My mac keeps automatically downloading weird files

Ok i found it :

Go to preferences and and find the item "Software Updates"
Now uncheck all boxes 😉

I'm glad I found this thread. I was starting to think i was the only one. I've suddenly started to experience these random downloads. Mine are attached to eBay. When I click on the download and then click "show webpage" eBay pops up in a window. When I click "open" download, a window pops up with a vertical banner ad for iPhone 5, the same ad I see on eBay. While this is super annoying, it sounds like from other people's work to figure out if its a bad thing, that its not? Is that safe to say? Does anyone has a sure fire way of correcting this? I can't stop going to eBay to avoid this. Thanks.

So I downloads avast anti virus last night as apple phone support suggested. I'm still getting the download, now what? Anyone? Can anyone help me? Thanks.

Add Adblock for Mac at this link http://safariadblock.com/

Adblock for Mac will help, but what is causing the issue..

I am having the exact same problem as zowenso. On eBay, I get a download every few seconds that contains a link to a page that advertises the iPhone 5. VERY frustrating.

Upon further inspection, the ads seem to be coming from a company calle the RubiconProject which looks to be a legit online advertising group. Is it possible that eBay has a site problem that is puching these ads down?

Any other ideas?

I hate to say this, but, im glad your also having an issue with the Iphone5 banner ad. I used firefox the other day, all day, and it never popped up. If you come up with something, Chris, please let us know. I too am frustrated by this. Thanks, O

EDIT: Let me tell you something. Im on my computer for the first time all day and these downloads are happening about every 10 seconds. Yesterday it was, like, every hour or so. This totally *****.

I just called eBay to report it. I have over 100 iPhone ads in my downloads folder. If you open the html file that is downloaded and actualy click on the ad, it's actually an ad from eBay for the iPhone 5.

So, it's a legit ad, and it's from eBay, and it's being served by one of their legit partners (RubiconProject), but WHY IS IT DOWNLOADING! Literally every 10 seconds.

BTW: eBay's solution was to switch browsers. Nice workaround, but bad answer.

It was happening to me when visting the forums at somethingawful.com. It seems it's a problem with the ad provider. Here's what one of the webmasters wrote about it:

"The ad provider that feeds ads to the entire site has made a massive mistake and basically put something in to their ad code that will cause certain browsers (Mac primarily) to try to download something.

It's harmless, and not a virus, and it's been escalated to the provider. I am getting it fixed as fast as I can, as it's not within the control of the site.

I will be putting up dummy banners targeted to Macs as soon as I can, and the problem will be fixed soon.

My inbox is overflowing, and I just want everyone to know that the issue is known..."

The downloads have seemed to slow down, if not stop. How about for you Chris? Hope im not speaking too soon.