This article aims to show various methods on how to block referral traffic from 1-free-share-buttons(.)com which redirects to Sharebutton(.)net spam domain.
New referral traffic associated with the domain 1-free-share-buttons(.)com has been reported to devaluate the statistics of websites via multiple spammed messages on them. This and several other domains have reportedly all been associated with the Sharebutton referral spam domain. If you keep reading this article, you will understand how to block the related domains so that your analytics data is safe from being devaluated.
Threat Summary
| Name | 1-free-share-buttons(.)com |
| Type | Referral Spam |
| Short Description | Aims to get the users of a website, click on a URL that causes a browser redirect to the Sharebutton websites, advertising embed links. |
| Symptoms | The user may witness the spam on various places of the site, such as comment sections, forum replies and other user content. |
| Distribution Method | Most often via spammed URL’s cause by spambots. Bundling or unwanted software as well as spammed advertisements also a scenario. Even possible via malware. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by 1-free-share-buttons(.)com
Download Malware Removal Tool |
| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss 1-free-share-buttons(.)com. |
Sharebutton Domains – Blocking In Google Analytics Instructions Video
1-free-share-buttons(.)com Spam – How Did I Get It
Spam, originating from 1-free-share-buttons(.)com and related domains is generally divided in two types:
Type 1 – Web Crawlers
These type of spammed URLs are also known as spiders or crawlers. The primary reason for that is the bots crawl set of pre-configured web pages, most likely researched previously be the spammers. One tool to research them is called Google Dorking(https://sensorstechforum.com/drupal-ransomware-uses-sql-injection-lock-drupal-websites/) which is also used by some web-based ransomware infections. Google Dorking includes checking websites for different criteria, such as:
- Bugs and vulnerable site files.
- Exploits allowing hackers to bypass captcha via the spam bots.
- Websites that have different vulnerable directories or secret such.
- Sites that have unsecured servers in terms of spam.
- Sites that have specific traffic criteria.
Based on this and other information, the spammers may pre-program the spam bot to look for specific websites to spam. However, using web crawlers is generally a spam method that does not have a very long lifecycle and while massive, the spam stops once a domain or host IP addresses associated with the spam bot are flagged.
Type 2 – Ghost Referrals
Ghost Referrer spam, also known as Ghost Referral is reported to be more sophisticated than your average web crawler. This is due to the fact that this type of spam takes advantage of the HTTP protocol which allows the bot to spam while not even being logically present in the site, without even having to enter captcha and other security passes. Experts claim that this type of spam can quickly devaluate the website statistics and may still be present after being blocked, like an invisible ghost sitting there.
Whatever the case may be, the referral spam associated with the 1-free-share-buttons(.)com domains is not to be underestimated. It’s purposes may be many, including spreading phishing web links to get users to type their financial, personal information or even spread malicious web links. Such web links may cause redirects which could infect your computer with malware in the worst case scenario.
1-free-share-buttons(.)com – More About It
Being a part of the classified as riskydomain family, sharebuttons websites are continuing to gain popularity and global ranking with approximately 30% of their users being from India and many users from countries all over the world, including the United States.
After visiting such a web link, it usually causes a redirect to one of the primary Sharebuttons(.net) domains, which has an embed code for your website:
Such codes link to the .org domains and also has a JavaScript in it which is essentially buttons for sharing content on a given web page on the social media networks, such as Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, LinkedIn, VK and others. Since the script may or may not be of a phishing character it is strongly suggested not to use the embed code for your website.
How to Block 1-free-share-buttons(.)com And Other Associated Domains
Since referral spam aims to get people who visit your website to visit other websites, like the Sharebutton domains, it may also cause other negative effects for your site, such as:
- Equalize or rise your website traffic statistics, making it useless.
- Allow Google to classify your website further behind, because of spam content.
These and other negative consequences are the primary reasons why you should follow the below-provided instructions to block various domains associated with the Sharebutton network on your computer:
