----------------- AGNIS Sites Lists ----------------- The AGNIS Sites List package contains a set of plain text domain block lists that can be used with a variety of programs. These domain block lists are ports of the original AGNIS block lists for AtGuard, Norton Internet Security, and Norton Personal Firewall that can be downloaded from: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#AGNIS The AGNIS Sites Lists are made available to help a wide variety of users who may want to use or adapt these plain text block lists for other programs and environments. Please note that the AGNIS Sites List is copyrighted, and your use of any of the lists is conditioned upon your acceptance of a license, a copy of which is included at the end of this file as well as in the file LICENSE.TXT that is bundled with this package of block lists. These block lists are based in part on info from: 1. discussions in major anti-spyware forums such as: SpywareInfo Forums: (http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/) Spyware Warrior: (http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php) CastleCops: (http://castlecops.com/forums.html) 2. the latest updates to well-known anti-crapware programs such as: SpyBot Search & Destroy: (http://security.kolla.de/) Lavasoft Ad-aware: (http://www.lavasoft.de/) SpywareBlaster: (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) 3. other crapware reference Sites such as: and.doxdesk.com: (http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/) CounterExploitation: (http://cexx.org/adware.htm) Kephyr.com: (http://www.kephyr.com/) PestPatrol: (http://www.pestpatrol.com/) SpywareGuide.com: (http://www.spywareguide.com/) Webhelper:(http://www.webhelper4u.com/) 4. the latest updates to HOSTS files from: hpguru: (http://www.hosts-file.net/downloads.html) MVPS: (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) For a discussion of the reasons that sites and domains might be included in the AGNIS Sites List, see the following web page: Targeting & Inclusion Policy http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/target-policy.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Compatibility & Uses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The AGNIS Sites Lists included here can be adapted for use in a wide variety of programs, including firewalls and proxy filtering programs that use domain-based block lists. Users looking to adapt these lists should keep in mind that: * the sites lists are comprised entirely of domains and IP addresses * the sites lists were constructed assuming the use of "wild cards" As the entries in SITES.TXT Ad-watch are built using implicit "wild-cards," programs that use this block list and respect the use of "wild cards" can block internet content very efficiently. Thus, the entry... doubleclick.net ...will block content that hails from any of the following URLs: http://pop-up.doubleclick.net/ http://ads.doubleclick.net/ http://pop.ads.doubleclick.net/ http://www.doubleclick.net/popups/ads.asp ..because all of the above URLs contain the string "doubleclick.net." Just what content is block depends on the nature of the content filtering program you use this block list with. Some content filtering programs block only banner ads or pop-ups. Other programs can use this block list to block all access to the domains and IP addresses included in the list. Given that these lists were built assuming the use of wild cards, they are not appropriate as the basis of a HOSTS file block list, which requires that specific servers be listed (e.g., ad.doubleclick.net, ads01.doubleclick.net, et al), not just broad domains (e.g., doubleclick.net). For two good HOSTS files, see: * HpGuru's HOSTS File http://www.hosts-file.net/downloads.html * MVPS HOSTS File http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm The AGNIS Sites Lists can also be used with a wide variety of ad blocking and anti-spyware programs that use domain filter lists, including (but not limited to): * AdShield * Agnitum Outpost * Ad-aware Ad-watch Users of the above programs may have to rename the sites list files, move them to the program's installation directory, or import them into the programs to use the block lists. See the documentation for your program to learn more about how to use plain text block lists with that application. There are already versions of AGNIS specially crafted for use with Agnitum Outpost and AdShield: * AGNIS for Outpost http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#Outpost * AGNIS for AdShield http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#AdShield Most users of Outpost and AdShield will probably find it easier to download and install the versions of AGNIS specific to those programs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Full" vs. "Lite" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The AGNIS Sites List package ships with two different versions of the block list. ---- --------- ----------- Type File Name Description ---- --------- ----------- "Full" ag-sites-full.txt complete text block list; includes all entries "Lite" ag-sites-lite.txt lite text block list; excludes smaller advertisers, dialers, and adult hosting sites The AGNIS Sites Lists are ports of the original AGNIS block lists for AtGuard, Norton Internet Security, and Norton Personal Firewall. If you're interested in seeing just how domains are classified, please have a look at the "full-original" AGNIS block list. Download the original AGNIS block list package from: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm After you unpack the archive file you downloaded, look in the \ORG sub-directory. Open the file AG- ADS-ORG.REG or NIS-ADS-ORG.REG (right-click on the .REG file & select "Edit" from the context menu) -- they're the same list, but for different programs. The "full-original" AGNIS list is divided into the following sections: PHRASES + PREFIXES + WEB BUGS + EMAIL NASTIES * BIG AD DOMAINS COUNTERS * MISC AD DOMAINS * CRAPWARE DOMAINS DIALERS * ADULT NETWORKS\SERVICES ADULT HOSTING * MISC SERVERS + HYBRIDS + NOT FOR EVERYONE + REMOVED + There is also a "lite" version of the "original" AGNIS list (AG-LITE-ORG.REG & NIS-LITE-ORG.REG, in the same directory), which excludes the sections marked above with an asterisk ( * ). The plain text domain block lists known as the AGNIS Sites Lists roughly correspond to the "original" AGNIS block lists, with some minor deviations. Here's a breakdown of the sections from the "original" AGNIS lists that are included in the AGNIS Sites Lists: "Full" "Lite" ------ ------ EMAIL NASTIES --- BIG AD DOMAINS BIG AD DOMAINS COUNTERS --- MISC AD DOMAINS --- CRAPWARE DOMAINS CRAPWARE DOMAINS DIALERS --- ADULT NETWORKS\SERVICES ADULT NETWORKS\SERVICES ADULT HOSTING --- Note that the both the "full" and the "lite" AGNIS Sites List exclude all the entries from the following sections of the "original" AGNIS lists (marked with a + in the complete sections list above): PHRASES PREFIXES WEB BUGS MISC SERVERS HYBRIDS NOT FOR EVERYONE REMOVED ~~~~~~~ Updates ~~~~~~~ The AGNIS Sites Lists are regularly updated. You can download updated versions of AGNIS from the same page where you downloaded your original copy of AGNIS. http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm That page lists the last time that AGNIS was updated. I usually try to update AGNIS several times a month, though I may update more frequently if circumstances warrant. There is no special forum, newsgroup, or web board for AGNIS. I do hang out regularly in the following newsgroups and forums, however, and you can often find folks discussing AGNIS (as well as other things related to privacy & security) in these places. I also periodically announce updates to AGNIS in the "updates" section of the forums listed below. DSLR/BBR Security Forum http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security,1 http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/security,1 AtGuard Newsgroup news://news.gpick.com/atguard ComputerCops http://www.computercops.biz/forums.html GRC Discussion Groups http://grc.com/discussions.htm Outpost Firewall User's Support Forums http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/ Safer Networking Forums http://forums.spybot.info/ SpywareInfo http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ SpywareWarrior http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php Wilders Security Forums http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Can I incorporate this block list into my own block list, program, or web site?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The simple answer is yes, you can -- but you must abide by the terms of the license. As noted earlier, this block list is copyrighted. It is made available to you under the terms of the Gnu General Public License, a copy of which is included at the end of this file as well as in the file LICENSE.TXT that is bundled with this package of block lists. That license gives you the right to re-use and redistribute this block list in other forms, provided you follow the terms of the GPL. For some tips and advice on how to incorporate or re-use this block list in your own list, program, or web site, see the section below titled "Advice on Distributing AGNIS." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Problems & Questions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope you find these ad block lists helpful in protecting your privacy and security. If you run into serious problems with one of these block lists, and you have made every attempt to address the problem but remain stumped, I can be reached at: eburger68@myrealbox.com Please keep in mind that my busy schedule may not allow me to respond immediately. I will attempt to get back to you, though, and address your questions. Other helpful resources for getting answers to questions about ad blocking and general privacy questions include the GRC Privacy & Security news groups, which are generously hosted by Steve Gibson of Gibson Research (GRC): http://grc.com/discussions.htm ...and the DSL Reports (Broadband Reports) Security Forum: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security,1 http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/security,1 I've found the folks who hang out in all of these groups to be helpful, knowledgeable, passionate, and more than wise to the wiles of the marketing droids which infest the Net. Finally, you might also check out my web site at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a site which contains a bevy of links to information and software relevant to Privacy & Security on the Internet: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/ ------------------------------------------------- Date: 6/16/05 From: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/ Made By: Eric L. Howes (eburger68@myrealbox.com) ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- License Agreement: Terms & Conditions ------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS, DISTRIBUTION, WARRANTY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AGNIS (including the block lists and the ReadMe) is Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Eric L. Howes. AGNIS can be downloaded from: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm If you distribute the AGNIS block list unmodified, please include all the files. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. Some files distributed with this package may not be covered by the GNU GPL. Those files remain the property of their original owners and are covered by the licenses under which they were originally distributed. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the Free Software Foundation 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTENT BLOCKING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By installing and using any of the AGNIS block lists, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to following terms and conditions: a) The AGNIS block lists contain lists of domains, web sites, and other URL information that your ad blocking program will use to block content from the sites and domains covered in the AGNIS block lists from being displayed in your web browser. b) By installing any of the AGNIS block lists included in this distribution package, you acknowledge that it is your decision to block advertisements and other content at the web sites and domains covered in the AGNIS block lists -- including sites and services that may prohibit you from blocking content or otherwise interfering with their services and software -- should you choose to use those sites, services, and domains. c) If you do not wish to block content at certain of those sites, you can selectively edit the AGNIS block lists -- either in their source file form or through your ad blocker's graphical user interface (GUI) -- to remove the list entries that block content at those sites. d) You agree to accept any and all legal responsibility for the consequences that may result from the blocking of content at the sites and domains covered in the AGNIS block lists when you use those domains and sites. e) If you have entered into contracts or agreements with the companies whose sites and domains are included in the AGNIS block lists, and those contracts or agreements prohibit you from blocking content at those sites or otherwise interfering with the companies' software or services, you agree that it is your responsibility to resolve those contractual obligations in a satisfactory manner. ---------------------------- Advice on Distributing AGNIS ---------------------------- As noted above, AGNIS is distributed under the terms of the Gnu General Public License, a copy of which is online HERE. That license gives you broad rights to modify and distribute AGNIS, but in order to exercise those rights, you must abide by the terms of the license. At a minimum, to distribute, modify, or distribute modified versions of AGNIS under the terms of the GPL: a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices stating that you changed the files and the date of any change. b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License. c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively when run, you must cause it, when started running for such interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on the Program is not required to print an announcement.) Furthermore, you must: a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or, b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or, c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.) Since the AGNIS block list does not consist of binary code, the following would be sufficient: 1) Include a notice somewhere in the installation stating the following: This program makes use of a modified version of the AGNIS block list, which is available from: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm AGNIS is (C) Copyright 2000-2004 Eric L. Howes. AGNIS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. AGNIS is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You can obtain a copy of the GNU General Public License from the Free Software Foundation online: http://www.fsf.org/licenses/gpl.txt 2) Include something like above notice in the ReadMe as well. In fact, you could include the above notice with any other acknowledgements and "thank you's" in your standard documentation. 3) Make a plain text version of the list available If you've embedded the AGNIS block list in a binary program, make a separate plain text version of the list (including your own additions and modifications to the basic list) publicly available either on your web site or with the program itself. ------- CONTACT ------- The author of AGNIS can be contacted at: eburger68@myrealbox.com (Eric L. Howes) June 16, 2005