[zikam]

Is there any anti parasite software for affiliates? I mean, how can I check is there any parasite if my account didn't noticed sale for last a few days (it is very suspicious to me)?
I'll reword my question: how can affiliate protect himself and his account from parasite?

[MichaelColey]

Parasites don't infect "affiliates" per se. They infect the end consumers. If a consumer comes to your web site and they're infected with a parasite and that consumer makes a purchase from a merchant and the parasite that the consumer is infected with intercepts links to that merchant, the parasite will get credit for the sale rather than you.

In general, all affiliates are affected about as much as any other affiliate. In practice, it varies quite a bit depending on demographics. If your demographics include technically astute visitors, most probably avoid parasites. If your demographics are heavy on visitors who do file sharing, porn, and pirated software, they have a much higher chance of being infected.

The best thing an affiliate can do to minimize the impact of parasites on their own results is to work primarily with merchants who don't allow parasites into their affiliate program.

You can also try to educate your site visitors, but I would be concerned that the downside (scaring people from buying) would outweigh the upside (cleaning up computers of your visitors).

The worst thing affiliates can do is to promote parasites. That would be as stupid as a hotel hosting a kleptomaniacs convention.

[Kevin]

That would be as stupid as a hotel hosting a kleptomaniacs convention.

Interesting.

[zikam]

MichaelColey, Thnx for your time and detailed answer!

[RickPlmr]

Michael,

With your comment about all affiliates being affected, do you mean to include even affiliates who have cloaked their links and are using redirect scripts? Would parasite-ware still be able to replace affiliate IDs in that case?

[bayview]

Yes, you're still vulnerable even if you are using redirect scripts. The redirect script returns the affiliate URL with tracking information. Therefore, any abusive software installed on the end-user's machine still sees the final affiliate URL and can manipulate it before the browser requests the merchant's page.

[loxly]

Landing on the merchants page creates the change, it matters not how the shopper gets there. You can redirect all day and still the landing page is where the switch happens.

[MichaelColey]

Yes, most of the worst parasites work even through cloaked links, redirects, and the afsrc=1 parameter. You're less affected (because "complaint" software is supposed to stand down) if you use cloaking/redirects and afsrc=1, but you're still affected (because the real bad ones aren't complaint and the "complaint" ones aren't always compliant).

The only real way to avoid the impact of parasites is to work exclusively with merchants that are parasite-free.

[RickPlmr]

Picture me throwing up my hands in complete frustration. !@#$%

Now picture me throwing my whole computer out the ------- window.

Ok... deep breath... stepping away from the broken window . Down boy.

Gotta run to Home Depot and get a new window.