Links in VA messages I get lead to broken, useless pages

[sps7]

I believe it was some time last year when the VA's once useful messages I get in my Gmail service in my desktop tower computer (running only MX) always had links that led to pages that can't be viewed and are useless. Before this problem started and while using only MX as my OS these VA messages always had links in their messages (read in Gmail) that led to good info on useful pages. I called the VA IT people more than once about this and was told to try other browsers. I did that but exact same problem happens with any browser. [I favor PaleMoon and use it daily.] But if I infrequently turn on my Android tablet, the links in the VA email messages always work producing a good VA webpage. I wonder if this problem has to do with my desktop tower's OS or maybe with the VA's computers that create their email messages.

Then I noticed that FTC messages I get in a Yahoo email service I use also had links that led to broken, useless webpages. When this happened, I thought the US Government is creating links that aren't compatible with my OS. Yes?

Maybe a vet here can tell me if the links in VA email messages work and are useful.

Links in any other non-VA and non-FTC email messages always work well for me.

What's the explanation for this?

My QSI:

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20240905_1642
System:
  Kernel: 6.11.4-1-liquorix-amd64 [6.11-7~mx23ahs] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.11.4-1-liquorix-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro
    quiet splash
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.4_KDE_x64 Libretto
    July 31 2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: LENOVO product: 10B00013US v: ThinkCentre M73 serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 3 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: N/A v: SDK0E50510 WIN serial: <superuser required> BIOS: LENOVO
    v: FCKT72AUS date: 08/04/2015
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-4590 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3
    note: check built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3C (60) stepping: 3
    microcode: 0x28
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB
    L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3558 high: 3692 min/max: 800/3301 boost: enabled scaling:
    driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores: 1: 3491 2: 3359 3: 3692 4: 3692 bogomips: 26340
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: conditional; IBRS_FW; STIBP: disabled; RSB
    filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
    vendor: Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm
    built: 2013 ports: active: VGA-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x1024 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 338x270mm (13.31x10.63") s-diag: 433mm (17.03")
  Monitor-1: VGA-1 model: Dell 1905FP serial: <filter> built: 2005 res: 1280x1024 hz: 60 dpi: 86
    gamma: 1.2 size: 376x301mm (14.8x11.85") diag: 490mm (19.3") ratio: 5:4 modes: max: 1280x1024
    min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 24.2.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio vendor: Lenovo
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0c0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo 8
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8c20 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.11.4-1-liquorix-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Lenovo ThinkCentre E73
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8192CU 802.11n WLAN Adapter type: USB driver: rtl8192cu bus-ID: 3-2:2
    chip-ID: 0bda:8178 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 218.01 GiB (46.8%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Toshiba model: DT01ACA050 size: 465.76 GiB block-size:
    physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: A7C0
    scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 23.23 GiB size: 22.69 GiB (97.71%) used: 14.85 GiB (65.4%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-2: /home raw-size: 7.67 GiB size: 7.46 GiB (97.17%) used: 2.66 GiB (35.7%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 10 GiB used: 3.6 GiB (36.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/sda5
    maj-min: 8:5
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 48.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 3166 libs: 1645 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/megasync.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/meganz-archive-keyring.gpg] https://mega.nz/linux/repo/Debian_12/ ./
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera-stable.list
    1: deb https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vivaldi.list
Info:
  Processes: 254 Uptime: 11h 22m wakeups: 1 Memory: 7.68 GiB used: 4.51 GiB (58.7%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

[DukeComposed]

while using only MX as my OS these VA messages always had links in their messages (read in Gmail) that led to good info on useful pages. But if I infrequently turn on my Android tablet, the links in the VA email messages always work producing a good VA webpage. I wonder if this problem has to do with my desktop tower's OS or maybe with the VA's computers that create their email messages.

Then I noticed that FTC messages I get in a Yahoo email service I use also had links that led to broken, useless webpages. When this happened, I thought the US Government is creating links that aren't compatible with my OS. Yes?

Gmail is going to work pretty much the same way across the same browser regardless of what OS you use to log into it. You haven't described what the difference is between "good info" and "useless webpages". You should be able to log into Gmail from your tablet and verify if the exact same link from the exact same e-mail message works there and not on your PC.

[sps7]

"Good info" means text, something to view and read. "Useless webpages" simply means an error, i. e. nothing to read but something like "something's wrong". Here's what Firefox browser shows, and I now always see this kind of statement when I'm using my desktop tower MX Linux computer to click in Gmail on links in messages from the VA (and with Yahoo email service when the FTC sends me a message with links):


Unable to connect

An error occurred during a connection to lnks.gd.

The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments.
If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer’s network connection.
If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the web.

Try again

..............

I did the test you mentioned near the end of your posting. The links in the same email message read in the Android tablet in Gmail do work---> they open a VA page with text, etc.

[DukeComposed]

Here's what Firefox browser shows, and I now always see this kind of statement when I'm using my desktop tower MX Linux computer to click in Gmail on links in messages from the VA (and with Yahoo email service when the FTC sends me a message with links):

Unable to connect

An error occurred during a connection to lnks.gd.

The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments.

I did the test you mentioned near the end of your posting. The links in the same email message read in the Android tablet in Gmail do work---> they open a VA page with text, etc.

This is a sign that your PC is having trouble resolving the URLs given in the links you find in the e-mail messages. Your Android tablet probably has a Network section in its settings, and the wireless access network you're using will have settings on that tablet with an Advanced section that will tell you what DNS server it uses to do its domain name lookups. Compare that IP address to what you find in /etc/resolv.conf on your PC and I'll bet they're different.

Specifically, lnks.gd is on a lot of anti-advertising, anti-scam blocklists even though, or perhaps because of the U. S. federal government's use of it for link redirection. You may then also need to adjust your browser's extensions/adblocker policies in order to enable this domain.

[sps7]

Thanks DukeComposed for that great help and explanation. I'll go to sleep now and try what you wrote soon.

[Stevo]

I've always been told it's not prudent to click on links in email, as it's one of hacker/scammers' favorite phishing tools.

Though we are much more secure than certain other operating systems here, it's better to cultivate good habits.

[JeffA]

Hi,

I do get email from messages.va.gov on gmail, and I'm using Brave browser. When I click on links I get a warning:

This site may attempt to track you across other sites
Brave has prevented the following site from loading:
https://lnks.gd
Because you requested to aggressively block trackers and ads, Brave is blocking this site before the first network connection.

I'm given the option to proceed, and when I do it opens the intended links, which work fine on MX. The browser also gives me the option not to be warned about the site again.

Anyway, for me, it's working as intended. I don't have Firefox installed, but I don't see why it wouldn't work, unless Firefox is blocking even more aggressively without warning, if so I would think there would be a setting.

It seems clear that they are tracking who, or at least how many, are opening what links.

[JeffA]

Another thought, are you using a hosts blocker like antiX Advert Blocker, or something similar, that might have lnks.gd listed?