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Now I already know that making sure your browser plugins are either non-existent or up-to-date is one way of being on the safe side against ransomeware like Cryptowall 2.0; but since clicking ads are the way this thing is distributed, would ad-block plus be an effective plugin against such threats?

Zedo and Double Click have been effected by this thing in the past, and this time around I believe it might have been on yahoo.com or msn.com (not completely sure though).

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leeand00
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    A slight tangent: You can employ a slightly more customized version of AdBlock by modifying your hosts file (also nice because it's cross-platform, cross-browser). This allows you to "block" incoming connections from certain domains, neutralizing ads, cookies, and malicious software from said domains. Here's a hosts file with a few of said domains already blocked: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm – KnightOfNi Oct 19 '14 at 16:30

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It can't hurt. ABP (and similar software) blocks known ad providers and patterns that look like ad providers. If one of them gets popped and starts serving up malware, ABP will save you. If the site you're on is the compromised one, ABP can't help (unless the compromise is to point at a compromised ad network that's already blocked... seems complicated). Better than nothing :)

Bill Weiss
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I'll say yes, if Cryptoware 2.0 use a server listed in the list you use. https://easylist.adblockplus.org

But it's not the primary job of AdBlock.

If you want something to block adware, malware and spyware you should look something like disconnect.me or ghostery. You could also secure your lan by using Secure DNS like using those dns

Comodo DNS DNS #1 : 8.26.56.26 DNS #2 : 8.20.247.20

or Norton ConnectSafe, Yandex DNS or OpenDNS.

JOduMonT
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  • A filter list certainly helps as an additional line of defence but by no means replaces software vulnerability fixes or a real malware detector. – David Foerster Oct 19 '14 at 18:26