Get an applicable workaround to get rid of Ads by Dragon Branch, which implies eradicating the respective adware add-on from affected web browsers.

Dragon Branch is a malicious browser extension which exhibits extraordinary persistence and distorts the look and feel of websites visited on the PC that got infected. Just like in any average adware attack context, the add-on is marketed as something helpful and safe – it even has a site that describes the purported benefits of using it in a nutshell. The good part about this app doesn’t go any further than words, though, because its genuine objective has nothing to do with improving one’s Internet searching activities. The fact of the matter is that Dragon Branch pursues nothing but intrusive advertising goals and deploys this at the expense of the victim’s peace of mind and browsing experience.

Even a quick glance at the application’s web page is enough to realize that it, obviously, does not provide the download option. The reasoning behind such a weird state of things is that the adware developers are using other channels to distribute their adverse product. Compromised users have reportedly caught this bug when installing free software off of questionable sites and in some cases even on web resources with immaculate reputation. The virus is built into the setup for multiple open-source tools, including cracked Adobe Flash Player updates, media players, streaming video downloaders and similar potentially popular utilities. In most cases the users opt into the bundle without noticing it.

Misguiding description of Dragon Branch on its site

Dragon Branch adware operates on the infected computer as an add-on which appears on the extensions list for Firefox, Chrome and IE without being authorized by the PC admin. The add-on also modifies the system registry entry for Internet Explorer under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, in particular the start page value which gets configured to point to an adult site. The symptom that drives people nuts after all of these unwarranted changes take effect is the injection of sponsored entities into web pages. These objects are signed “Dragon Branch Ads”, mainly containing X-rated images and recommending the victim to click and be redirected to shady sites. The ads are displayed over the original text and graphics on pages and in most cases cannot be closed without browser diverting taking place.

The outcomes of Dragon Branch’s activity are both embarrassing and irritating, but the affected users are at their wit’s end when trying to fix it. Some of the removal hurdles occur because not all antiviruses detect this adware. Furthermore, if you try to uninstall this app manually, it reappears shortly or gets replaced by other viruses such as Buzzdock and Conduit. In order to bypass the above-mentioned persistence of Dragon Branch, it’s recommended to use the adware-specific removal instructions covered below. Just follow the steps and make your system virus-free.

Automatic removal of the Dragon Branch virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Dragon Branch Ads removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Dragon Branch automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate Dragon Branch. Select the bug and click Uninstall

Remove Dragon Branch Ads virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the Dragon Branch infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Dragon Branch can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Dragon Branch scanner and remover

The post Remove Dragon Branch Ads virus from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Get rid of intrusive media and annoying ads by Zombie News through removing this add-on from targeted web browsers and learn how else it can affect you.

The topic of zombie invasion has been trending for a really long time, getting continuously heated up by movies, TV shows, video games and thousands of web pages dedicated to this segment of science fiction. Computer application developers certainly don’t lag behind in propagating this facet of popular culture. Zombie News is one of such programs. The idea behind it is to scan the Internet for hot news on the theme, purportedly calculate the risk of zombie invasion and notify the user. Sounds like fun, moreover this app is free. More or less savvy PC users, however, prick their ears up when they hear “free software”, because this often times implies that the product is ad-supported. The authors of Zombie News do admit they have partnered with ad providers, but they claim to avoid the sponsored content that is obnoxious. What users are experiencing, though, is the opposite of that.

Official web page of Zombie News app

The somewhat dubious nature of this application becomes obvious from the very start as it installs on PCs via involvement in a bundling conspiracy. Its payload is obscured by not-so-transparent installation wizards of affiliated tools. These are mainly media downloaders, some of which also push such ill-famed software as Couponarific, SmartSaver Plus and SearchSnacks. Simply put, it’s not until Zombie News has already been installed that the user realizes it’s on board their machine. The extension, which is compatible with Internet Explorer 8 and later, Chrome and Firefox, will display sponsored in-text links, obtrusive software download recommendations, different coupons and trigger interstitial ads while you are surfing the web.

Intrusive popup ad by Zombie News

These adverts aren’t difficult to recognize as they say “Ads by Zombie News” or “Brought to You by Zombie News”. They appear in parts of websites that the webmasters never dedicated to advertising, consequently the user friendliness of web pages gets impacted considerably. Another thing about this adware that can potentially cause more issues is the data monitoring part, which means that it tracks the victim’s online activity, such as search history, and who knows how and for what purposes this information can be further exploited. So peruse the steps listed in the next part of this guide and follow them to permanently remove Zombie News add-on.

Automatic removal of the Zombie News virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Zombie News Ads removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Zombie News automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate Zombie News or Zombie Alert. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Zombie News Ads virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the Zombie News infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Zombie News can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Ads by Zombie News scanner and remover

The post Remove Zombie News virus ads from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Ways to make the Unico Browser (UnicoBrowser) adware vanish from one’s computer are provided in the article so that infected users can fix the problem on their own.

In the context of analyzing the Unico Browser application, it’s problematic to bridge the gap between what’s legitimate and what’s not right about it. The vendor, Clara Labs Software, has got a nice and shiny website dedicated to their new product, but a little bit of research reveals that they kept the old page design and merely changed the app’s name: from the forerunner called BoBrowser to the one mentioned above. Since the BoBrowser program had become infamous for its questionable activity, which bears clear traits of adware, it’s reasonable to assume the successor has got some skeletons in its closet as well. So let’s check and see.

UnicoBrowser site isn’t frank enough

Unico Browser is marketed as a tool for surfing the Internet, where speed, security and ad-free experience are allegedly the fundamental features. It’s somewhat strange, therefore, that the utility has obviously borrowed some graphical components from another web browser, the good reputation of which is out of the question. Things get even more suspicious considering that the tool is being distributed through software wrapping, a technique widely used by adware creators to infect machines. There are open sources applications, for instance MixVideoPlayer.exe, whose installation wizards have Unico Browser preselected along with several other dubious applets such as MyPC Backup and I-Cinema. Long story short, spreading of the solution under analysis is implemented in such a way that the user normally won’t know it’s getting inside.

After the drive-by trespassing, the software automatically becomes your default web browser without requesting your consent. It also adds an extension to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer so that its impact persists even after you manually undo the previously imposed unauthorized defaults. When surfing the web, therefore, you will be constantly encountering sponsored links and ads that are not intended by the webmasters of the pages being visited. Customer leads, ad views and the use of pay-per-click affiliate model are the average adware creator’s wet dream, so the people in charge of the UnicoBrowser marketing are apparently highly interested in a large client base. The way this base is attracted isn’t moral, though, because users don’t really opt into installing this program.

In the event UnicoBrowser is on your PC and it’s causing you problems, which it most likely does, it ought to be removed. Unfortunately, the uninstall routine won’t be as easy as you would expect from a regular piece of software, hence that’s a matter of applying extensively tested workarounds.

Automatic removal of the Unico Browser virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download UnicoBrowser removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get UnicoBrowser automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate UnicoBrowser, BoBrowser or other entry whose icon resembles that of Google Chrome. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Unico Browser virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the UnicoBrowser infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like UnicoBrowser can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download UnicoBrowser scanner and remover

The post Remove Unico Browser adware from Windows PC appeared first on Keone Software.

Review and follow the easy and effective method to completely uninstall Digital More browser infection and get rid of the ads it displays.

Computer users who are fed up with legitimate advertising on the Internet will definitely not bear the presence of Digital More app on their PCs. The people who are more tolerant towards the routine ecommerce stuff on the web will certainly get frustrated as well. Unlike the authorized online marketing where site administrators allow certain content to be displayed by advertisers, ad-supported applets generate sponsored information on absolutely every web page visited from a machine that these apps are running on. In other words, non-infected users won’t see the adverts on any given site, whereas the infected ones will. So it’s the presence or absence of a particular browser extension that makes the difference.

Digital More app’s website conceals the truth

Digital More is purported to be an excellent tool that helps find product information on the web. That’s far from being true actually. Once this add-on gets into your computer, all you will encounter is dozens of popup ads, suspicious software download prompts, coupons that appear in the worst places on websites imaginable, and other annoying objects. By the way, people are usually puzzled about the onset of this application, because it’s not something they remember installing. No surprise, though, since Digital More sticks with other software installs, moreover it does so in a fashion that the user isn’t likely to notice the additional suggestions which are already activated by default. As a result, the adware makes its way inside the system and starts acting.

Misleading popup ad by Digital More

The superfluous entities that get triggered by this adware include misleading popup alerts about made-up problems related to computer performance or security, price comparison boxes, various freebies, in-text links and interstitial ads. The distinguishing trait of these objects is the inscription “Digital More Ads” or “Ads by Digital More” on them. Their amount exceeds all reasonable limits and they slow down the browser, therefore it’s out of the question that Digital More virus should be removed as soon as its side effects are spotted.

Automatic removal of the Digital More Ads virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Digital More Ads removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Digital More automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list, with your eye on Digital More or other suspicious entries that you installed lately. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Ads by Digital More from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the Digital More virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Digital More can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Ads by Digital More scanner and remover

The post Remove Digital More ads from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers appeared first on Keone Software.

Web browsing difficulties because of SalePlus app’s intrusive activity can be addressed by sticking to the removal instructions covered in this post.

The SalePlus applet, as the name hints, is supposed to enhance or otherwise improve its customers’ online shopping experience. According to a brief review on its site, the tool finds and displays promos and freebies that accurately match the user’s needs and preferences. This perspective, however, turns out way too narrow when it comes to the actual feedback from frustrated people who happen to have dealt with that product. The overall profile of SalePlus gets yet gloomier when security software comes into play – the utility is flagged as an adware. The rest of this entry is going to shed light on the reasons for this detection trend, which is definitely not a “false positive” thing; also, you will find out what risks the infection can pose and how its impact is to be stopped.

SalePlus website lacks the download button, for obvious reasons

The developers of SalePlus outsource the proliferation part of their business to open-source third-party software. The multitude of apps containing this unwanted installer outweighs most of the commonplace adware spreading networks, which means that the ill-disposed marketers are taking their dirty job seriously. Here is a list of just several programs which, once installed in compliance with the default setup option, will likely promote the virus: Candy Crush, some versions of GemsPlus Mod for Minecraft, Prompt Downloader, ShareBeast, Data File Host, as well as pirated variants of Adobe Flash Player and the Opera browser. So, it’s a mistaken persuasion that you are safe as long as you refrain from installing the obvious adware as such. Its authors are more sophisticated than that, and they will apply social engineering traps to get users infected.

Ads by SalePlus pop up where they shouldn’t

The commencement of malicious advertising by SalePlus on the computer is where your peace of mind ends. Deployment of the app’s campaign is accompanied by the wrecking of conventional user interaction. It does not ask for permission to install a new extension on Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer, nor does it need authorization to display its coupons, freebies, price comparisons, different sorts of banners and in-text links on every single web page that gets resolved in the browser. None of these adverts are allowed by site owners, but the add-on’s privileges enable it to control the way web pages are presented to the victim. The ads have a distinguishing trait, that is, a signature reading “Ads by SalePlus”, “Brought to you by SalePlus” or similar. In some cases, users have been reportedly tricked into downloading other malicious software via these popups. This is apparently wrong, and the operation of the adware needs to be ceased. To learn how, be sure to peruse and follow the removal tips.

Automatic removal of the SalePlus virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download SalePlus Ads removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get SalePlus automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate SalePlus. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove SalePlus Ads virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the SalePlus infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like SalePlus can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Ads by SalePlus scanner and remover

The post Remove SalePlus Ads adware from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Read the must-know details about JollyWallet app, find out why it is categorized as adware and follow the steps to remove this add-on and prevent annoying ads.

One of the issues that often accompany the operation of e-commerce applications is the elevated degree of intrusiveness that they might exhibit. There is therefore a thin line between these sorts of software products and potentially unwanted entities called adware. It’s somewhat arguable which category the JollyWallet applet represents, but as per user feedback and the analysis of certain behavioral patterns, it acts in a fashion which is reminiscent of the malicious programs mentioned above. To its credit, this tool is backed by fairly high-quality marketing and seems to accommodate useful features, judging from the information declared in the open. It is stated to display coupon deals when you got to websites of partnering shopping stores. Also, JollyWallet is claimed to provide a cash back option, where the vendor shares their contractual discount with the users. Unfortunately, things end up being not so unshadowed.

JollyWallet’s site looks fancy but isn’t straightforward enough

First off, it’s not only the affiliated websites that the ads and banners pop up on. As long as JollyWallet is running, you will be seeing annoying sponsored information wherever you go online, be it social networking sites or just your regular web pages for news, sports, etc. Secondly, the volume of this advertising is enormous, so be ready for some popups closing and minimizing work that won’t seem to end. Since that’s a lot of graphics to permanently pull up and display, the browser is going to get slower and will occasionally report various plugin crash alerts.

JollyWallet ads at the top of a web page

JollyWallet is cross-browser, so it’s got an add-on for Chrome, Firefox and IE in store. The way it gets into a PC is a whole separate story, but the main fact in this regard is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be downloaded from the official web page. There are tons of free applications which, when installed, also promote the program under consideration, and the mentioning of this cooperation isn’t always clear or unveiled. This is why the sudden appearance of JollyWallet popup ads on browser pages is a surprise to users most of the time.

Aside from the obvious invasiveness of this app, it might pose more serious risks. The tool processes some of your e-shopping transactions, or at least has shared access to those along with the retailers you buy goods from. Although it hasn’t been confirmed, since this information and credentials are actually available for the intermediary service, they might be used for the purposes that are hard to foresee. Anyway, if you never installed JollyWallet but it’s displaying unwanted ads on your computer, or in case it’s simply giving you a hard time during your Internet sessions, go ahead and remove it using this tutorial.

Automatic removal of the JollyWallet adware

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download JollyWallet removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get JollyWallet automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list, with your eye on suspicious entries that you installed lately. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Ads by JollyWallet from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the JollyWallet virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like JollyWallet can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download JollyWallet Ads scanner and remover

The post Remove JollyWallet ads malware from Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer appeared first on Keone Software.

Visiting SafeSear.ch without actually intending to is an indication of virus activity, so take advantage of the instructions in this post to remove the adware.

Notwithstanding the somewhat cheesy stereotypical perception, computer threat landscape isn’t restricted to just the vicious screen locker attacks, ransomware hoaxes and Stuxnet-like alleged global conspiracy. Sometimes it appears to be hard to even affiliate a specific sample with the cybercrime underground. Adware programs, for instance, do not cause direct damage to a compromised machine or steal one’s identity. In fact, they aren’t designed to. The intensions of black hat hackers and their tactics are growing increasingly subtle, balancing somewhere in between the lawful and the illicit. As an illustration, the PUP (potentially unwanted program) named “SafeSear.ch” won’t harvest your personally identifiable data, nor will it make your PC a thoughtless node in a botnet. All it does is it makes your web browser hit a particular URL off and on, and the web traffic obtained this way gets exploited for affiliate marketing objectives.

The adware causes SafeSear.ch to replace custom browsing settings

You don’t install the add-on related to SafeSear.ch. It infects you. The methodology adopted for delivering the controversial code to computers is all about third party software installations. Numerous free applets, such as movie downloaders, media players, and builds of critical tools (Java, Adobe Reader, etc.) that are customized to include the adware, will ensure that the infection finds its victims. There is nothing illegal about this sort of bundling, but open source software developers ought to inform their would-be customers more clearly about the items that are being pushed along with their products. The main idea of such an approach is to get people infected without giving them a straightforward notification that extra objects are built into the package.

The default search, home page and new tab settings in Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox undergo the brunt of this virus. The entity claiming to be a browser enhancement tool will automatically alter these values to its own, that is, SafeSear.ch domain. Therefore, whenever an event occurs that associates with the contorted configuration, the user will be redirected to said web page. In other words, SafeSear.ch replaces your browsing preferences without even a hue of agreement request.

That site proper is tailored to resemble a rather commonplace search provider, but it does not bear the corresponding functionality at all. The web search feature is outsourced over to Yahoo!, including the lookup by keyword, images, video and news. The shopping capacity is affiliated with the AliExpress service. Even though SafeSear.ch page itself thus seems to be worthless, its creators are definitely happy because user leads are well paid for, so the only unsatisfied link in this chain is the attacked user. In order to undo this blatant injustice, make sure you follow the recommendations below and get rid of the virus.

Automatic removal of the SafeSear.ch virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download SafeSear.ch removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get SafeSear.ch automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate SafeSear.ch or other suspicious-looking entries among the recently installed programs (possibly SafeSearch – another spelling variant used by the attackers. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove SafeSear.ch virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the SafeSear.ch adware made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like SafeSear.ch can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download SafeSear.ch scanner and remover

The post Remove SafeSear.ch malware in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Use this article to get rid of the ads-inflated alarabeyes.com website, which constantly pops up in web browsers infected with the respective adware.

Whereas malware researchers and tech experts at security labs are generally accustomed to analyzing adware samples which are affiliated with landing pages in English, the Alarabeyes.com instance is sort of exotic, figuratively speaking. It is a site whose main content is presented in Arabic language, and the malicious software sustaining it in terms of visitor provision should, predictably enough, target machines in countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE or Qatar. An in-depth study, however, reveals a somewhat different state of things. The virus does not appear to be too selective about the geolocation aspect, so computer users all over the globe are subject to this attack.

Essentially, Alarabeyes.com is an aggregate of a variety of popular information segments. At first sight, the page may look non-intuitive, especially considering that the language is unfamiliar to many. It contains an obviously excessive quantity of banners and other types of sponsored data. Those reading this article will probably think “Oh well, took a look at the site, seems a bit messy, better pass by,” but that’s not an option for the users who got attacked by the malicious applet powering this controversial online service.

The crazy amount of information on Alarabeyes.com

The problem is, one’s web browsing preferences may get forcibly modified to start returning Alarabeyes.com on a recurrent basis. The kernel of this issue is an unwanted program that sneaks past the regular user approval requests, installs an add-on in Firefox, IE and Chrome, and automatically gets the permissions that allow it to establish firm control of how the browsers operate. Consequently, the homepage parameter will be set to Alarabeyes.com, whether or not you want this to happen. The same effect is applied to new tab and default search settings, which will also resolve the wrong site every time the victim attempts to use them. Another marker that indicates the presence of this infection on a computer, in addition to the irritating browser redirects, is that this infection drops two executables, namely RemoveTool.exe and uninstall.exe. It also creates a folder named “arhome” inside the appdata\roaming directory.

This adware is sophisticated enough to prevent removal through the standard means, therefore uninstalling it via Control Panel alone won’t work. A certain sequence of cleaning steps can tame and eliminate the virus, though, so continue reading the post to learn what those are.

Automatic removal of the Alarabeyes.com virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Alarabeyes.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Alarabeyes.com automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate unfamiliar programs, especially ones that appeared on the machine recently. Select the likely bugs and click Uninstall/Change for those

Remove Alarabeyes.com homepage from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that this virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Alarabeyes.com can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Alarabeyes scanner and remover

The post Remove Alarabeyes.com virus homepage from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer appeared first on Keone Software.

Read the article to learn the main attack vectors used by malware to infect Safari and follow the instructions to remove viruses from this browser.

Although there is a version of Safari browser built for Windows operating system, it is native to and primarily associated with Apple’s Mac OS X and iOS. It’s therefore not hard to comprehend the size and scope of user community enjoying this Internet navigation client’s features and benefits. Whereas Windows aficionados are more accustomed to malicious software attacking their machines, Macs are also getting increasingly targeted over the course of the last several years. Since OS X proper is generally known to accommodate a robust security model which isn’t easy to dodge, the cybercrime actors out there tend to take advantage of the platform’s individual components that are more of a low hanging fruit. Safari is by far the most frequently exploited environment in these malware attacks.

The infections tailored to compromise this web browser are fairly versatile. Some of them are unique and cannot be encountered elsewhere. For instance, the fake FBI locker hoax, which was at large in 2013, would specifically go after Safari, while the Windows based counterpart of this virus tended to affect the entire computer.

The FBI Moneypak virus locking Safari

There is a category of infections, mostly adware, that are cross-browser, so they hit Safari, Chrome and Firefox alike. These threats typically infiltrate Mac boxes furtively by accompanying other downloads and installs. This software wrapping model is extremely widespread for serving browser malware. The user might think they got lucky to find some free app that features a desired functionality, but the freeware might carry an unwanted payload that isn’t likely to be noticed along the way. Some examples of such universal bugs are BrowserSafeguard with RocketTab, Search Protect by Conduit, Deal Finder, Trovi, Offers4U, DealFinder, and Rvzr-a.akamaihd.net popup virus, to name a few.

Annoying ads displayed by RocketTab adware in Safari

Some infections are Mac-specific. These include apps representing the controversial Genieo network as well as tons of ad-injecting extensions such as MacCost, MacitNow, MacSpend, MacSter, MacGlobalDeals, InstallMac and many others. What they all have in common is being manifested as Safari toolbars, extensions or plugins. All websites visited in the affected browser will contain multiple advertisements that do not belong there. The ads are isolated to the machine, so the exact same sites won’t be inflated with the annoying sponsored data when visited from a non-infected box.

The most efficient method to stay away from Safari malware is to be cautious what you download and install, because bundling with third party apps is the main loophole used by virus makers to infect this browser. In the meanwhile, if you did catch one of these bugs, use the steps below to resolve the mishap.

Techniques to remove malware from Safari

There are several vectors applicable to eradicate malicious code that ended up in your browser. Since both search hijackers and ad-inserting bugs tend to be embodied as malicious extensions or plugins, the first workaround is to uninstall these apps. While this approach is often efficient, sometimes it won’t work – it all depends on severity of a particular threat. In the worst case scenario, resetting Safari works flawlessly, but this procedure will erase all personalized browsing data. So try the former technique first, and if it doesn’t help, proceed to the latter (steps to be provided below).

Method 1: Manual removal of malicious components from Safari

• Go to Safari Menu, select Preferences and hit Extensions tab
• Review the list of extensions in the left-hand part of the screen, select one that looks suspicious and click Uninstall to eradicate it from Safari
• Now click on the General tab. Select your default search engine and enter the preferred Safari homepage
• Restart Safari and browse around a bit to check if the problem has been fixed. If the symptoms aren’t occurring anymore, you’re good to go. In the event the issue persists, move on to the next troubleshooting vector.

Method 2: Reset Safari to its defaults

• Go to Safari menu and select Reset Safari… on the list
• In the Reset Safari window, check all the boxes and click the Reset button
• Do some test browsing to see if things are okay now and whether the malware is gone.

Verify whether the virus has been completely removed from Safari

For certainty’s sake, it’s advised to run a scan with automatic security software in order to make sure no harmful remnants of this adware are left. This method should also be employed in case the manual troubleshooting workflows ended up being inefficient.

Download Safari malware remover

The post Remove malware from Safari browser appeared first on Keone Software.

Learn what malicious software tends to infect the Opera browser, be advised on ways to avoid the attacks and get instructions to remove this malware.

First and foremost, those who are questioning the popularity of Opera might change their mind after learning some bare facts about it. In late 2014, the overall user base of this web browser reached 350 million. Also, not every competitor can boast 20 years of background – Opera can. It has also been quite innovative throughout its history. Did you know, for instance, that it was the first browser to introduce the handy feature of graphical slots for quick access to favorite sites from a new tab? Major players on the market have followed suit and borrowed this functionality after Opera had pioneered with it back in 2007. So it’s a game changer in some aspects, plus it has earned quite a number of awards from authoritative resources such as PC World and About.com.

Opera browser assaulted by homepage hijacker

The web browser in question is hardly different from other widely used counterparts as far as virus attacks are concerned. The dominating variants of Opera malware include ad-supported PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) as well as homepage and search hijackers. Above is an illustration of a fairly run-of-the-mill malicious add-on in action. The user’s custom browsing settings, such as start page, preferred search engine and new tab site, are automatically modified by the infection, which is technically an extension that takes over critical privileges without being so authorized. The outcome is obvious: an unwanted web page will be constantly popping up instead of the user-defined URLs. This technique pursues the traffic redistribution objective, where interested parties pay the malware authors for capturing user hits.

Luckily, Opera isn’t targeted by adware as much as IE, Chrome and Firefox are. The typical malicious code injection routine leveraged for infiltrating browsers is a tricky process that involves bundling with other software. In the course of this workflow, the user is expected to quickly click through dialogs that accompany the setup of the carrying freeware, the main idea being to make people fail noticing the indication of the unwanted promotion. Now, according to the analysis of these scenarios for some of the prevalent adware applications in the wild, Opera is sometimes not listed in such disclaimers (see image below). So, obviously, these threats aren’t quite cross-browser, which is good.

Opera not being targeted by an adware sample

Another big cluster of Opera malware includes intrusive plugins that generate ads while the victim is surfing the web. Their distribution usually follows the same bundling pattern. In this case, the user will encounter multiple popup ads, comparison shopping boxes and in-text links across every web page that is visited. Interstitial ads are also likely to be triggered when the browser or new tabs are launched and whenever random space on sites is mouse-clicked.

Regardless of the subcategory of malware that attacked your Opera browser, the cleanup tends to be more complex than the standard low-level troubleshooting. The adware may or may not be listed on Control Panel’s Add/Remove Programs interface. Even if it’s there, uninstalling it doesn’t necessarily lead to easy remediation of the adverse changes. Restoring the right preferences manually is hardly ever efficient either. The instructions below are an aggregate of the knowledge provided by security professionals in the context of eradicating viruses from Opera.

Techniques to remove malware from Opera

There are several vectors applicable to eradicate malicious code that ended up in your browser. Since both search hijackers and ad-inserting bugs tend to be embodied as malicious extensions or plugins, the first workaround is to uninstall these apps. While this approach is often efficient, sometimes it won’t work – it all depends on severity of a particular threat. In the worst case scenario, resetting Opera works flawlessly, but this procedure will erase all personalized browsing data. So try the former technique first, and if it doesn’t help, proceed to the latter (steps to be provided below).

Method 1: Manual removal of malicious components from Opera

• Click the Customize and control Opera button in the top left-hand part of the window and select Extensions manager in the drop-down
• Find the malicious extension on the list and click Disable as shown below. This will remove the unwanted item
• Click the Customize and control Opera icon again and select Settings
• Proceed to the section called On startup under Settings, select the radio button for Open a specific page or set of pages option and click on Set pages link
• On the Startup pages dialog that pops up, find the unwanted entry and click the X button to the right. Also, enter the preferred start page and click OK
• Proceed to the Search section under Settings and select your preferred search engine from the list
• Restart Opera and browse around a bit to check if the problem has been fixed. If the symptoms aren’t occurring anymore, you’re good to go. In the event the issue persists, move on to the next troubleshooting vector.

Method 2: Reset Opera to its defaults

• Click Customize and control Opera and select Settings
• Select Privacy & security option and click the Clear browsing data button as shown
• When a dialog pops up, make sure all checkboxes are activated, select the beginning of time in the drop-down list, and click Clear browsing data at the bottom
• You are done resetting Opera. Do some test browsing to see if things are okay now and whether the malware is gone.

Verify whether the virus has been completely removed from Opera

For certainty’s sake, it’s advised to run a scan with automatic security software in order to make sure no harmful remnants of this adware are left inside Windows Registry and other operating system locations. This method should also be employed in case the manual troubleshooting workflows ended up being inefficient.

Download Opera malware remover

The post Remove malware from Opera browser appeared first on Keone Software.

Be instructed on methods to get rid of malware in Chrome, review the common symptoms of this kind of infection, and learn some basic virus prevention tips.

Chrome is designed to be fast, safe and easy. These indisputable benefits as well as the vendor’s reputation have enabled the product to quickly catch up to its main competitors and become one of the world’s most popular web browsers since the initial release back in 2008. Popularity of any software, however, makes ill-disposed individuals put their mind to ways of exploiting it, because the bigger a potential attack surface the more productive it is for illegal profit gain.

Google is generally known for taking security seriously, so the browser is a moving target that cannot be easily compromised. This is why cyber fraudsters are leveraging unethical practices to get their code delivered to targeted computers and installed in Chrome. In other words, most of the viruses tailored to hit it end up there because the users actually authorize these bugs to get in. The trickery is about whether or not people realize it, which they mainly don’t. Different types of social engineering, including phishing, often become a springboard for a compromise. The primary vector of contamination at this time is what’s called “bundling”, which denotes a framework where the user gets owned while installing other applications. Those are open source tools whose installation can only be completed if you opt into the extra that they go with.

Chrome adware wrapped in freeware setup

For you to get a better idea of the most widespread types of Chrome malware, let’s look into a few samples: one for the so-called search and homepage hijacker, and the other for the ad-injecting subcategory. The spreading workflow for both is clearly demonstrated by the screenshot above, where a third-party applet promotes the harmful payload in the way that the user might not even notice the hoax.

SalePlus exemplifies the infections that embed redundant advertisements into the layout of visited sites. Again, it is distributed in tandem with affiliated freeware products. Once this adware has infected a computer, it adds a new plugin or object masqueraded as a web service enhancement. The user is not involved in the process of authorizing the program to make changes to the browser’s functioning and get admin-level privileges.

Popup ad triggered by adware

Consequently, the virus inserts ads into every web page, for instance comparison shopping sections, freebies, coupons, in-text links, etc. This is a model based on pay-per-click and pay-per-view advertising. It’s too bad that it gets deployed in contradiction with the user’s interests. The victim’s privacy is at risk too, because personally identifiable web browsing information is collected by the app and can be handed over to third parties.

Another widespread species of Chrome viruses is represented by apps like Binkiland, or WSE_Binkiland, which is generically classified as adware. Its technical background is as follows: it operates as an extension which modifies Chrome’s homepage, default search, new tab and shortcut settings without requesting user approval. These changes are highly persistent, so attempts to reconfigure the browsing preferences manually are infrequently actionable.

Custom settings hijacked in Chrome

Through a technique as intrusive and abominable as that, the adware forces you to use its own landing page, which is a search service with a lot of ads above the fold on its results pages. These sorts of sites are typically safe to visit, but the fact that they are imposed on you by someone else isn’t comforting at all.

Chrome is definitely not a low-hanging fruit to attackers as Google, thankfully, does invest heavily into security. In case you have been tricked into installing something that messes up your browsing, however, be sure to read the recommendations below and fix the problem in several steps.

Techniques to remove malware from Chrome

There are several vectors applicable to eradicate malicious code that ended up in your browser. Since both search hijackers and ad-inserting bugs tend to be embodied as malicious extensions or plugins, the first workaround is to uninstall these apps. While this approach is often efficient, sometimes it won’t work – it all depends on severity of a particular threat. In the worst case scenario, resetting Chrome works flawlessly, but this procedure will erase all personalized browsing data. So try the former technique first, and if it doesn’t help, proceed to the latter (steps to be provided below).

Method 1: Manual removal of malicious components from Chrome

• Click the Chrome menu icon in the top right-hand part of the Chrome window and go to More tools –> Extensions
• Find the malicious extension on the list and click trash bin icon next to it. This will remove the unwanted item
• Click the Chrome menu icon again and select Settings
• Proceed to the section called On startup under Settings, select the radio button for Open a specific page or set of pages option and click on Set pages link
• On the Startup pages dialog that pops up, find the unwanted entry and click the X button to the right
• Proceed to the Search section under Settings and select your preferred search engine on the list
• Restart Chrome and browse around a bit to check if the problem has been fixed. If the symptoms aren’t occurring anymore, you’re good to go. In the event the issue persists, move on to the next troubleshooting vector.

Method 2: Reset Chrome to its original state

• Click on the Chrome menu icon and select Settings
• Locate the Show advanced settings option and click it
• Go ahead and click on the Reset settings button
• Chrome will display a confirmation dialog box listing the types of data that will be lost if you proceed. Read the message carefully and, if you’re sure, click Reset
• Do some test browsing to see if things are okay now and whether the malware is gone.

Verify whether the virus has been completely removed from Chrome

For certainty’s sake, it’s advised to run a scan with automatic security software in order to make sure no harmful remnants of this adware are left inside Windows Registry and other operating system locations. This method should also be employed in case the manual troubleshooting workflows ended up being inefficient.

Download Chrome malware remover

The post Remove malware from Google Chrome appeared first on Keone Software.

This post is intended for the users who caught the Jogostempo browser virus, covering the analysis of this hijacker as well as removal instructions.

Jogostempo is an aggregate informational resource designed to perform the function of a browser homepage. It contains numerous links to popular services, a built-in search box, current weather data, tons of potentially useful references by different categories, and ads that the user might be interested in seeing. There is generally nothing bad about the site itself, except perhaps the somewhat excessive saturation with graphics. And yet, a lot of end users are having trouble with Jogostempo.com, because it may forcibly replace their browsing defaults. It’s the dark side of the service in question that’s going to be dissected here. Regular applications, including browser add-ons, appear in one’s computer because the user actually installs them – that’s how the software world works.

Infected browser opening Jogostempo.com instead of the custom homepage

In the case with Jogostempo, however, the underlying app can get on board a PC without going through the ordinary setup. It instead uses third-party solutions as a trespass mechanism, being bundled in various freeware installation wizards. This sort of practice isn’t prohibited or malicious whatsoever, but affiliated software promotion is sometimes made fuzzy on purpose. The ‘recommended’ setup option, which is already ticked for you, or small font of the installation terms – that’s what does the trick and makes the undesired entity appear on the target machine so that the user doesn’t even know about it.

This adware runs as a cross-browser extension that automatically gets sufficient privileges to alter the custom settings in Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. It can do without the user’s approval along the way, so the modifications are usually an “out of the blue” thing. The homepage URL as well as new tab and default search settings will be set to Jogostempo.com. One of the tricks about this process is, even if you toggle the browser settings and put the right site for your start page, it won’t help. That’s because the virus also amends browser shortcut parameters, adding an argument to the regular string in the Target field. This complicates the changes remediation procedure, but it’s all doable. In order to prevent Jogostempo.com from being repeatedly opened against your will, be sure to restore the normal browser shortcut settings by erasing anything after the “.exe” extension in there, and follow the steps listed in the removal part of this post.

Automatic removal of the Jogostempo virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Jogostempo.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Jogostempo.com automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully down the list and locate Jogostempo, gamegogle or other unfamiliar programs, especially ones that appeared on the machine recently. Select the likely bug(s) and click Uninstall/Change for those.

Remove Jogostempo.com homepage from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that this virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Jogostempo can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore, by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Jogostempo scanner and remover

The post How to remove Jogostempo homepage from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Use removal recommendations provided in this article to get rid of the annoying popups by Rockyfroggy.com that lure users into paid service subscription.

Rockyfroggy.com is a website that leverages a very tricky and controversial tactic in order to attract visitors and rip them off in the long run. The web page proper is not harmful, so it makes sense describing its marketing model in detail for disambiguation. The site and the respective service are sustained by a malicious adware application that plays the critical role in this hoax. The virus affects all major web browsers detected on the computer. It covertly installs a new browser component, such as an add-on or plugin, which then displays intrusive popup ads recommending the victim to try Rockyfroggy and get incredible gifts in return.

rockyfroggy-com

The website hosts a sort of amusing image-based quiz and promises a reward for playing and participating. According to the ads, users can purchase a gadget such as a smartphone, or expensive perfumes for as little as 1 EUR after only three days of playing. Given that this looks like a fantastic offer, people end up going through the trial registration and eventually discover that they wasted their time and fell for a terrible fraud. The problem is that the story about gifts is a fake, and the only reason why the bad guys want you to register is to get full subscription payments from you further on. That’s 89 EUR per month.

When you realize that you are being scammed by Rockyfroggy, the first thing that comes to mind is to cancel the subscription and never go back to that site. This won’t be easy, to say the least. Unsubscribing is very problematic, so you will keep getting billed the fees on a monthly basis, whether you like it or not. Another problem is in the popup virus that stays inside the computer and constantly generates the obnoxious popup ads and redirects the browser to Rockyfroggy.com. In order to remove this infection and get back to normal web browsing, it’s strongly recommended to review and follow the steps below. Also, be sure to refrain from paying to these fraudsters and don’t be gullible when surfing the web.

Automatic removal of the Rockyfroggy virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Rockyfroggy.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Rockyfroggy automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate Rockyfroggy or other suspicious-looking entries among the recently installed programs. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Rockyfroggy virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the Rockyfroggy adware made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Rockyfroggy can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Rockyfroggy scanner and remover

The post Remove Rockyfroggy popup scam in Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Find out the connections between HELP_DECRYPT file and the vicious CryptoWall ransomware and learn how to get rid of the recurring popups at system boot time.

It’s not really a standalone computer issue that this article is going to highlight – instead, it’s more a symptom requiring urgent treatment in order to globally address a serious malware problem. The repeated encounters of a file named HELP_DECRYPT on a Windows PC ought to be interpreted as an unambiguous signal that a ransomware infection is currently residing inside the system and making a mess of one’s personal information. The genuine troublemaker in this scenario is called CryptoWall, which is a file encrypting virus that renders victim’s data impossible to open in a regular way. Any potential host machine is low-hanging fruit for this attack as long as the user practices poor security by, for instance, opening ZIP objects attached to suspicious emails. The ransomware has also been reportedly spreading by means of exploit kits, which are sophisticated tools that find and use software vulnerability based loopholes in one’s security.

HELP_DECRYPT popup window

Unfortunately, the appearance of help_decrypt popup window after every computer startup means that the original virus has already done its nasty job, so it’s a post-factum fix that needs to be carried out. In other words, the actual ransomware has scanned all the letter-assigned hard drive sectors, found the files with popular extensions and encrypted them with RSA algorithm. By that time, it has also dropped the following files to each folder with encrypted items: help_decrypt.txt, help_decrypt.html, help_decrypt.png, and help_decrypt.url.

Variants of HELP_DECRYPT files added to a folder

Because the malicious routine gets automatically added to the startup workflow, the help_decrypt window pops up whenever the machine boots. It contains general information about what happened to the user’s data and how to recover it. A number of victim-specific TOR links pointing to the dedicated “personal home page” are also provided in the file for the victim to proceed with the ransom payment amounting to a Bitcoin equivalent of 500 USD.

The CryptoWall contamination is too complex to completely handle via any single remediation vector. Technically, it’s not problematic to eradicate the ransomware itself, but that’s in no way related to the retrieval of encrypted personal files. The world’s leading security software vendors have been struggling to come up with a decrypt tool capable of recovering the data beyond ransom payment – to no avail at this point. The RSA standard leveraged in this attack presupposes generating a public and private key, one of which is stored on a remote C&C server controlled by the black hat hackers. Ultimately, the victims are bound to rely on chance while employing several workarounds, none of which is a panacea. The best-case scenario is if the user had maintained data backups, but regretfully that’s not the general practice nowadays. Please read the options below to keep help_decrypt window from popping up, remove the ransomware bug and try to make personal files accessible again.

Automatic removal of the CryptoWall virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download help_decrypt removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get CryptoWall automatically uninstalled from your machine. The following steps are intended to restore the encrypted files.

Recover files locked by the ransomware

Removing the infection proper is only a part of the fix, because the seized personal information will stay encrypted regardless. Review and try the methods below to get a chance of restoring the files.

Option 1: Backups
The cloud works wonders when it comes to troubleshooting in the framework of ransomware assault. If you have been keeping data backups in a remote place, just use the respective feature accommodated by your backup provider to reinstate all encrypted items.

Option 2: Recovery tools
The research of CryptoWall virus reveals an important fact about the way it processes the victim’s data: it deletes the original files, and it’s actually their copies that are encrypted. In the meanwhile, it is common knowledge that anything erased from a computer doesn’t completely vanish and can be dragged out of memory via certain techniques. Recovery applications are capable of doing this, so this method is surely worth a try.

Download Data Recovery Pro

Option 3: Shadow Copies
The Windows operating system incorporates a technology referred to as the Volume Snapshot Service, or VSS, which performs files or volumes backup routine automatically. One critical prerequisite in this regard is to have the System Restore feature toggled on. In case it has been active, some data segments can be successfully recovered.

You may perform this activity with the Previous Versions functionality, which is built into the OS, or by means of special applications that will do the job automatically.

• Previous Versions feature
  Right-click on a file and choose Properties in the context menu. Find a tab named Previous Versions and click on it to view the last automatic backup that was made. Depending on a preferred action, click Restore to get the file recovered to its original location, or click Copy and indicate a new directory.
• Shadow Explorer applet
  It’s remarkably easy to manage Previous Versions of files and folders with automated tools like Shadow Explorer. This program is free to use. Download and install it, let it come up with a profile of the file hierarchy on the computer, and get down to the restoration proper. You can select a drive name on the list, then right-click on the files or folders to recover, and click Export to proceed.

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like ransomware can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore, by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download HELP_DECRYPT scanner and remover

The post How to remove help_decrypt virus file on Windows startup appeared first on Keone Software.

Prevent mysearch123.com from being constantly visited by means of uninstalling the malicious extension on the contaminated PC and affected web browsers.

Malicious computer applications do not necessarily have to be complex to the bone or highly harmful to cause their victims a great deal of frustration. In fact, the tendency of continuously blurring delineation between critical and low severity is reflected in a whole separate cluster of infections. Threats like mysearch123 get detected by AV tools as “potentially unwanted” rather than “dangerous”, but their associated side effects tend to strike where it hurts, involving the aberration of one’s web browsing routine in particular. Also catalogued as an adware, the aforementioned app leads to the following phenomena: the user-defined homepage across all installed browsers becomes modified, new entries are added to Windows registry without proper consent on the victim’s end, and program shortcut settings get appended with a corrupt argument in a wildcat fashion.

Mysearch123 adware triggering undesirable browser homepage

It’s due to these changes that mysearch123.com website begins to accompany every single launch of whichever browser is preferred on the machine. A further probable aggravation of the already adverse circumstances is a replacement of default search and new tab settings with the same wrong URL parameter, making the user bound to repeatedly close the annoying web page or endure its appearances. The site’s design is reminiscent of the run-of-the-mill attributes of Internet search services, incorporating fast access links to images, videos and news, and of course providing a search field, with the respective functionality being outsourced to a legit third-party engine. This page may as well present primitive ads and banners. Basically, the main idea of Mysearch123 adware is to forcibly intercept one’s online traffic and reroute it over to other services, thus bringing profit based on pay-per-visit e-commerce models.

Even if the PC user follows best practice guidelines security-wise, there is no guarantee that infections like this one won’t attack them. Prevention in this case is not quite a matter of using an antimalware with up-to-date definitions – instead, it’s all about caution during software installations. Mysearch123 virus teams up with freeware and comes as an addition to the actual applications, but the ruse is that this allusion isn’t told about upfront or mentioned in an otherwise obvious way. As soon as the drive-by succeeds in entering the computer, the virus drops an add-on to browsers, which in its turn leads to all the nasty consequences. As per the multiple cons of having this app on board, do not linger with implementing the fix.

Automatic removal of the mysearch123 virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download mysearch123.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get mysearch123 automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list, with your eye on Mysearch123, Delta-Homes, Delta Search or other suspicious entries that you installed lately. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove mysearch123 from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the mysearch123 virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like mysearch123.com can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download mysearch123 scanner and remover

The post Remove mysearch123 virus from Chrome, Firefox and Explorer browsers appeared first on Keone Software.

This brief knowledgebase presents the optimal approach for removing QQovd start page hijacker from all affected web browsers on a covertly infected computer.

Some PC users find it convenient to keep all potentially interesting online services at their fingertips and accessible from an all-in-one resource. There are providers out there that deliver such a functionality in response to this demand, but the equilibrium gets badly broken in case certain features are literally forced upon the customer. Speaking of QQovd.com, an Internet portal in Portuguese, user discretion whether or not it should be visited is obviously not taken into consideration at all. That website replaces one’s custom browser homepage due to the pranks of a respective malicious web service enhancement.

Those who take pride in avoiding suspicious installs aren’t entirely on the safe side when it comes to this type of adware attack – in fact, security-savvy people are just as exposed to said hoax as everyone else. QQovd typically isn’t distributed as a standalone application, but instead its installer constitutes compound setups of other software. The trick regarding this trend is that the unwanted object is difficult to spot on the infiltration stage, so the compromise goes unnoticed most of the time.

QQovd.com homepage automatically opened at browser launch

None of the popular browsers is resistant to the malevolent influence of the QQovd pest, therefore preferring Chrome, FF or IE doesn’t make any difference here. The intrusion of the bad code on a machine is followed by a cross-browser assault resulting in contortion of the user-defined web surfing configuration. Neither requests of approval nor clear notifications about these changes will accompany the adverse process. Next thing you know, the browser starts resolving qqovd.com whenever opened. The web page proper is an awfully non-intuitive scrap heap filled with tens of hyperlinks, obtrusive targeted ads all over the place, an embedded search box, as well as weather information for Sao Paulo, no matter where on the planet you are currently located, not necessarily Brazil. It’s hard to judge the usefulness of such data, but it’s probably not of much interest to most people targeted by the virus.

QQovd adware deploys a complex technique of forcibly altering the settings that are supposed to be up to the user alone. Not only does the troublemaking browser extension input incorrect values for the start page automatically, but it also affects browser shortcuts so that the annoying site will be recurrently popping up. A fairly high sophistication of this infection requires an equally smart take on the fixing, so read the corresponding details and get down to the cleanup right away.

Automatic removal of the QQovd virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download QQovd.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get QQovd.com automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully down the list and locate QQovd or other unfamiliar programs, especially ones that appeared on the machine recently. Select the likely bug(s) and click Uninstall/Change for those

Remove QQovd.com homepage from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that this virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Reset Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like QQovd can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore, by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download QQovd scanner and remover

The post Remove QQovd.com homepage virus from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

While looking for ways to get rid of Cassiopesa Search virus, do not fail to take advantage of the removal steps that work flawlessly for said purpose.

According to a recent study of the adware threat landscape, the fraudsters are currently making a notable emphasis on spreading and deploying the application called Cassiopesa, a bearer of relatively new malicious preferences-altering code that affects web browsers it is compatible with. This article is, essentially, a response to those attacks as it includes easily applicable instructions on eliminating the abominable program under scrutiny.

There is a flip side in using the generally convenient tools known as download clients: you hardly ever know for sure what will infiltrate your computer in the long run. It’s these custom solutions that virus makers are particularly fond of employing in order to make sure their disruptive products end up on a large number of PCs. A successful scheme of this sort involves a piece of generally harmless and useful freeware on the one hand, and a potentially unwanted or clearly dangerous payload on the other, with these components posing as parts of a whole. Some known examples of apps related to Cassiopesa distribution are VLC Media Player, Flash Player, and Media Downloader. The setups of the above suggest the users also install Chromium Browser with Cassiopesa Search.

Cassiopesa Search results pages inflated with a great deal of ads

The drive-by bundling stratagem also relies on the default options to make Cassiopesa the homepage and default search engine on Chrome, IE and Firefox, as well as the already opted-in installation of Cassiopesa new tab applet. Unless unticked, these terms will by all means result in a complete hijack of the browsers used by the victim. Setting a desired site for any of the above preferences will be disabled by the infection, so the only page that will be automatically appearing off and on is www.cassiopesa.com. It is a web search provider which, unlike landing pages serving most adware programs out there, does not redirect user queries to a third-party service. The scammers can therefore interact directly with publishers and merchants and augment their own search results with whichever sponsored links they consider appropriate. The ads, incidentally, are actually all over the pages there.

Breaking out of the web traffic trap called forth by Cassiopesa virus isn’t as easy as simply moving the malign add-on to the trash bin. It takes special treatment which presupposes a certain procedure to be performed in a strictly defined order. A mixture of native OS uninstall features, browser configuration toggling and the use of efficient software will do the trick.

Automatic removal of Cassiopesa virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download www.cassiopesa.com removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Cassiopesa Search automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall Cassiopesa through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Find Cassiopesa on the list, select those entries and click Uninstall/Change. If it is nowhere to be found, skim through the list and look for or any suspicious-looking piece of software that you recently installed. Eliminate the bad item when found

Remove Cassiopesa Search in Chrome

1. Uninstall the Cassiopesa extension

• Click the Chrome menu icon and select More tools > Extensions
• Find the add-on associated with Cassiopesa and click the trash bin next to the bad entry

2. Restore homepage defaults

• Go back to Chrome menu and select Settings
• Go to On startup sub-section and activate the Open a specific page or set of pages option. Also, click Set pages
• Locate the Cassiopesa entry under Startup pages and hit X button next to it

3. Change new tab settings to their normal values

• Go to Appearance settings, activate the Show Home button option and click Change
• Select Use the New Tab page option and save the changes

4. Restore correct search preferences

• Proceed to the Search subsection and select the service you prefer to use

5. Restart Google Chrome 

Remove Cassiopesa Search in Firefox

1. Eliminate the respective add-on

• In Firefox, go to Tools > Add-ons
• Hit the Extensions tab and locate Cassiopesa on the list. Click Remove to get rid of it

2. Fix the homepage settings

• Go to Tools > Options
• Hit the General tab and click Restore to Default (see image below)

3. Set the preferred search provider

• While on the Options screen, click Search tab in the left-hand pane. Select the search engine to use by default

4. Restart Mozilla Firefox
 

Remove Cassiopesa Search in Internet Explorer

1. Uninstall the malicious extension

• Go to Tools > Manage Add-ons
• Select Search Providers in the navigation pane, locate Cassiopesa, right-click it and select Remove in the context menu

2. Restore IE homepage defaults

• Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the tab called General and select Use default or any other preferred option

3. Change Tab settings

• When on the Internet Options interface, click the Settings or Tabs button (depending on IE version) under the sub-section called Tabs
• Select A blank page or Your first home page in the drop-down menu as shown

4. Restart the PC
 

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Cassiopesa are stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

Download Cassiopesa Search scanner and remover

The post How to remove Cassiopesa virus from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

Sort out the issue of obnoxious Ads by AdFreeApp appearing all over websites by detecting the malicious software and eradicating it from the infected computer.

Everyone who has the AdFreeApp installed on their computer starts feeling paranoid at some point about too many advertisements stalking them. That’s unambiguous evidence of adware activity rather than a delusion. Antivirus products are picking up this applet as a PUP, which means Potentially Unwanted Program, because it creeps into a computer without proper notice and makes a mess of one’s Internet browsing routine. AdFreeApp, oddly enough, promises its customers to decrease the number of adverts that would otherwise appear in larger quantities during one’s web surfing. Under the guise of such a commendable tool, the program simply inserts extra objects into all sites accessed from the infected machine. Those are different kinds of discounts and links to plain promotional materials.

Hyperlinks scattered across a site because of AdFreeApp’s interference

It tends to be problematic to keep this bad entity from infiltrating a system because of the peculiar installation traits it exhibits. The app’s website, which is currently not accessible by the way, contains a description of the supposed functionality but provides no actual download of the stub installer. How then can it be distributed? The method of wrapping into third-party setup wizards is what helps the criminals furtively drop their code into lots of workstations. Various media utilities, including music and video players, as well as file downloaders and format converters are heavily used in AdFreeApp propagation conspiracy. The installation clients for those free tools are compound in that they incorporate additional software, which will also end up on the user’s PC unless the respective tiny checkmark is unticked.

Countless price comparisons, banners, coupons, freebies and pop-ups, which say “Ads by AdFreeApp”, are henceforward going to be displayed on web pages. In addition, the screenshot above demonstrates the way in-text links by AdFreeApp work, where certain words or phrases on a website become clickable and provide service or product promotions when you hover your mouse over them. Since the adware is compatible with the most widespread browsers, this chaos will be encountered in Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer to an equal extent. All of the obtrusive side effects from this virus can be halted by means of removing the program proper. This, however, isn’t as easy as uninstalling it from Control Panel. Continue reading to learn more and get the hang of PUP removal methodology.

Automatic removal of the AdFreeApp virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Ads by AdFreeApp removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get AdFreeApp automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate AdFreeApp or other suspicious program that shouldn’t be there. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove AdFreeApp Ads virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the AdFreeApp infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Refresh Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like AdFreeApp can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download AdFreeApp scanner and remover

The post Remove AdFreeApp malware from Chrome, Firefox and IE appeared first on Keone Software.

The ubiquitous Ads by AdsAlert, which constantly appear during one’s Internet surfing, are easy to get rid of using the steps available in this article.

The varied cybercrime environment is full of both highly aggressive viruses and the ones that have a relatively mild impact on the target machines. The application known as AdsAlert is hard to affiliate with the former category, because it does not pose direct harm to the affected computer. And yet, in spite of low severity, it causes its victims a lot of irritation due to the area that undergoes the main blow – web browsing. The program is tasked with displaying commercial content wherever the user goes online. It’s a seldom encounter that people actually authorize AdsAlert to enter their PCs. Instead, its developers prefer to outsource the distribution job to other programs.

Generally referred to as ‘bundling’, such a method secures covert infiltration of arbitrary software into workstations alongside the tools that the users think they are installing. For example, during the setup of not-so-reputable media players or movie downloaders you may come across some options that are already selected for you by default. It’s usually possible to un-check those on the initial stage most of the time, but users tend to overlook that part. The outcome will be adverse, though.

Ads by AdsAlert above search results

As soon as the intrusion has taken place, the browsers used on the computer get ‘enhanced’ with a new plugin or add-on, whose one and only objective is to alter website displaying mode. The unwanted extension is coded to lay hands on browsing privileges while bypassing the conventional approval phase. As a result, myriads of redundant advertisements begin to appear on sites where they would otherwise not be shown. Ads above the fold will append the regular search results, and multiple coupons are going to hover over the original content of random web pages. Interstitial adverts by AdsAlert will be triggered off and on as well. Capping it all off, in-text links will flood the browser, opening separate windows when accidentally clicked on.

It’s not just the frustration aspect that makes you want to eradicate this program, but it’s also a privacy issue: the bug collects your search and overall browsing history so that it can serve ads according to your interests-based profile. AdsAlert adware removal isn’t as easy as it may appear at first sight. Even though it can typically be found on the list of installed add-ons, the trashing process isn’t irreversible because the malicious executable will keep restoring the pest. That’s where a couple of smart techniques will come in handy.

Automatic removal of the AdsAlert virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Ads by AdsAlert removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get AdsAlert automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list, with your eye on AdsAlert or other suspicious entries that you installed lately. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Ads by AdsAlert from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the AdsAlert virus made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Refresh Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like AdsAlert can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download AdsAlert scanner and remover

The post Remove AdsAlert virus from Chrome, Firefox and Explorer browsers appeared first on Keone Software.

Advertisements brought by Max AdBlock are outcomes of malware mischief, therefore a security procedure needs to be applied to prevent them from appearing.

It’s generally okay with PC users when coupons and banners are displayed on ecommerce sites that they visit, because finding and buying cheaper things is what e-shopping is about for the most part. To that end, administrators of such resources allow certain scripts linked to merchant offers, so it’s a deal where all parties are content. Some ads on the Internet, however, impersonate a completely different approach, with the above model being blatantly turned upside down. When Max AdBlock Ads appear across web pages, for example, these objects actually originate inside the user’s computer rather than be related to the specific site they are encountered on. The software liable for this violation is referred to as “adware” or “potentially unwanted programs”.

Hot deals boxes fill up web pages due to the adware’s activity

Max AdBlock indulges in double-talking activity when promising the moderation of ads during its customers’ Internet surfing. Under this pretense, it impudently floods sites with its own price comparisons, freebies, banners, interstitial and transitional ads as well as in-text links that can be accidentally clicked by the victim. Another area of this app’s adverse competence involves popups, allegedly on behalf of some web page, reporting bogus security risks due to outdated Java. When users try to close this dialog it may trigger some harmful software download. Since the affiliated bad add-on is cross-browser, this entire frenzy affects all websites – not only ones related to online shopping – which are accessed in Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Deceptive Java update recommendation by Max AdBlock

One more fact about Max AdBlock explains how it succeeds in installing on targeted systems. The commonplace setup, which is supposed to be based on user authorization, does not work in this case – for obvious reasons. The developers of this browser extension realize their tool’s poor reputation is an obstacle to distribution fair and square, so they prefer a stealthy methodology powered by other freeware installation clients. Some video downloaders, system players and a variety of semi-junk free utilities covertly promote the adware under analysis by including it in their default setup option. This is why most Max AdBlock victims do not remember where they installed it from and when. And then all of a sudden they start seeing the terribly irritating ads. Jump to the next section of this post to learn the right way of removing Max AdBlock adware.

Automatic removal of the Max AdBlock virus

When it comes to handling infections like this one, using a reputable cleaning tool is the place to start. Sticking to this workflow ensures that every component of the adware gets found and eradicated from the affected computer.

1. Download and install the cleaning tool and click the Start Computer Scan button

Download Ads by Max AdBlock removal tool

2. The wait is worth it. Once the scan completes, you will see a report listing all malicious or potentially unwanted objects detected on your PC. Go ahead and click the Fix Threats option in order to get Max AdBlock automatically uninstalled from your machine. This being done, you should be good to go. Just to make sure everything went smooth, consider going through the steps below real quick.

Uninstall troublesome program through Control Panel

• From your Windows menu, go to Control Panel. Select Add or Remove Programs (for Windows XP / Windows 8) or Uninstall a program (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
• Look carefully through the list and locate Max AdBlock or other suspicious program that shouldn’t be there. Select the bug and click Uninstall/Change

Remove Max AdBlock Ads virus from web browsers manually

The workflow covered below is intended to undo all changes that the MaxAdBlock infection made to Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Be advised there’s some collateral inconvenience you will encounter, namely the loss of all installed add-ons and personalized information (saved passwords, cached data, bookmarks and other content).

Reset Chrome

• Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu icon as shown on the image and select Settings
• Click Show advanced settings
• Hit the Reset browser settings button
• On the warning that popped up, read everything you should know about the consequences of the reset. Click Reset if you want to complete the procedure
• Restart Chrome for the changes to take effect

Reset Firefox

• Open Firefox. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information or type about:support in the URL field
• Click Refresh Firefox button to get the job done
• Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect

Reset Internet Explorer

• Open IE. Go to Tools > Internet Options
• Hit the Advanced tab and click Reset
• Make sure the Delete personal settings option on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog is ticked and click Reset
• Restart Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect

Did the problem go away? Check and see

Computer threats like Max AdBlock can be stealthier than you can imagine, skillfully obfuscating their components inside a compromised computer to evade removal. Therefore by running an additional security scan you will dot the i’s and cross the t’s in terms of the cleanup.

Download Max AdBlock scanner and remover

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