Tabs with ads keep randomly opening
every time i open fire fox, a random tab opens roughly every twenty seconds, each day on a different site. yesterday was some games site, today was this: https://www.lotterymaster.com/free-lottery/11?offer_id=102&aff_id=54&SourceId=355&CreativeId=18377777&LineItemId=5729187&PublisherId=738709&SectionId=13947420&aff_sub=000074083021da0534d448ed7724a4b4b9c16&incentive_code=6b20c5b52be7e238414afc9baf80eeb7
(sorry for long link) i have tried disabling some of my add-ons to no avail. i have scanned my computer with Avast! and malware bytes. i haven't been on any dodgy sites when it happens. i have just realised, but i think it might be every time i click a link, a new page with an ad will open. it only happens on any link once.
any ideas?
Chosen solution
Such tabs may be generated internally by (1) an open page or (2) an add-on, or externally by malware.
If you have nothing open but a blank tab (you can type about:blank in the address bar and press Enter), do the ad tabs still open?
If you disable all extensions on the following page and restart Firefox, do the ad tabs still open?
orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons > Extensions category
If you still get the tabs, you could try disabling the plugins as well:
orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons > Plugins category
If that doesn't work either, it's probably external malware.
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Chosen Solution
Such tabs may be generated internally by (1) an open page or (2) an add-on, or externally by malware.
If you have nothing open but a blank tab (you can type about:blank in the address bar and press Enter), do the ad tabs still open?
If you disable all extensions on the following page and restart Firefox, do the ad tabs still open?
orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons > Extensions category
If you still get the tabs, you could try disabling the plugins as well:
orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons > Plugins category
If that doesn't work either, it's probably external malware.
they have now stopped, thanks for the great help!
I have exactly the same problem and still nothing. I am on a page and suddenly a new tab opens with ads!
It seems Firefox is having huge security problems, I didn't have such things on Chrome, any ideas?
Is there any way of checking malware in Firefox, without installing external paid anti-malware software?
My extensions in Firefox are:
- AdBlock Plus
- CookieSwap
- DownloadHelper
- JavaConsole
- XMarks
I got them from the firefox website, so I suppose they are trustworthy.
I haven't installed any plugin, and all of them seem to be reliable: Adobe, Microsoft, VLC, etc.
I have run Windows Defender, and McAfee and they didn't detect anything. Any ideas?
Thank you very much
Modified by joao_pimentel
PLEASE HELP!!! When I am reading a normal internet article this just opens in a new tab:
Modified by joao_pimentel
I think I found it guys :)
There is some software (that I don't know how I got it) that pops up ad tabs randomly and IT IS NOT DETECTED BY ANY ANTI-VIRUS OR ANTI-MALWARE (malwarebytes, mcafee, windows defender)
So the malware seems to be:
- Tuto4PC https://community.mcafee.com/thread/46234
- SweetIM
Go to Start->Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs and remove those applications
This is happening to me too. It seems to happen sometimes when I left click and drag over text to highlight it.
It opens a tab and loads this page:
http://landingpages.lotterymaster.co/lp/buy-now/uknational?offer_id=52& [snip - long url]
I don't have any of the 2 programs listed above installed.
Add-ons I have running are:
Bulk Image Downloader Download Statusbar FEBE Fireshot Internet Download Manager Multi Links SKipScreen
But I've had these running for years and have never had this happen before. ????
Finally, I had to removed firefox, unistalled those applications and deleted them directly form the C:\programs, I ran anti-malware software, and now things are OK
Check every program regarding something like *sweet*