uBlock filters setup about user.js

[berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar]

i dont see any real reason to not select them all (minus the regional ones). (until you run into any issues)
i use:

My Filters
uBlock filters
uBlock filters - Badware risks
uBlock filters - Privacy
uBlock filters - Unbreak
Adblock Warning Removal List
Anti-Adblock Killer | Reek
EasyList
Peter Lowe’s Ad server list
Basic tracking list by Disconnect
EasyPrivacy
Fanboy's Enhanced Tracking List
Malvertising filter list by Disconnect
Malware Domains List
Malware domains
Malware domains (long-lived)
Malware filter list by Disconnect
Spam404
Dan Pollock’s hosts file
hpHosts’ Ad and tracking servers
MVPS HOSTS

(however many of the hosts file type lists i disabled and use them in uMatrix instead. uMatrix probably isnt what you want as a non-advanced user though, so you can use those lists in uBlock)

and in the custom urls i have:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/metaphoricgiraffe/behind-the-scenes-filters/master/filters.txt
https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/fb_annoyances_sidebar.txt
https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/fb_annoyances_newsfeed.txt

[berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar]

i thought ublock parses and merges the lists so duplicates dont matter

[berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar]

seems like i might be wrong about the mergeing since i cant find anything about it, in which case one should probably select fewer but more effective lists. but personally i havent experienced any problems or slow speeds because of my setup. and yeah for the lists which are just host files, theyd be more effective in the OS's hosts file but maintaining that doesnt seem like an activity non advanced users would want to be dealing with.

@MacProGirl your current set up seems fine. you could add more if you think you wont experience a slow browser/computer experience because of it. could help, more likely to be unnecessary overkill.

[nodiscc]

uBlock Origin with all lists + 2 regional lists enabled doesn't show excessive memory usage and very rarely breaks sites for me.

Using lists that are in hosts format through your OS hosts file would technically be better (blocked even outside the browser), but this requires merging, updating and managing them through an external tool.

[MacProGirl]

@CHEF-KOCH
Host file? That's files that block certain IP addresses from the OS right? Well, that's all I almost know :) Is that something for me on a Mac? Is my computer even so susceptible to problem while browsing? Is there a tool for this? Would I know what sites to block? I really want something that's easy so problem solving won't be a problem.

@ALL other
Thanks!

[pyllyukko]

Is my computer even so susceptible to problem while browsing?

Yes it is.

[MacProGirl]

@pyllyukko I added Avira antivirus two days ago. I hope that helps. And I am trying out uBlock. But it I don't get some good answers here about how to set it up, I might as well go back Ghostery which seems very easy to use and understand. And I haven't got any indications that Ghostery might be much worse for my future online security.

Thanks!

[nodiscc]

This thread is confusing.

How to set up ublock: 1) Install uBlock origin. 2) Go to uBlock's preferences > Filter Lists 3) Enable all lists that you think are relevant (personally I enable them all, except regional lists where I only enable them for my region). 4) Save. Done

Using your OS hosts file is another option, totally unrelated to uBlock, and for more advanced users. The advantage is that hosts files block domains OS-wide (uBlock can only block web browser connections).

[MacProGirl]

@nodiscc If it only was that easy as you stated... I don't see that we have a consensus here for using ALL lists. People have different opinions on that.

Addition info about where to find info about setting up you host file would be appreciated.

I copied @berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar list. He has all besides:

• EasyList without element hiding rules‎
• Anti-Thirdparty Social
• Fanboy’s Social Blocking List‎
• Fanboy+Easylist-Merged Ultimate List‎

And he doesn't have Fanboy’s Annoyance List‎ which I have. Why is that?

Also I wonder what the customs urls are and how to find something to put there?

Thanks again all!

[MacProGirl]

Related question, should I check "Block Harmful Sites" and "Block Phishing Sites" in Firefox when I have uBlock or will that only take up unnecessary resources?

[nodiscc]

And he doesn't have Fanboy’s Annoyance List‎ which I have. Why is that?

You have to read each list's description, and review it's contents, (10000s of entries), and decide for yourself. Eg do some research and decide for yourself if you need Fanboy's annoyances list:

Fanboy Annoyances List
In page Pop-Ups and other annoyances; thereby substantially decreasing web page loading times and uncluttering them (includes Fanboy-Social List.)

• This full list can be reviewed here: https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/fanboy-annoyance.txt
• You should do this research for every list, and decide whether or not you want it enabled. You should also review all updates of the list every day.
• Or if you don't have the time for this (I don't), enable lists that look useful by their name/short description
• Or if you don't have time for this, enable all lists (which is what I do)
• Or if you don't have time, leave the defaults enabled.

Like many things in computing, it all comes down to who/what you trust. I trust maintainers to provide good lists, but it is a personal matter, so that's why there can be no consensus on enabling all lists,1, 4, 5 or none. Worst case, you slightly increase memory/CPU usage for no added benefit, worst worst case you enable lists that filter items you don't want to filter (eg. annoyances list even filters things like RSS icons, some visual effects... read the list), and worst worst worst case it gives you a false sense of security (lists can never be fully up to date with tracking methods, ad blockers cover only a tiny aspect of security/privacy)

Also I wonder what the customs urls are and how to find something to put there?

Refer to the uBlock documentation/support.

should I check "Block Harmful Sites" and "Block Phishing Sites"

Decide for yourself. Read more about Firefox malware blocking here https://github.com/pyllyukko/user.js/blob/master/user.js#L223. These lists are from Google and differ from uBlock lists, but there is certainly overlap between them. It will take up unnecessary resources. On a semi-modern computer the performance difference is not significant.

[berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar]

good answer from nodiscc.

@MacProGirl: ublock is definitely more effective than ghostery etc and i think its easy to use. just select lists (or use the defaults? i dont remember what the default settings are) and youre done. if it sounds like it blocks bad stuff it probably does. malware, tracking, annoyances

if you're using pyllyukko's user.js then the options for blocking harmful sites and phishing sites is probably enabled already. i personally turn off all of firefox's anti-malware and anti-tracking features and just rely on the blocklists in ublock so that i dont have multiple things checking urls, only ublock. and one of the disconnect lists in ublock is meant to be the same as mozillas tracking feature. and there are multiple malware lists in ublock which would probably make a better replacement for the firefox features, some of which can leak information to google etc.

[berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar]

spybot search & destroy 1.6.2 is very good too. its immunization feature adds spyware related hosts to your hosts file and browser blacklists and definitions are updated regularly http://filehippo.com/download_spybot_search_destroy/5168/

[MacProGirl]

@nodiscc
"Refer to the uBlock documentation/support."

• I haven't found any good documentations. I tried the website and I tried Google.

I unchecked Firefox Malware and Phishing warnings as @berrythesoftwarecodeprogrammar and @CHEF-KOCH has suggested. I installed most uBlock filters as suggested. I installed NoScript (it's giving me some headache to begin with, but hopefully that resolves). I start using Avira Free virus scanner on my Mac.

I am saving the HOSTS file urls @CHEF-KOCH provided for future reference if I think I will need that additional safety filter. I should most often be able to browse safely without it I hope? Also I didn't understand what you meant hear: "The author of uBlock also not use e.g. dan pollock's file because from what I could understand he uses the same method like me." What is the method you use that is redundant with some list of Dan Pollock's?

@ALL
Thanks for taking all your precious time to help with these questions! So far it's been of much help. Very much appreciated! Thanks KOCH for warning us about posting filter lists.

[nodiscc]

Hi, I wanted to share a simple way to restrict cross-site requests using uBlock origin. It took me some time to figure out (after from moving from RequestPolicy+uBlock to only µB.) I have documented it here.

The basics of it is to define a Block rule for all third-party resources:

.

This simplifies my workflow a lot as I only have to do whitelisting in 1 addon.

[L-a-n-g-o-l-i-e-r-s]

In case it hasn't been mentioned, uBlock will not use redundant entries in filters should a prior filter active before it have the same entry. (This is why there is a count on each that displays how many filters are actually being used on the list once activated.)

[publicarray]

There are nice virtuous side effects with using compiled filter lists. One of them is the very accurate counting of distinct filters, and the ability to completely detect duplicates. Prior to 0.8.9.0, µBlock tried best to detect duplicate, but it wasn't perfect, as it was using the raw representation of a filter to decide whether the filter was already processed.

source: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Launch-and-filter-lists-load-performance

[publicarray]

I'm sorry to say that that is a matter of personal opinion. If I want to change a setting from the default I need to add a line for that preference. I have a few personalised settings that I have added to my user.js so they are the same when I reinstall my machine or I create a new FF profile. Now that I have added a few more lines to my file is it now less valuable?

How is the DNS server you use relevant in the Firefox config? I have changed my DNS and I'm running unbound locally. This is OS stuff.

Edit: This comment was written out of context. I apologise. Note to self: don't respond to an email on your iPhone at 1 in the morning.

On 18 Feb 2016, at 11:58 PM, CHEF-KOCH [email protected] wrote:

We don't need to talk about it, it's logically:

More stuff to load -> more footprints because it needs to handled by ram
More != (is not) better but can cause several troubles like in the past (just watch it's issue tracker)
Remember if you use another DNS it could be bypassed anyway (so ensure the domains in your router/host are parsed)
Less is really more, please look at this project what I mean 7 rules while others need 49k+ and does the same ... that's what I call impressive/resource friendly
—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[pyllyukko]

Maybe we can close this

Yep.