Clicking links in emails leads to spam windows in browser

[Erik Quaeghebeur]

Ian wrote:
>
> Last day or so, if I click a link in an email, then instead of 
> opening a new tab in the running instance of Firefox, it opens a Firefox 
> window, loads the destination URL in first tab, then tries to fill 3 more tabs with adverts.

* Is this a specific link, or any link?
* Can you share the link?
* Is this in a text (part) or html email?

> This does not happen if I copy the URL and paste it in the location bar in Firefox.

* Do you mean copy from the url bar in firefox, from the email, or, in case 
it is from an html email, by right-clicking the link and copying the url.
* If it is an html mail, can you share both the visible link (text) and the 
underlying url? (Perhaps even the entire contents of the anchor <a>…</a>.)

> Which implies it is something happening BEFORE it gets to 
> Firefox.... either in Kmail or somewhere between the two.

If it is an html mail and you click that link, it may be that it 
specificies a ‘_blank’ target, which could lead to the desktop/Firefox 
opening a new window. That depends on Firefox settings.

> Has anyone else experienced this?

Not me.

> Hope my system has not been compromised somehow ...

There are still other explanations possible: link in html mail that 
specifies a _blank target, with an underlying url that goes to a page that 
opens multiple tabs, including the one you want.


Best,

Erik