) all of a sudden


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This has only started happening in recent weeks & only in FireFox (not Chrome).

I haven't updated FireFox in a long while as i have auto updates turned off. My version is 51.0.1.

I installed an add on (AdBlocker Ultimate) which appeared to stop it for a very very short while but it's back to being a problem now.

 

I'll attach 2 images. I was searching for some compression shorts but anyway, when i entered that search term, this is what i got in chrome......

 

5aca838c015d6_compressionshortschrome.thumb.jpg.b39f8fbdc839b4a957c9962f15e29e14.jpg

 

^^ which is what i USED to get in FireFox. Exactly like that. However this is now what i get in FireFox...

 

5aca838dd7c67_compressionshortsfirefox.thumb.jpg.0d5f7aeee7a625bd12c47e9dd28f018e.jpg

 

No idea why this has started happening all of a sudden but it's very very annoying.

 

Obviously happens whatever is searched.

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Hello,

 

Bug in older version or add-on being abused, perhaps?

 

What happens when you upgrade Firefox to the current version and remove all add-ons?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

 

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To be honest i don't want to upgrade. I play a game which doesn't run on the latest version and this has only recently started happening.

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So you mean you want to see those ads?  Really?

 

Why not just click over to shopping tab if you want to get more shopping info.

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Hmm it looks suspiciously like a browser hijack to me if you compare the screenshot to ones found here https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/8358-rogue-ads-in-google-search-results

 

You should check if you have any rogue software installed that is doing this, the above link points to one called "VebaSearch" or you should check your browser extensions, some can update to inject their own javascript (displaying their own ads) on all pages, I had this with a download manager extension that I used to use in Chrome, thankfully it got removed from the extensions store after being reported and I also dumped it.

 

The risk in not updating your browser is that the old version is going to get exploited or (which I suspect in your case) the extensions that aren't supported in Firefox Quantum have been updated on the old version of Firefox to maliciously make money off injected ads, since the old Firefox versions aren't going to see patches for these exploits.

 

My vote also goes to a rogue software or extension as already suggested in this topic by @goretsky

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On 4/8/2018 at 11:04 PM, Technique said:

This has only started happening in recent weeks & only in FireFox (not Chrome).

I haven't updated FireFox in a long while as i have auto updates turned off. My version is 51.0.1.

I installed an add on (AdBlocker Ultimate) which appeared to stop it for a very very short while but it's back to being a problem now.

 

I'll attach 2 images. I was searching for some compression shorts but anyway, when i entered that search term, this is what i got in chrome......

 

 

 

^^ which is what i USED to get in FireFox. Exactly like that. However this is now what i get in FireFox...

 

 

 

No idea why this has started happening all of a sudden but it's very very annoying.

 

Obviously happens whatever is searched.

try adwcleaner + malwarebytes 

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53 minutes ago, Steven P. said:

Hmm it looks suspiciously like a browser hijack to me if you compare the screenshot to ones found here https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/8358-rogue-ads-in-google-search-results

 

You should check if you have any rogue software installed that is doing this, the above link points to one called "VebaSearch" or you should check your browser extensions, some can update to inject their own javascript (displaying their own ads) on all pages, I had this with a download manager extension that I used to use in Chrome, thankfully it got removed from the extensions store after being reported and I also dumped it.

 

The risk in not updating your browser is that the old version is going to get exploited or (which I suspect in your case) the extensions that aren't supported in Firefox Quantum have been updated on the old version of Firefox to maliciously make money off injected ads, since the old Firefox versions aren't going to see patches for these exploits.

 

My vote also goes to a rogue software or extension as already suggested in this topic by @goretsky

I think you may have a point.  I generally use Bing for search but I did a quick google search in Firefox for "coffee mugs" and got these articles.

 

coffee cup search g.png

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Those mug links on the top right when you search are not signs of injection or infection..

 

As to sticking to an old version of browser because it does not support current is BAD PRACTICE!!!  Tell who ever runs the game to update it to current standards are they loose you as player - it really is that simple.

 

If for example neowin did not work on current version of browser, then I would not come here until the fixed it.. Staying on old version of browser for 1 specific thing you do on the internet is just asking for trouble!!!

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On 4/14/2018 at 1:45 PM, BudMan said:

So you mean you want to see those ads?  Really?

 

I never said that though now did i?

 

I know what the response will likely be - "but by not updating, you MUST WANT those ads".

 

No. I must not.

 

Take a look when this version came out, take a look when i said this issue began. That's quite a period of time of there being absolutely no problem with plenty of potential updates i've passed over. I'm not going to knee-jerk react and jump to an update if i don't have to. If this crap can be removed without doing that then great, so that's why i'm here - to find out. Not to insta-believe someone who says i "have" to update if i don't actually "have" to.

2 hours ago, BudMan said:

Tell who ever runs the game to update it to current standards are they loose you as player - it really is that simple.
 

That's quite a funny idea. I'll assume you were joking :)

 

extensions.thumb.jpg.fd0f0e097d5bd3ea86675c17466e026a.jpg

 

Those are the extensions i have for FireFox (for those who were mentioning extensions). The AdBlocker Ultimate was only installed AFTER this issue (and as said - it worked initially but now doesn't).

 

I had a look in Control Panel > Programs and i see no programs installed that shouldn't be.

 

OS is Windows 7 Pro 64bit if that makes a difference to anyone reading this (don't tell me i should update to Windows 10 :p).

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The fact that everything worked great up until recently has no bearing at all whether the old version of Firefox is going to be safe. Maybe the person now exploiting the old version only got around to doing it recently?

 

Anyway at this point it's a guess as to what is causing it, seeing as you don't appear to have any bad programs installed, the next step would be to disable the extensions one by one and restarting Firefox to see if the Google search starts behaving. The only thing it could be is an extension if it isn't a program, so you'll have to do a bit of digging.

 

The same "compression shorts" search in Firefox 59 looks fine on my end:

 

SNAG-0010.png

Edit: I don't see the address bar in your screenshots, but does it show the green lock (which indicates you are on the proper secure Google page)?

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54 minutes ago, Steven P. said:

The fact that everything worked great up until recently has no bearing at all whether the old version of Firefox is going to be safe. Maybe the person now exploiting the old version only got around to doing it recently?

Fair point.

 

Anyway i did a new search (so we didn't stick on the shorts :p). First thing that popped in to my head was Levis Jeans. Anyway, i've boxed off the section that i know wouldn't be there normally and included the address bar for you.

 

LEVIS.thumb.jpg.37bbe57d6e2b78789b09e74264308e71.jpg

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Hello,

 

Does it happen with other web browsers?  What about if you start the computer in Safe Mode with Networking?  What if you login as a different user?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

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Found the cause of this. It was the add on 'YouTube Best Video Downloader 2'.

 

Disable it & the problem stops, enable it & the problem reappears.

 

I've also noticed i now need a new extension that enables me to download YouTube videos as .mp3 files. Can anyone recommend a suitable one?

BADEXTENSION.jpg

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Well we suggested it was an add-on a week ago, and I even asked if you could test by disabling them one by one, or enabling one by one.. No matter, glad you found the cause :)

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1 hour ago, Technique said:

Found the cause of this. It was the add on 'YouTube Best Video Downloader 2'.

 

Disable it & the problem stops, enable it & the problem reappears.

 

I've also noticed i now need a new extension that enables me to download YouTube videos as .mp3 files. Can anyone recommend a suitable one?

BADEXTENSION.jpg

If you had done the suggestions of disabling the addons a week ago you would have had it fixed by now.

 

I hate it when people ask for help but ignore suggestions especially when it only takes seconds to disable...! :yes:

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The fact i disabled the add on would suggest that the suggestion was actually not ignored now wouldn't it :yes:

 

Whether it gets done within 5 seconds of the suggestion, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 years is irrelevant.

 

And if i'd not posted back people would've complained that they hate when nobody posts updates to their original questions.

 

Bottom line ... people love to complain :yes:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Why is it that when i check to update it says i can update to 56 yet the latest appears to be 60? Why can't i update to 57, 58, 59 or 60?

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On 4/21/2018 at 4:11 PM, Technique said:

I've also noticed i now need a new extension that enables me to download YouTube videos as .mp3 files. Can anyone recommend a suitable one?

 

no, its copyright theft and not permitted to be discussed here.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Technique said:

Why is it that when i check to update it says i can update to 56 yet the latest appears to be 60? Why can't i update to 57, 58, 59 or 60?

No idea, but you can download any version you like here https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/ (according to Mozilla official support documentation).

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2 hours ago, Technique said:

Why is it that when i check to update it says i can update to 56 yet the latest appears to be 60? Why can't i update to 57, 58, 59 or 60?

Probably have to update to latest version BEFORE it became Quantum Firefox first.

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I updated to 56.0. It was ok but wasn't impressed by the look.

 

Just updated to 60.0. The look is much better however i noticed a huge problem (for me) - tabs at the end add on. It looks like it's been removed, so now when i open a link in a new tab it isn't at the end but to the side of the page i opened it from.

 

I searched and couldn't find tabs at the end so i guess it's not supported on 60.0.

 

Is there a suitable add on that allows newly opened tabs to be opened at the end?

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