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Add Accessories Using "Layout" - Avoid "Template"!

We've dealing with owner installed malware, for over 5 years, when reported in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

In early 2010, we diagnosed the first mass malware installation. Owner installed malware can be quite deceptively marketed, by the hackers who produce it.

With proper blog setup, and accessory installation policy, though, identifying and removing misbehaving accessories can be made easier.

Accessory removal is easier, in blogs using Quick Edit, with accessories installed using "Add a Gadget".

Both accessories installed as XML gadgets, using "Add a Gadget" - and accessories installed into "HTML / JavaScript" gadgets (which is, itself, an XML gadget) - can be removed, easily, using "Quick Edit" and the gadget editor.

If you have unhappy readers, complaining
I can't read your blog - all I see is a page full of ads!
Which do you think is easier?
  1. Ask for help, and be given a link.
    Click on the link, then click on "Remove!"
  2. Ask for help, and be given advice.
    Edit the template, find and remove the code highlighted (only remove the code highlighted!).
    And accompanying the advice, instructions.
    • How to edit the template.
    • How to use a browser that lets you access the dashboard.
    • How to backup the template.
Maybe you would go for #2, if you are a masochist. Personally, if I had to deal with angry readers, complaining why their computers had to be cleaned, because my blog just served them to a hijack, that installed malware on their computers, I would choose #1, in a heartbeat.

Of course, a far better choice would be to be more careful, about choosing and installing accessories on the blog. But with deceptive malware, mistakes are not impossible.

Recovering from mistakes are just easier, given alternative #1.
  1. Enable "Quick Edit" on your blog.
  2. Use Layout "Add a Gadget" - not Template "Edit HTML" - to install all accessories.
Spend more time adding content, to your blog - and less time removing misbehaving accessories.

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