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Q: Stop Gator at a server level. ( Answered,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Stop Gator at a server level.
Category: Computers > Internet
Asked by: rooey-ga
List Price: $50.00
Posted: 05 Jun 2003 10:46 PDT
Expires: 05 Jul 2003 10:46 PDT
Question ID: 213472
How can you BLOCK GATOR from popping up windows on our website? Not on
a client level, but on a server level, so that Gator is essentially
blocked from accessing our server and popping up their parasite spam
to our clients.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Stop Gator at a server level.
Answered By: websearcher-ga on 05 Jun 2003 11:07 PDT
 
Hello rooey:

I'd like to help you with your problem, but I need you to realize that
working together may involve a process of back and forth discussion.
Instead of providing you with precise directions (which I can't, since
I have no idea how your server/clients are set up), I will instead try
to point you towards some existing fixes other people have used. If
the first site that I find for you doesn't provide you with a solution
that works for you, then you can tell me why and we can try again.
How's that sound?

The first site I'd like you to look at is:

Get rid of Gator enterpise wide 
URL: http://www.experts-exchange.com/CXO/Security/Q_20442859.html

Scroll down to see the suggested (and accepted) answers. The Intrusion
Detection Server idea seems quite interesting.

Again, please let me know whether you found this information helpful.
If not, please let me know why and I'll try again.

Thanks. 

websearcher-ga


Search Strategy (on Google):

gator block server

Request for Answer Clarification by rooey-ga on 13 Jun 2003 10:13 PDT
Thanks for your help.

Here's the truth. 

No one knows how to block gator from seeing what website it is at,
which really needs to happen.

We have a domain name - say www.domain.com

People come to domain.com and get popups from our competitors, who
then piggy back off the hard work we have done to get ranked there.
Its theivery, and Gator thinks what they are doing is legitamite, but
lets be honest, its underhanded and deveiving to the unknowing web
user, who for the most part, is normally tricked into downloading
Gator.

Anyhow... That aside, New web users, who find our website in Google or
MSN or Yahoo, as soon as they hit our site, are popped up with popups
from Gator, and this needs to stop. I believe they guy with the
comment of a lawsuit is the only way is correct, but what my question
was - was how do we stop it, or is there a way to stop it, and if so
how? Are there any blocks we can put on the server to not allow Gator
to know what site the user is visiting... or is there some type of
request Gator gets that can be blocked- or is there some way to block
an IP range to kill gator - or ANYTHING.

Let me know.

Clarification of Answer by websearcher-ga on 13 Jun 2003 12:43 PDT
Hi rooey:

Thanks for the clarification request. 

However, you didn't tell me whether or not you'd looked
into/considered an Intrusion Detection System for your server. This
really seems to be the best way to stop Gator and their kind.

For a very good overview of these products and what companies make
them, please see:

Intrusion Detection Systems Directory 
URL: http://www.isp-planet.com/services/ids/index.html

There are many, many excellent reviews and other links off this page.

websearcher-ga
Comments  
Subject: Re: Stop Gator at a server level.
From: arsenic-ga on 05 Jun 2003 12:53 PDT
 
Just a note: Gator generates pop-ups locally on the users computers;
so unless you have Gator installed on your server (is that even
possible...) or the pop-ups come because of ads you have on your site,
they will be almost impossible to remove.
Subject: Re: Stop Gator at a server level.
From: joey-ga on 05 Jun 2003 12:58 PDT
 
As was alluded in the previous comment, because Gator does everything
client-side with no regard to actions you take on your web server, you
can not programmatically prohibit Gator from displaying ads when users
come to your site.

Historically, the only option companies have had to deal with Gator is
litigation.  Threatened with law suits by specific web publishers in
the past (WashingtonPost.com, etc.), Gator has settled with them.

Unfortunately, the only solution you'll likely find to this problem is
to handle it through the legal system.  By most news accounts, Gator
has been known to be quite hostile in response to requests to stop ads
and has belligerently and persistently fought to keep their model
as-is.

Good luck.

--Joey

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