AdBlock.org

Note: This is an arcive copy of this page and out-of-date. See the current version here: Current NIS Block List

Norton Internet Security 2004 has ad blocking turned on by default. One of the ways that NIS attempts to block ads is that they block link tags that contain text that matches any entry in a long list of targeted text and words. for example, NIS will block any link that has contains the text “/ads/”. This blocking is indiscriminate and will block any html that contains the text in this adblock list. All of this is done invisibly and without the user actively choosing this behavior.

The following are blocked HTML Strings for ALL sites, except where overruled by exceptions:

#CLink
%23CLink
%2Fads%2E
%3Fad%2E
&ad_
&banner=
-ad.cgi
-ads/
.ad.
.ads.
.ads/
.bluestreak.com
.eshop.
.net-on.com
.webconnect.com
/199.78.52.
/?ad.
/ad-
/ad.
/ad/
/ad_control
/ad_image
/ad_track/
/adbot.
/adclient.
/adcontent.
/adcouncil/
/adgifs/
/adgraph/
/adimages/
/adinfo/
/adjuggler/
/adlog.
/adman.
/adnet.
/adnet/
/adpics/
/adpopup
/adproof/
/adredirect/
/adrevolver/
/ads-
/ads.
/adsales
/adserv
/adspace
/adsrc
/adv/
/advert/
/advertentie
/advertise/
/advertiser/
/advertisers/
/advertising/
/adverts/
/adview.
/banner.
/banner/
/banner=
/banner_images/
/banners/
/by.banclk?
/clickover.
/cyberfirst
/follow_ad?
/generate_ad.
/graphics/advert
/htmlad/
/jbanner/
/liveads/
/nph-bounce?
/nph-load?
/nph-redir?
/promo_gif/
/promos/
/promote/
/promotions/
/rankem.cgi?action=
/sponsor.
/sponsor/
/sponsors/
/videobanners/
/viewad/
1-2-free.com
199.172.144.25/2
?acb=acb
?ad.cgi
?ad=
?Adcode=
?adlink
?adserv
?adv=
?advertID=
_ad.
_ads/
a32.g.a.yimg.com/7
ad.doubleclick.net/click
ad.infoseek.com
ad.linkexchange.com
ad.preferences.com
ad.tw.doubleclick.net/ad/
adbanner
adbot.com
adcenter.in2.com
AdClick
adcount.hollywood.com
adlink.htm
adlink.preferences.com
adman.medius.net
adoptimizer
adredir.asp
adredir.asp
ads.adsmart.net
ads.clickagents.com
ads.imagine-inc.com
ads.imdb.com
ads.infospace.com
ads.lycosasia.com.sg/RealMedia/ads/
ads.narrow.ine.com
ads.realmedia.com
ads.softbank.net
ads.usatoday.com
ads.washingtonpost.com
ads.web.aol.com
ads.web21.com
adserver.adtech.de
advertisements
advertising.com
alladvantage.com/go.asp?refid=
allpolitics.com/ads/
ar.atwola.com
badservant.guj.de
banner_ad
bannerad
bannerexchange.com
bannerpower.com
bannerswap.com
BF_Home_AD
bfast.com/booklink
cc-dt.com
click1.wisewire.com
click100.genesis.com
click2.wisewire.com
click2net.com
clk_thru^
commonwealth.riddler.com
count4all.com
crosswalk.com/click.ng/transactionID=
dirtycash.com
ds.cybereps.com
exchange-it.com/click.go?
eyeblasterscript
fastclick.net/w/click.here
findcommerce.com/tracking
flycast.com
focalink.com
GeoAD?
globaltrack.com
globaltrak.net
hg1.hitbox.com
home.keycity.com/addd2000/ok.shtml
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/a
images/mainad
imgis.com
impartnet.de/cgi-bin/
infoback.net
infoseek.com/redirect
java.yahoo.com/a/1-/flash
java.yahoo.com/a/1-/java
java.yahoo.com/a/a-/flash
java.yahoo.com/a/a-/java
linkexchange.com
linksynergy.com
mantel/
maxcash.cgi
mediahits.com/click.fcg
mediaserv.247media.com
mirror.qkimg.net
movielink.com/media/imagelinks/MF.ad
movielink.com/media/imagelinks/MF.sponsor
netads.hotwired.com
netbanner.com/cgi-bin/
nrsite.com
pagecount.com
pathfinder.com/r0/marketing
pathfinder.com/sponsors
pegasoweb.com
pennyweb.com
progcgi.ads/
qksrv.net
rd.yahoo.com/M=2
rd.yahoo.com/M=3
rd.yahoo.com/M=4
rd.yahoo.com/M=5
rd.yahoo.com/M=6
rd.yahoo.com/M=0
rd.yahoo.com/M=1
rd.yahoo.com/M=7
rd.yahoo.com/M=8
rd.yahoo.com/M=9
register-it.netscape.com/
mbclick.com/
rn11.com
safe-audit.com
service.bfast.com
showad.asp
smartclicks.com
spinbox.
stats.hitbox.com
submit-it.com/images
telecom-pros.com/images
test1234567890
textchange.com/cgi-bin/
tracker.clicktrade.com
tracker.tragedoubler.com
us.a1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/a
valueclick.com
vk4Voam2y
vwWzJwWLv9m2Cr
websponsors.com/cgi-bin/
webunion.com/cgi-localbin/click.cgi?
weg352o643t322c463h321a
ww3.cybercity.com/tw/adexe/
www.247media.com.tw
www.admax.com.tw/
www.admax.com
www.ads.warnerbros.com
www.anonymozer.com/cm/door.cgi?
www.asiad.net/
www.banner.com.tw/
www.bannerwomen.com
www.clickadhere.com/
www.clickxchange.com/fr.phtml
www.cyberone.com.tw
www.epaper.com.tw/cgi-bin/adm/ad_red
www.halee.com/advert/
www.link4link.com/cgi-bin/
www.marketspace
www.modchip.com/clickcgi/click.cgi?
www.netvigator.com.tw/popad/
www.nj.com/adverts
www.nrsite.com
www.search.com/Banners
www.warehouse.com/netbuyer/ticker/
www.whispa.com/tracking/
www.wishing.com/webaudit/
yahoo.com/adv/
yahoo.com/CategoryId=0
yimg.com/images/compliance

Interestingly, following are some of the permitted exceptions by Norton Interent Security 2004, by default:

This is only a sample, but the list is not long. We wonder what it is about these sites that allowed them to get on the exception list. Some of these are clearly advertising mechanisms. Do they simply have enough clout that Symantec didn’t dare block them? Did they threaten Symantec? Why would a site like ThaiGaming.com be allowed to track using hitbox when no other site is allowed this? Why are there execptions for ebay, nytimes, go.com? Something doesn’t smell right here and this is what we’re talking about when we feel that blocking rules imposed by Symantec are arbitrary , careless, and inconsistent. That coupled with inadequate notification when real content, not just ads, are getting blocked is simply negligent in our opinion.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 26th, 2004 at 11:02 am and is filed under Adblock Software. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.