Skip the interceptor with Greasemonkey
by Eliah Hecht 
Oct 24th 2007 at 7:08PM
Fortunately, there are ways around it. Opening a link in a new tab (middle-click) works in most browsers. But what if you don't want to think about it all the time? Shouldn't links in the forums work just like links everywhere else on the freaking internet? Yes, they should. And that's why we have Greasemonkey.
Greasemonkey is a Firefox plug-in that lets users install userscripts that do things to websites. If that sounds vague, it is; userscripts can perform all sorts of tricks. The script we're interested in, called Shelter from a Blizzard, does precisely one thing: makes links on the WoW forums point directly to their destinations, skipping the interceptor page.
If you're running Firefox, and want this magic in your very own browser, here's what you do:
- Install Greasemonkey, if you don't already have it. Once you're done installing, restart your browser.
- Go to Shelter from a Blizzard's page, and click the "Install This Script" button at the right.
- That's it! From now on all WoW forum pages you load will be de-intercepted.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
teknosaurus Oct 24th 2007 7:47PM
I bet Blizzard is thanking you for telling people how to subvert the security they put in place to protect you. Just so you can avoid one extra mouse click. Brilliant!
Eliah Hecht Oct 24th 2007 7:50PM
I figure anyone sophisticated enough to be installing Firefox plugins knows enough that the interceptor is not really needed for them.
Yeng Oct 24th 2007 8:01PM
I am surprised about this. Not only yesterday did you post on 'Forum of the Day' about the dangers of keyloggers and clicking on links in the forums, but now you are going to post about how to circumvent the forum measures to protect users?
Tsk tsk.
Wolfstalker Oct 24th 2007 8:04PM
BECAUSE RIGHT-CLICKING IS HARD
Eliah Hecht Oct 24th 2007 8:05PM
And let's be honest: does the interceptor really protect people? No. We don't read it, we just click our link, feel vaguely annoyed, and click on to what we were going for.
Furthermore, no-one's forcing you to install the script. If you think the interceptor protects you, by all means, keep being intercepted. I'm just providing people with a way to disable it if they think it hurts them more than it helps.
Aldrel Oct 24th 2007 8:05PM
Great work. As if we haven't seen enough keylogger posts lately. Way to make it easier for keyloggers to get more accounts. Do you guys even think any more?
Shotgunbadger Oct 24th 2007 8:20PM
If people are 'hurt' in any form by a click I want them to never use the internet again.
Also, not only was there just a forum post "ZOMG Keyloggers gonna get ur info from forums", there's an alarmist "zomg WoW pedos" post right under this post about getting around one of the most basic security features.
Mmmmm irony.
teknosaurus Oct 24th 2007 8:23PM
omg i just turnd off mah firewall cause i hate its annoyin warnins
tks wowinsidur
slunk Oct 24th 2007 8:24PM
Eliah, thank you for this.
While I'm not a frequent user of the official message board, I do appreciate people posting helpful tips.
I do tire of the slamming and bashing that happens here. Many people constantly criticizes the writers, but I rarely see a commenter posting anything useful or insightful.
Eliah Hecht Oct 24th 2007 8:26PM
Firewall: warns you whenever something unusual happens
Interceptor: warns you whenever you click a link (as if you didn't already know you'd clicked a link)
Bad comparison.
teknosaurus Oct 24th 2007 8:29PM
Firewall - extra security
Interceptor - extra security
TaDa!
Justo Oct 24th 2007 8:32PM
is it the kiddies bed time yet? you people are seriously immature about this kinda shit. all he did was give a helpful hint to avoid something incredibly annoying. can you right click the link instead? sure. but who gives a shit. hell, i even learned something new. "pening a link in a new tab (middle-click) works in most browsers" i never knew i could open a new tab by middle clicking. so, stop being whiney emo bitches over nothing. Eliah, thanks for the helpful hint and keep it coming. you people need to grow the hell up, seriously.
RogueJedi86 Oct 24th 2007 8:32PM
Yeah, that interceptor only shows up when you click a link. If you click it, you want to see the contents of the link. If the Interceptor had a thumbnail preview of the website, it might be more useful as a bit of protection. As is, if you click a link, you click past the interceptor by default to see the site.
I doubt anyone's been saved from keyloggers on the wow forums because of the interceptor. The Interceptor's been there for a long time, and keyloggers are still a problem, so obviously the Interceptor doesn't help.
So stop complaining about this Greasemonkey script helping Keyloggers.
Eliah Hecht Oct 24th 2007 8:33PM
The interceptor may *seem* like it's extra protection, but it really isn't, at least not after the first few times you see it. It's just annoying.
Aryc Ogre Oct 24th 2007 8:37PM
Firewall = Extra Security
Interceptor = Something that gets in the way of reaching the link you clicked on anyway
The little warning doesn't do anything other than warn you about something you already knew, otherwise you wouldn't have clicked on the link in the first place.
Seriously, how many people click a link, reach the interceptor and then think "Hmm, perhaps I should not have clicked that link. Perhaps I should not go there!"
No, you saw the link, you clicked the link, you meant to go to the link, you know the risk, end of story.
MartinC Oct 24th 2007 9:27PM
I love how Eliah tries to jump in here between every 2 posts or so, trying to defend himself.
The Interceptor is there for a reason. People need to be protected from themselves. Usually people get keyloggers and such by clicking without thinking. Having an intermediary screen come up gives you that extra second to think, "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be clicking this", and that's why it's there.
Eliah, just admit your mistake and move on.
Xevious Oct 24th 2007 9:44PM
Just middle-click the link in Firefox, it opens in a new tab and bypasses the interceptor page, which is nothing but an annoyance to most non-brain-dead people.
Common sense should dictate whether you should visit a link or not.
RogueJedi86 Oct 24th 2007 10:32PM
#16/MartinC, obviously you're in the minority, not Eliah. The rest of us knows common sense and realize everybody skips the Interceptor. No one reads it. Like I said, we've had the Interceptor for years, and still Keylogger links on the forums have been an issue. The Interceptor doesn't help.
Arboreous Oct 24th 2007 11:47PM
I just installed and tried this, didn't work. I looked under "addons" and Greasemonkey is active, as is the "Shelter from the storm" script, but I click on a link in the Blizz forums and there's the old familiar blue wall of text.
Andrew Oct 24th 2007 11:53PM
Thanks, great suggestion!