How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

[Ed Mullen]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browsercaptive until you install their software?

Tom wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:03:54 +0100, hummingbird wrote:
>

>Afaik the only solution is to shut the browser down and
>enter its name in your HOSTS file, so you never go there again.

>
Hummingbird has a great answer!
>
Here's what I did when I went to an HTML kwiksand domain just now on
Firefox 3.0 on WinXP with JavaScript and Java enabled ('cuz you need 'em
for other pages).
>
1. I opened a tab to http://thecatalogfree.net with Firefox 3.0 on WinXP
2. I tried to kill the tab -the html kwiksand prevented this
3. I tried to go to a new tab -the html kwiksand prevented this
4. I tried to kill firefox -the html kwiksand prevented this
5. Rather than kill the firefox process in the task manager ...
6. I now just type Start->Run->hosts and enter the domain
127.0.0.1 thecatalogfree. net
7. I then shift-reload my browser (to flush cache)
8. Voila! A shift-reload flushes cache & dumps the kwiksand page!
>
Note this one-time setup:
1. Copy hosts to host.txt and to hosts.bck
2. Start->Run->Regedit to add the following key-value pair:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\M icrosoft\Window s\CurrentVersio n\App Paths
hosts.exe = c:\windows\syst em32\drivers\et c\hosts.txt
>
Do this every time you are caught in HTML kwiksand!
1. Go to the web page http://thecatalogfree.net
2. You'll note you are stuck on that page forever
3. Rather than control alt delete kill the Firefox browser session ...
4. Just type Start -Run -hosts
5. Enter the domain into that hosts.txt file
127.0.0.1 thecatalogfree. net
6. Write the hosts.txt file to hosts (overwriting the hosts file)
8. Quick out of your text editing session (I used vim freeware)
9. Shift Reload your browser
10. The kwiksand web page will disappear!
>
Woo hoo! Hummingbird found the solution to HTML kwiksand!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Huh? My Windows XP Pro SP3 says: "Can't find hosts ..."

Why are you jumping through all these hoops? The Windows "hosts" file
is a plain text file you can edit in Notepad.

And do a search on "hosts.exe" and you'll find things like this:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/host.exe-8795.html

This entire thread is becoming suspect.

--
Ed Mullen

http://edmullen.net

In some cultures what I do would be considered normal.

[Bear Bottoms]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold yourbrowser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:52:18 -0500, Ed Mullen <ed@edmullen.ne twrote:

This entire thread is becoming suspect.
>

Bingo

--
Bear Bottoms
Freeware website: http://bearware.info

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:11:06 -0700, Tom wrote in <iGqek.14185$xZ .8716
@nlpi070.nbdc.s bc.com>:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:58:00 -0400, Sherman Pendley wrote:
>

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.
Doctor: Then don't do that.

>
Hi Sherman,
The problem is that you are redirected unkwittingly to the HTML kwiksand
web pages from a variety of other entrapment pages.
>
It's like saying "Doctor, it hurts when someone hits me on the back of the
head" ... for the doctor to say "tell them not to hit you" won't work 'cuz
they're intent on these HTML kwiksand pages in trapping you.
>
Luckily the great Hummingbird came up with a solution that we can all live
with! Hooray!
>

It's nice to be appreciated. What has Franklin and Ari ever done for
a.c.f. or any other group?

hb


--
....of all the things i've lost in my life ... i miss my mind the most

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:41:19 -0500 'Bear Bottoms'
wrote this on alt.comp.freewa re:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:49:43 -0500, hummingbird <hummingbird@12 7.0.0.1>
>wrote:
>

>Yep, you got the HOSTS syntax absolutely right in [5.] above.
>Deal with these malware peddlers by blocking access to them.
>It works wonders

>Rather after-the-fact isn't it?

He can use the hosts file to avoid going to that site again.


--
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed,
and third, it is accepted as self-evident"
(Arthur Schopenhauer)

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:10:33 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote in
<op.ud8hnvhdjo4 m88@bwwlxc1.br. no.cox.net>:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:06:32 -0500, Tom <twilson3@hotma il.comwrote:
>

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:14:37 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote:

>Is there a more graceful way, after the fact, to navigate away from
>quicksand domains which have a hold on your browser, other than control
>alt
>deleting the browser process?
>
Why not just close the tab/page?

That's my whole point. You CAN NOT close the tab. It just won't close!
In fact, you can't even navigate AWAY from the tab!

What Firefox flaw are they taking advantage of that hijacks your browser
and won't even let you close the tab or the browser or even switch to
another tab. You're stuck in the quicksand and can't get out.

>
Can't help you there, I use Opera.
>

What if it's an Opera tab that is stuck on one of those URLs?

--
....of all the things i've lost in my life ... i miss my mind the most

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:18:52 +0100 'FORGERY'
wrote this on alt.comp.freewa re:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:11:06 -0700, Tom wrote in <iGqek.14185$xZ .8716
>@nlpi070.nbdc. sbc.com>:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:58:00 -0400, Sherman Pendley wrote:
>>

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.
Doctor: Then don't do that.

>>
>Hi Sherman,
>The problem is that you are redirected unkwittingly to the HTML kwiksand
>web pages from a variety of other entrapment pages.
>>
>It's like saying "Doctor, it hurts when someone hits me on the back of the
>head" ... for the doctor to say "tell them not to hit you" won't work 'cuz
>they're intent on these HTML kwiksand pages in trapping you.
>>
>Luckily the great Hummingbird came up with a solution that we can all live
>with! Hooray!
>>

>
>It's nice to be appreciated. What has Franklin and Ari ever done for
>a.c.f. or any other group?
>
>hb

--------------FORGERY------------

--
If they give you an enema before you die, they could bury you in a matchbox.

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On 2008-07-13, Tom wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:16:24 +0200, Hendrik Maryns wrote:
>

>If I click on this in Firefox 3 (on Linux, but that shouldn¢t make a
>difference), I get a page warning that it is a scam page, with a button
>¡Get me out of here!¢.

>
That warning must be coming from the browser. That was an old link I gave
you (from my past experience).
>
What happened when you clicked on http://thecatalogfree.net (which I
verified today)?
>
Does http://thecatalogfree.net also give you that "get me outta'here"
warning?

No. I get:

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access / on this server.

I had no problems with the other links you posted, even when I
ignored FF's warning about the site.

--
Chris F.A. Johnson <http://cfaj.freeshell. org>
=============== =============== =============== =============== =======
Author:
Shell Scripting Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (2005, Apress)

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:52:18 -0400 'Ed Mullen'
wrote this on alt.comp.freewa re:

>Tom wrote:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:03:54 +0100, hummingbird wrote:
>>

>>Afaik the only solution is to shut the browser down and
>>enter its name in your HOSTS file, so you never go there again.

>>
>Hummingbird has a great answer!
>>
>Here's what I did when I went to an HTML kwiksand domain just now on
>Firefox 3.0 on WinXP with JavaScript and Java enabled ('cuz you need 'em
>for other pages).
>>
>1. I opened a tab to http://thecatalogfree.net with Firefox 3.0 on WinXP
>2. I tried to kill the tab -the html kwiksand prevented this
>3. I tried to go to a new tab -the html kwiksand prevented this
>4. I tried to kill firefox -the html kwiksand prevented this
>5. Rather than kill the firefox process in the task manager ...
>6. I now just type Start->Run->hosts and enter the domain
>127.0.0.1 thecatalogfree. net
>7. I then shift-reload my browser (to flush cache)
>8. Voila! A shift-reload flushes cache & dumps the kwiksand page!
>>
>Note this one-time setup:
>1. Copy hosts to host.txt and to hosts.bck
>2. Start->Run->Regedit to add the following key-value pair:
>HKLM\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windo ws\CurrentVersi on\App Paths
>hosts.exe = c:\windows\syst em32\drivers\et c\hosts.txt
>>
>Do this every time you are caught in HTML kwiksand!
>1. Go to the web page http://thecatalogfree.net
>2. You'll note you are stuck on that page forever
>3. Rather than control alt delete kill the Firefox browser session ...
>4. Just type Start -Run -hosts
>5. Enter the domain into that hosts.txt file
>127.0.0.1 thecatalogfree. net
>6. Write the hosts.txt file to hosts (overwriting the hosts file)
>8. Quick out of your text editing session (I used vim freeware)
>9. Shift Reload your browser
>10. The kwiksand web page will disappear!
>>
>Woo hoo! Hummingbird found the solution to HTML kwiksand!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

>Huh? My Windows XP Pro SP3 says: "Can't find hosts ..."
>
>Why are you jumping through all these hoops? The Windows "hosts" file
>is a plain text file you can edit in Notepad.
>
>And do a search on "hosts.exe" and you'll find things like this:

The HOSTS file is named exactly that: HOSTS
It has no file extension.

>http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/star....exe-8795.html
>
>This entire thread is becoming suspect.

BB thinks so too.


--
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed,
and third, it is accepted as self-evident"
(Arthur Schopenhauer)

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:21:19 +0000, Chris F.A. Johnson wrote in <cefb0
$487a63bf$cef88 ba3$9748@TEKSAV VY.COM>:

On 2008-07-13, Tom wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:16:24 +0200, Hendrik Maryns wrote:

If I click on this in Firefox 3 (on Linux, but that shouldn¢t make a
difference), I get a page warning that it is a scam page, with a button
¡Get me out of here!¢.

That warning must be coming from the browser. That was an old link I gave
you (from my past experience).

What happened when you clicked on http://thecatalogfree.net (which I
verified today)?

Does http://thecatalogfree.net also give you that "get me outta'here"
warning?

No. I get:

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access / on this server.

I had no problems with the other links you posted, even when I
ignored FF's warning about the site.

Was any file installed. Did any malware appear in the browser cache?

hb

--
....of all the things i've lost in my life ... i miss my mind the most

[Bear Bottoms]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold yourbrowser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:37:26 -0500, hummingbird <hummingbird@12 7.0.0.1>
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:10:33 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote in
<op.ud8hnvhdjo4 m88@bwwlxc1.br. no.cox.net>:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:06:32 -0500, Tom <twilson3@hotma il.comwrote:
>>

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:14:37 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote:
>
>>Is there a more graceful way, after the fact, to navigate away from
>>quicksand domains which have a hold on your browser, other than

>control

>>alt
>>deleting the browser process?
>>
>Why not just close the tab/page?
>
That's my whole point. You CAN NOT close the tab. It just won't close!
In fact, you can't even navigate AWAY from the tab!
>
What Firefox flaw are they taking advantage of that hijacks your

>browser

and won't even let you close the tab or the browser or even switch to
another tab. You're stuck in the quicksand and can't get out.

>>
>Can't help you there, I use Opera.
>>

>
What if it's an Opera tab that is stuck on one of those URLs?
>

I've never been unable to close a tab. I tried all of the URL's he
provided that worked and didn't fall into any 'quicksand.' I've had issues
trying to use the back button on some sites, but then I just close the tab.

There is a bug in 9.50 and 9.51 I found playing spades on Yahoo. If a java
applet for say and invitation, or score applet is left open when you close
Opera, the browser closes, but a process is still running as viewed in the
task manager. You have to terminate that before you can run Opera again.


--
Bear Bottoms
Freeware website: http://bearware.info

[Bear Bottoms]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold yourbrowser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:58:18 -0500, hummingbird <hummingbird@12 7.0.0.1>
wrote:

>This entire thread is becoming suspect.

>
BB thinks so too.
>

So does Craig...whom I like but don't like but like but like but

Well, what I like about him is he ... er, well, he posts on the issue, not
the person...well most of the time somewhat.



--
Bear Bottoms
Freeware website: http://bearware.info

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:30:26 -0500 'Bear Bottoms'
wrote this on alt.comp.freewa re:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:37:26 -0500, hummingbird <hummingbird@12 7.0.0.1>
>wrote:
>

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:10:33 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote in
><op.ud8hnvhdjo 4m88@bwwlxc1.br .no.cox.net>:

>>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:06:32 -0500, Tom <twilson3@hotma il.comwrote:
>>>
>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:14:37 -0500, Bear Bottoms wrote:
>>
>>>Is there a more graceful way, after the fact, to navigate away from
>>>quicksand domains which have a hold on your browser, other than
>>control
>>>alt
>>>deleting the browser process?
>>>
>>Why not just close the tab/page?
>>
>That's my whole point. You CAN NOT close the tab. It just won't close!
>In fact, you can't even navigate AWAY from the tab!
>>
>What Firefox flaw are they taking advantage of that hijacks your
>>browser
>and won't even let you close the tab or the browser or even switch to
>another tab. You're stuck in the quicksand and can't get out.
>>>
>>Can't help you there, I use Opera.
>>>

>>
>What if it's an Opera tab that is stuck on one of those URLs?
>>

>I've never been unable to close a tab. I tried all of the URL's he
>provided that worked and didn't fall into any 'quicksand.' I've had issues
>trying to use the back button on some sites, but then I just close the tab.
>
>There is a bug in 9.50 and 9.51 I found playing spades on Yahoo. If a java
>applet for say and invitation, or score applet is left open when you close
>Opera, the browser closes, but a process is still running as viewed in the
>task manager. You have to terminate that before you can run Opera again.

BB, you responded to a forgery.


--
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed,
and third, it is accepted as self-evident"
(Arthur Schopenhauer)

[hummingbird]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:11:50 +0100 'THE FORGER'
wrote this on alt.comp.freewa re:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:21:19 +0000, Chris F.A. Johnson wrote in <cefb0
>$487a63bf$cef8 8ba3$9748@TEKSA VVY.COM>:

>On 2008-07-13, Tom wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:16:24 +0200, Hendrik Maryns wrote:
>
>If I click on this in Firefox 3 (on Linux, but that shouldn¢t make a
>difference), I get a page warning that it is a scam page, with a button
>¡Get me out of here!¢.
>
That warning must be coming from the browser. That was an old link I gave
you (from my past experience).
>
What happened when you clicked on http://thecatalogfree.net (which I
verified today)?
>
Does http://thecatalogfree.net also give you that "get me outta'here"
warning?

>>
> No. I get:
>>
>Forbidden
>>
>You don't have permission to access / on this server.
>>
> I had no problems with the other links you posted, even when I
> ignored FF's warning about the site.
>>

>
>Was any file installed. Did any malware appear in the browser cache?
>
>hb

---------FORGERY----------

--
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed,
and third, it is accepted as self-evident"
(Arthur Schopenhauer)

[Tom]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:52:18 -0400, Ed Mullen wrote:

Why are you jumping through all these hoops? The Windows "hosts" file
is a plain text file you can edit in Notepad.

I know, I know.

Microsoft put the c:\windows\syst em32\drivers\et c\hosts file in the most
ridiculous non-intuitive spot it could possibly find, deep in muck, deep
under large directories that take a while to load, and without a decent
extension so you have to grope for your text editor (mine is vim freeware).

So, rather than "jump thru hoops" each time just to edit the hosts file, I
add a one-time-only registry key "hosts" which opens up the TEXT file (so
that I have a backup if I need it).

When I type "Start -Run -hosts", vim opens up that
c:\windows\syst em32\drivers\et c\hosts.txt text file, where I edit and save
to "hosts" which it saves in the current directory (i.e.,
c:\windows\syst em32\drivers\et c\hosts).

That's a LOT easier than navigating deep into the windows hierarchy into
the least logical place MS could have placed the hosts file and then
fumbling around to get notepad to edit the file with no extension.

[Tom]

Re: How to navigate away from quicksand domains which hold your browser captive until you install their software?

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:58:18 +0100, hummingbird wrote:

The HOSTS file is named exactly that: HOSTS
It has no file extension.

I know. I know. Of course it's named hosts.

I'll explain again. You can fumble around trying to find the hosts file
every time you have to edit it but I don't wish to be that inefficient.

I just type "hosts", I make my edits, and I save the results as "hosts" and
I'm done.

Behind the scenes, the magic of that simplicity is:
a) Typing "Start -Run -hosts" exercises the "hosts.exe" registry key
b) That hosts.exe registry key brings up the hosts.txt file
c) Saving that as "hosts" saves that file as the proper hosts file.

It's that simple. You might prefer the lousy inefficient way and that's
just fine. Here's the horribly inefficient way to edit the hosts file.

a) Navigate to C:\windows (hosts belongs here)
b) Navigate to system32 (dunno why it's here)
c) Navigate to drivers (it's not a driver)
d) Navigate to etc (what's etc got to do with it?)
e) Right click on the hosts file to edit in Notepad
f) Save as hosts.bak (you should have a backup)
g) Save as hosts (this overwrites the original file)

So, you can do it either way. I think the method I proposed is elegant.
I think both methods will work.

BTW, there isn't any hosts.exe file.
Those who know the Windows registry know that, in Microsoft's infinite
wisdom, the "App Paths" key MUST end with "exe" for it to work. There is no
hosts.exe (I repeat) there is no hosts.exe. The whole point of the App
Paths key is to make the editing of hosts a simple one-click affair.

Hope this helps!