1

I can't get rid of ad.doubleclick.net malware from my PC.

I am using Firefox and it seems that all links that lead to www.googleadservices.com are redirected to https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/*** which can't load it self.

So if I click the below link

enter image description here

I get this result:

enter image description here

I tried AdwCleaner from Malwarebytes but it did not find any malware on my PC. I also disabled all add ons. There is no ad.doubleclick software installed on my PC that I could remove.

This problem happens in Firefox aswell as in Chrome (I have only those two to test).

Any suggestions how I can get rid of this?

Improve this question
  • 1
    Nuke it from orbit. – MechMK1 Feb 16 '20 at 15:29
  • @MechMK1 Do you mean with a missile? – Adam Feb 16 '20 at 15:37
  • Nuke it from orbit means completely re-installing it from scratch. Back up your data and merge it back step by step, ensuring that it doesn't re-infect your new installation again. – MechMK1 Feb 16 '20 at 15:45
4

ad.doubleclick.net is not malware. It’s an advertising link retuned by Google to redirect your browser to the desired site. DoubleClick is Google’s advertising company. They use this referral scheme in order to track your browsing habits (to learn what words you searched for that led you to click on their ad), and for Google to collect a referral bonus for displaying such a good advertisement that you clicked on it. You are just seeing an error because your browser can’t get to their servers.

The error you’re seeing is because you have ad.doubleclick.net blocked in your computer somehow. You may be browsing using a “proxy” that is blocking that address; your router or firewall may be blocking the doubleclick.net domain; you may have blocked doubleclick in your hosts file; you may have installed a DNS ad blocker like pi-hole; or maybe you have installed any number of tools that might block these requests.

Improve this answer
  • 1
    Thank you. You were right, the domain was blocked in my hosts file from the tool Spybot Anti-Beacon. To change my hosts file, I had to allow host access in ZoneAlarm superuser.com/a/1104284/236337. Although this is not a malware, there are some articles saying that this is a maleware praxistipps.chip.de/…. – Adam Feb 23 '20 at 9:08
  • 1
    Actually, doubleclick.net IS malware. It soaks up incredible amounts of CPU time and crashes my browser to boot. Even if unintentional, how is that not malware? – Bruce Jan 8 at 15:46
  • @Bruce , while I agree that doubleclick.net is a privacy stealing, resource wasting, security plagued, economy draining, scam ridden, unethical, unwanted, and unwelcome pustule on the ass of the internet, they technically aren’t illegal. Therefore it doesn’t meet the test of malware. – John Deters Jan 8 at 16:55
  • Then we have different definitions of malware. If it does MALicious things that you don't want done and it is softWARE, it's MALWARE. :) – Bruce Jan 9 at 17:07
0

What you describe doesn't mean you have any malware. There can be bug on the Doubleclick side.

To remove such links, install any ad blocker of your choice (uBlock Origin or Ad Block Plus or similar).

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.