Maybe a year ago a similiar scumware was bundled with Kazaa that re-wrote affiliate URLs for Mainstream Programs.
With HTTP Redirections I was able to prevent the alteration of my affiliate ID.
Maybe a year ago a similiar scumware was bundled with Kazaa that re-wrote affiliate URLs for Mainstream Programs.
With HTTP Redirections I was able to prevent the alteration of my affiliate ID.
I dont understand how this can work if it is hijacked at the browser level
Originally posted by kenny I dont understand how this can work if it is hijacked at the browser level
In case of that Mainstream Scumware the re-writing was done with a BHO (Browser Helper Object).
IE "alerts" the BHO every time the surfer visits a site and the scumware then alters the URL. However, IE does not alert the BHO on redirections or the mainstream scumware wasn't catching those events.
Well one way sponsors with multiple sites could help ward off the url rewritng is by generating unique linking codes, and run them all through one URL.
Spyware author has no idea what site it goes to unless he visits each and every unique URL. Any rewriting done after the surfer visits the unique URL will be easy to catch.
What this would do is discourage the authors from doing simple affiliate code replacement since they have no idea which site to target, someone may even want to get together with a lot of sponsors and start a centralized linking repository, because the more sites you have listed the less inclined they would be to try. They could still hijack the traffic no doubt, but at least they couldn't easily target the same niche.
guys I think you are missing the point... Sure he needs to and can probably clean his system and fix it on his end. But the surfers are getting infected and they are the ones that count because they are the one's signing up.
The program owners really need to start looking into ways to stop this. They may get the same sign up amounts now, but if affiliates stop promoting them the sales will drop because the high jacker isn't sending traffic but is stealing it.
In November, you can vote for America's next president or its first dictator.
Originally posted by AgentCash Well one way sponsors with multiple sites could help ward off the url rewritng is by generating unique linking codes, and run them all through one URL.
Spyware author has no idea what site it goes to unless he visits each and every unique URL. Any rewriting done after the surfer visits the unique URL will be easy to catch.
What this would do is discourage the authors from doing simple affiliate code replacement since they have no idea which site to target, someone may even want to get together with a lot of sponsors and start a centralized linking repository, because the more sites you have listed the less inclined they would be to try. They could still hijack the traffic no doubt, but at least they couldn't easily target the same niche.
They need to ban the guy with refer URLs coming from 10,000 different domains..
They should be able to tell from the URLs where the traffic is coming from and then notice the affilate IDs dont match
One being to check the referral URL of each and every affiliate hit. If the surfer didn't come from a domain that matches up with the affiliate ID, then deny credit. Only allow a domain to be associated with one ID.
Originally posted by crockett guys I think you are missing the point... Sure he needs to and can probably clean his system and fix it on his end. But the surfers are getting infected and they are the ones that count because they are the one's signing up.
The program owners really need to start looking into ways to stop this. They may get the same sign up amounts now, but if affiliates stop promoting them the sales will drop because the high jacker isn't sending traffic but is stealing it.
dead on the money, the affiliate doesnt even win on this.
Originally posted by Matt 26z There are a few potential sponsor level fixes.
One being to check the referral URL of each and every affiliate hit. If the surfer didn't come from a domain that matches up with the affiliate ID, then deny credit. Only allow a domain to be associated with one ID.
And what about firewalls that block the referrer, or spyware that rewrites it?
Originally posted by AgentCash Smart spyware rewrites the referrer. And I know a few legit guys with many domains.
I didnt know spyware could rewrite the ref URL.
I was implying on the sponsor looking into the accounts with many domain referrers and checking to see if the affilate IDs match. Investigate it a little whois and what not.
But since spyware can rewrite the URLs that blows my idea out of the water
One of the major players changed the script after I stopped promoting them to my non-foreign traffic. A couple of days later I caught that they had installed a homepage hijacker along with the search bar. There was no hijacker when they were getting the good traffic. . .
Originally posted by TheSwed No i don't have any spyware...but that was the url your link give me
it was supposed to , if you didnt have the spyware installed then it shouldn't have changed anything.. thats why i specified that " SOMEONE WHO HAS THE SPYWARE INSTALLED" click the link, not you.
Comment