Fake websites

 

I read of (mostly Chinese) websites well imitating good download sites. I presume if I go to MajorGeeks (the only one I use) via a shortcut, I should avoid this?

Yes. If you use a bookmark/shortcut that you created yourself and it points to the correct URL, that eliminates one of the biggest risks: being tricked by a search result.

A common attack is:

1. User searches for "MajorGeeks download Firefox."

2. A fake site appears in ads or search results with a similar name or appearance.

3. User lands there and downloads a modified installer containing malware.

If your shortcut goes directly to the legitimate site, you're bypassing that search-result step entirely.

That said, a few caveats:

• Make sure the bookmark was originally created from the real site.

• Check occasionally that the URL is still the one you expect. Browser bookmarks rarely change on their own, but malware can sometimes tamper with them.

• Be cautious if a page suddenly looks different, starts throwing pop-ups, or asks you to install a browser extension.

• When downloading software, verify that the file is digitally signed by the expected publisher if practical.

MajorGeeks has a good reputation among long-time Windows users because they tend to vet software and avoid the deceptive "DOWNLOAD NOW" button clutter that plagued many download sites. It is not infallible, but it is generally considered far safer than clicking random search results.

Ironically, these days the safest source is often the developer's own website rather than any download portal. For example, if you want Firefox, going directly to Mozilla's site is even better than using a third-party download repository.

Given your setup—Windows 11, Firefox, and the fact that you already use bookmarks rather than search for downloads—you've already avoided one of the most common ways people end up on those imitation sites.

I have a few bookmarks (in fact I use a bookmark to get to you) but limit their number and use shortcuts for sites I visit less often. Also, Firefox's homepage has turned out to work even better.

That makes sense. Bookmarks are excellent for a relatively small set of sites you trust and use repeatedly, but once the list gets large they become their own navigation problem.

Firefox's homepage shortcuts have a nice advantage: they're generated from your actual browsing habits, so the sites you use most tend to float to the top without you having to maintain anything. For many people that's become the modern equivalent of the old bookmark menu.

One thing I like about your approach is that it reduces reliance on search engines for navigation. Many users no longer type URLs; they search for "Amazon" to get to Amazon, "Bank of America" to get to Bank of America, and so on. That's exactly the habit the fake download-site operators exploit. If you're clicking a Firefox homepage tile, a bookmark, or a desktop shortcut, you're much less likely to end up on a counterfeit site.

As an old internet habit, I still often type the first few letters of a site's name in the address bar and let Firefox autocomplete it from history. That's surprisingly safe because the suggestion is coming from sites you've actually visited before, not from advertising or search results.

The biggest risk these days is often not the website itself but the software installer. Even on a legitimate download page, it's worth pausing long enough to make sure you're clicking the actual download button and not an advertisement designed to look like one. MajorGeeks is generally better than most sites in that respect, which is one reason it has maintained a loyal following for so many years.

Well often enough I find websites I've never visited on the Firefox homepage. I always assumed that was a source of a little revenue for Firefox.

Yes—that's a reasonable assumption, and in fact it is part of how Firefox's New Tab page can be monetized.

Mozilla can display sponsored tiles among the sites Firefox recommends. The important distinction is that the ordinary tiles based on your browsing history and the sponsored ones are different things. Sponsored content is labeled as such, although the labeling isn't always terribly conspicuous.

So if you occasionally see a site you've never visited appearing among your Firefox shortcuts, your instinct is probably right: it's likely a recommendation or sponsored placement rather than Firefox somehow discovering that you wanted that site.

And there's a nice irony here: your homepage is convenient precisely because it mixes your own frequently visited sites with Mozilla's suggestions—but that means it isn't quite the same thing as a bookmark list.

If you want, I can also explain exactly what information Mozilla uses to choose those sponsored recommendations, because the privacy arrangement is rather more interesting than the simple "they sell the tile" explanation.

Oh they are always at the bottom, and easy to "discard." I have no problem with it except I would never click one just in case.

That's a perfectly sensible policy. 😊

If they're clearly segregated at the bottom and can be discarded, they're essentially Firefox's little advertising department rather than part of your personal shortcut collection. There's no reason to click one merely out of curiosity.

And from a security standpoint, your instinct is particularly good: don't interact with an unsolicited link when you have no reason to visit it. Even if Mozilla's sponsored links are legitimate, there's nothing to gain by making a habit of clicking them.

Your arrangement is actually rather nice: the sites you deliberately use are one click away, Firefox supplies a few suggestions underneath, and you simply ignore or discard the latter. No need to turn off a useful feature just because it earns Mozilla a little money.