A Whirly Wiry Web article about Fighting eZula - The Web author's war against contextual advertising. Authored by RockinFewl.

Query words: ezula,detection script,yellow links,yellow link virus,contextual advertizing,contextual advertising,advertising,contextpro,hottext,toptext,smarttags,smart tags,spy ware,spyware,spy-ware.

This article applies to MSIE 4+ | Windows 9x, Me, NT, 2000 | Internet.

Article styled for generic XHTML1 capable agents. Parts considered incompatible are marked [Part not rendered to your browser].
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Fighting eZula
The Web author's war against contextual advertising.

Contextual advertising and what it means to us, Web authors.

From the eZula Web site

For example, an advertiser targets the Home Audio category. Every Web page across the entire Internet, that includes the word DVD, DVD Player or other selected keywords within this category, will be underlined and upon hovering, highlighted, with a short text message beneath the marked keyword that describes the advertiser.

Clicking on the marked keyword, wherever it is on the Web, will take the user immediately and directly to the relevant URL on the advertiser's Website.

The consequence for Web site owners

Imagine that you're visiting a Sony Web site, and notice that every 'DVD' word is linking to, say, Philips.

Contextual advertising may be interesting for users, it may prove deadly for Web site owners. Traffic is directed away from your site, to competitors perhaps.

It's clear that we as Web authors have to do whatever we can do to stop this pratice. On our own Web site at least.

Do YOU have eZula running NOW?

This page is running an eZula detection script. This is the result:

Diagnosing...

NOTICE

When you are using anti-spyware software to immunize your system (such as Spybot), this test will return a false positive. Spybot's immunize technique works with mock Ezula registry keys, confusing our detection script. In that case, you don't have to worry.

[Embedded Script not rendered to your browser]

How to Detect eZula from a Web Page

The eZula Detection Script

This script detects a copy of eZula:

Put it closely after the <body> tag.

<!-- Tuesday noon script by RockinFewl, WhirlyWiryWeb.com -->

<object CLASSID="clsid:3D7247E8-5DB8-11D4-8A72-0050DA2EE1BE"
width="1" height="1">
    <img id="imgEzulaNA" src="" width="1" height="1" />
</object>

<script type="text/javascript">
    if (!document.getElementById("imgEzulaNA"))
         document.write("You have eZula installed");
</script>

The object referred to by the classid is a vital internal component of eZula. It's by no means an object suited for Internet Explorer. Security prohibits that.

But although this eZula component is security-wise off limits to be USED by Internet Explorer, a trick script can nevertheless check whether the component is INSTALLED or not. For some odd reason is this possible.

Taking up the role of a good browser again, Internet Explorer will never allow to DO something with the object (switching eZula off would be nice though).

So far for the detection part. At this time, there is no scripting known to actively disable the effects of eZula's TopText.

Disable and Remove eZula Manually

You can either use the Lavasoft tool to erase eZula from your system, or you can do it manually.

The Whirly Wiry Web has made a seperate How Do I Remove eZula Completely guide to serve the Good Cause. It's a quick loading, but highly interactive page, targeted to a wide audience.

Conclusion

Content is constantly evolving, quickly responding to the input of the ever growing eZula fighting Internet community. Thanks for the support guys!

Report any problem you may have concerning the effectiveness of the detection script to rockin at whirlywiryweb.com.

The purpose of the address is to collect information and quickly develop a proof script. We will not provide programming support through it.

Also at the Whirly Wiry Web:

DHTML Gems
Fine DHTML tricks that may save your day. (Script)

Fighting eZula
The Web author's war against contextual advertising. (Script)

Detecting TopText and Surf+
Detecting eZula TopText and Spedia Surf+ Enabled Browsers (Script)

The Revealing HTTP Headers
View HTTP server response headers and unprocessed HTTP content. (Tool)

Launch-in-IE
Web pages can start applications. Securely. (ActiveX)

Open Office from a Web Page
Override IE's default behaviour to open Office documents in the browser window. (Script)

ShellExe launches HTML files from AUTORUN.INF
A ShellExecute wrapper that delivers (Utility)

Stealth Browser-Server Conversations
Exchanging data with the server without a page refresh. (Script)

Whirly Wiry Web Today
News, mission, and more skinnies you might be interested in. (General)

Dockyard
Material in test. (-)

The Whirly Wiry Web is RockinFewl's test bed and showcase in one.
All content, code and graphics are entirely crafted at our own premises, but material can freely be reused if charming credit is given.

WhirlyWiryWeb.com, 2001-2006. Address comments to Rockin at WhirlyWiryWeb.com

Fighting eZula The Web author's war against contextual advertising.