What is Showad.js?

PandaB · 06 Jun 2017

Hi, new user here!

When I go into eBay I get the following message pop up at the bottom of the screen:-

'Do you want to open or save showad.js from ads.pubmatic.com ?'

I'm using Windows 10 with Internet Explorer 11. The message does not appear on any other websites, neither does the message appear if I access eBay with other browsers such as Edge or Chrome.

I've spent hours on google trying to find a solution to stop this message. Each time a page is changed or selection updated the message reappears. I've downloaded and run all the malware programs I could find, none of them found anything. I guess because nothing has actually been installed.

Any one have any ideas how to stop this prompt ?

tuksumduin · 06 Jun 2017

PandaB said:

Hi, new user here!

When I go into eBay I get the following message pop up at the bottom of the screen:-

'Do you want to open or save showad.js from ads.pubmatic.com ?'

I'm using Windows 10 with Internet Explorer 11. The message does not appear on any other websites, neither does the message appear if I access eBay with other browsers such as Edge or Chrome.

I've spent hours on google trying to find a solution to stop this message. Each time a page is changed or selection updated the message reappears. I've downloaded and run all the malware programs I could find, none of them found anything. I guess because nothing has actually been installed.

Any one have any ideas how to stop this prompt ?

Have a look here

Remove Showad.js Pop-up from Pubmatic.com | Updated

PandaB · 06 Jun 2017

Thanks for that link. Everything I found on google relates to removing the program. The problem I have is that the program is not installed on my pc. I only get the prompt to open or save the showad.js file, this prompt comes up over and over again only when using eBay.

I did save the file to an old external drive and found the file to be empty.

Fafhrd · 06 Jun 2017

The HOSTS file (which has no file extension) found in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS is a textfile that acts as a lookup database table to handle the way that certain web addresses are directed.

In your case you want any "pubmatic" web addresses to be misdirected so that they cannot phone home.

This is the Microsoft sample HOSTS file:

Code:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host


# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#	127.0.0.1       localhost
#	::1             localhost

Here is the same file edited to misdirect any "pubmatic" addresses to the address 0.0.0.0 - which is nowhere on the internet - just a virtual black hole or localhost address on your PC.

Code:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host


# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#	127.0.0.1       localhost
#	::1             localhost



0.0.0.0 ads.pubmatic.com 
0.0.0.0 bid.pubmatic.com 
0.0.0.0 haso.pubmatic.com 
0.0.0.0 showads.pubmatic.com 
0.0.0.0 track.pubmatic.com 
0.0.0.0 image2.pubmatic.com

These addresses come from the first link on the following google search, with a fuller explanation of the hosts file, and further information.

LMGTFY

PandaB · 07 Jun 2017

Fafhrd, thank you for taking the time to reply with your solution. I've made the change and I'm pleased to report the problem is solved, I never would have found that in a million years!