What you should know about  Smart New Tab “Virus” 

 Smart New Tab “Virus”  characteristics and how did I get it

All adware programs are an annoyance for the users and  Smart New Tab “Virus”  is no exception. With its obstructive ads all over your browser and potential harm it can bring to your system, it is easy to see why you’d want it gone from your PC. Keep in mind that this type of software is probably specifically designed to stick to your system without your knowledge and remain there for as long as possible in order to display its ads. What those ads usually do is to generate revenue for its developers through the pay-per-click model. Knowing this, it should now be clear that  Smart New Tab “Virus”  would probably attempt to hide itself from you in order to avoid being uninstalled. But its stealthy behavior goes even further – the chances are, that if you are currently reading this article, you are dealing with the unwanted software. The reason for it getting installed on your PC is probably because this adware’s developers have used clever methods to keep their software under your radar. You did install this yourself, but probably don’t recall any part of it. How did this happen? In fact, there are several ways for an adware program to get on your computer. Luckily, most of them are somewhat ineffective, but some can be very devious indeed. The most successful method by which  Smart New Tab “Virus”  gets installed without the user’s knowledge is through other free software that you can download from the Internet (and probably have done so). The adware is bundled with that other free program and since most users go for the regular installation (which installs all content added to the installer)  Smart New Tab “Virus”  gets installed along the free software and you don’t even know about it. Therefore, it is of great importance to always opt for the advanced/custom settings installation menu, where you can see the additional installs and un check everything that you might not want on your PC.

How does the adware work?

As previously mentioned, adware programs generate ads (hence the name). This is their main purpose and it should be said that the app itself does hardly any real harm to your system. The main reason you’d want it removed is because it obstructs your browser experience and is generally annoying. In fact, the majority of adware is legal and doesn’t try to redirect you to any malicious sites or trick you into infecting your PC with viruses. However, there are some that can actually attempt to do that. It is possible that, by clicking on any of the ads or interacting with any the pages you’ve been redirected to, you can land with a more harmful software installed on your computer. Also, it should be noted that some of the more aggressive adware programs might attempt to track your browser history and even manipulate your browser settings. Still, these are generally considered an exception. In most cases, such a piece of software won’t do much apart from generating tons of ads, which can be quite an annoyance when you are trying to get something done, but they keep popping up everywhere. Some people mistakenly think that adware programs are viruses – while they might be intrusive, most of them are pretty much harmless and therefore should not be referred to as viruses.

Do’s and Don’ts

First of all, from now on, you should always keep in mind these several simple tips on how to avoid getting adware on your machine. Explore the advanced installation menus and download content from trusted sites and developers. Downloading free software might seem like a good idea, but sometimes you might get more than you’ve bargained for, if you are not careful.

Secondly, after you’ve found out that you have  Smart New Tab “Virus”  on your computer, do not interact with any of the displayed ads, pop-ups, banners or page redirects, since you probably won’t gain anything useful from them and also stand the chance that some of those might expose your system to danger. It doesn’t really matter if you are using Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer – symptoms that you’ve got  Smart New Tab “Virus”  will probably still be pretty much the same for all of these browsers.

The third most important thing you should know is how to remove the unwanted program. There is a thorough manual on the matter below, which will guide you through the main steps you should take in order to remove  Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your PC.

STEP ONE – remove Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your list of installed programs

In order to do it you need to navigate to your control panel.

For Windows 10 -> right click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel. In the Menu that opens select Uninstall a program

For Windows 7-> left click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel->Programs_>Programs and Features->

For Windows 8-> Swipe from the right edge of the screen and hit Search. If you are using a mouse rather point to the upper-right corner, then move the pointer downwards. Select Search. In the Search field type Control panel.

Find Smart New Tab “Virus”  in the list or programs, right click on it and select uninstall.

• IMPROTANT It is possible that the Adware will try to install another program in its place. Carefully read the wording of any confirmation pop-up that may appear and select the option that will not result in anything else getting installed on your computer.
• OPTIONAL Sort your programs by installation date starting from the most recent ones. Uninstall any other application that the Adware may have added to your PC. They are likely nothing but trouble.

STEP 2 – remove any shortcut modifications added to your browser

This step is rather simple:

1. Right-click on the shortcut you usually use to start your browser.
2. Select Properties
3. Look at the field labeled Target. Delete anything that comes after .exe

STEP 3 – remove any extensions added to your browser

From Chrome

1. Start your Chrome browser and click on the toolbox menu located in the upper-right corner, in the browser’s toolbar field.
2. Click Tools -> Extensions
3. Find the extension installed by Smart New Tab “Virus”  and remove it by clicking on the trash bin icon.
4. Now go through the list of extension again and remove anything that you don’t know or don’t use.

• What if you cannot click on the Delete/Trash icon – it is grayed out or similar?

You need to click on the box called Developer Mode located in the upper-right corner. This will enable you to see the ID of the extension. Mark the whole string of numbers and copy them.

Now close your Chrome browser and hit Win+R simultaneously. In the button that opens type regedit.

Hit Control+F and paste the ID you copied from the browser. Delete any entries that pop-up from the result.

Now you can start your Chrome browser again and finish the removal of the Extension.

From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Click on the gear Tools button located in the upper-right corner  , and then select Manage add-ons.
3. Under the Show menu select “show all add-ons”, now find and delete the add-on installed by Smart New Tab “Virus” .
4. Go through the list of add-ons again and delete anything you are not familiar with/don’t use.

• What if you cannot remove or disable the extension?

This means that there is an active program installed on your computer that prevents you from doing so. You need to do back to Step 1 and carefully look through the list of installed programs. Uninstall anything that looks suspicious to you.

From Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal stripes button located in the upper-right corner . Select Add-ons.
3. Now go through the Appearance, Extensions and Plug-ins tabs and remove anything connected to Smart New Tab “Virus”  from there. Use the Remove option whenever possible.
4. Go through these tabs again and remove any extensions that are unfamiliar to you or that you don’t use at all.

Didn’t work? Smart New Tab “Virus”  not listed as an add-on or extension? Try resetting your browser to its default settings to clean away any malware additions.

Step 4 – resetting your internet browser

 How to reset Google Chrome

 What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Chrome, your search engines and home pages will be set to the default one. Default startup tabs will be cleared as well, unless you are on Chromebook. Likewise, new tab page will be empty. Pinned tabs will be unpinned and lost. Content settings are cleared out and set to default, cookie and site data removed. Extensions and themes are disabled.

Click on the Chrome menu button, the three horizontal stripes in the top-right corner, then select

1. Scroll to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings.
2. Look for the section “Reset settings,” click on Reset settings.
3. A dialog window will appear, confirm the reset:

• NOTE: You’ll see the following check box“Help make Google Chrome better by reporting the current settings”. If you select it you are agreeing to anonymously send Google your current settings. They’ll use this information to analyze how the Adware hooked in and improve the defense of the browser. It’s up to you whether to help or not.

How to reset Mozilla Firefox to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset button for Mozilla Firefox, your browsing history and bookmarks, as well as windows, open tabs, passwords and cookies and web-form information are preserved. Extensions, themes and other add-ons and plug-ins are removed.

1. Start your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:support in the address bar, then hit
3. Now click on the Reset Firefox… button located in the upper-right part of the screen.
4. Confirm the reset, Firefox will now close and be reset.

How to reset Internet Explorer to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Internet explorer you have the option to control whether your browsing history, search providers, accellerators, tracking protection, home pages and Active filtering data are removed. All this can be done from the Delete Personal Settings checkbox. Check the guide below.

1. Start opening your Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear in the rop-right corner, that is the Tools Select Internet options. In case you don’t actually see the Tools menu, press Alt.
3. Now click on the Advanced tab, then find and click Reset.
4. Select the Delete personal settings check box. Please note that this will also delete your browsing history, home pages and more. Unfortunately it is needed to clean the Adware.
5. Confirm and wait for the process to finish.

Hopefully this will be enough to remove Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your machine. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact us, we’ll try to help you to the best of our ability!

What you should know about  Smart New Tab “Virus” 

 Smart New Tab “Virus”  characteristics and how did I get it

All adware programs are an annoyance for the users and  Smart New Tab “Virus”  is no exception. With its obstructive ads all over your browser and potential harm it can bring to your system, it is easy to see why you’d want it gone from your PC. Keep in mind that this type of software is probably specifically designed to stick to your system without your knowledge and remain there for as long as possible in order to display its ads. What those ads usually do is to generate revenue for its developers through the pay-per-click model. Knowing this, it should now be clear that  Smart New Tab “Virus”  would probably attempt to hide itself from you in order to avoid being uninstalled. But its stealthy behavior goes even further – the chances are, that if you are currently reading this article, you are dealing with the unwanted software. The reason for it getting installed on your PC is probably because this adware’s developers have used clever methods to keep their software under your radar. You did install this yourself, but probably don’t recall any part of it. How did this happen? In fact, there are several ways for an adware program to get on your computer. Luckily, most of them are somewhat ineffective, but some can be very devious indeed. The most successful method by which  Smart New Tab “Virus”  gets installed without the user’s knowledge is through other free software that you can download from the Internet (and probably have done so). The adware is bundled with that other free program and since most users go for the regular installation (which installs all content added to the installer)  Smart New Tab “Virus”  gets installed along the free software and you don’t even know about it. Therefore, it is of great importance to always opt for the advanced/custom settings installation menu, where you can see the additional installs and un check everything that you might not want on your PC.

How does the adware work?

As previously mentioned, adware programs generate ads (hence the name). This is their main purpose and it should be said that the app itself does hardly any real harm to your system. The main reason you’d want it removed is because it obstructs your browser experience and is generally annoying. In fact, the majority of adware is legal and doesn’t try to redirect you to any malicious sites or trick you into infecting your PC with viruses. However, there are some that can actually attempt to do that. It is possible that, by clicking on any of the ads or interacting with any the pages you’ve been redirected to, you can land with a more harmful software installed on your computer. Also, it should be noted that some of the more aggressive adware programs might attempt to track your browser history and even manipulate your browser settings. Still, these are generally considered an exception. In most cases, such a piece of software won’t do much apart from generating tons of ads, which can be quite an annoyance when you are trying to get something done, but they keep popping up everywhere. Some people mistakenly think that adware programs are viruses – while they might be intrusive, most of them are pretty much harmless and therefore should not be referred to as viruses.

Do’s and Don’ts

First of all, from now on, you should always keep in mind these several simple tips on how to avoid getting adware on your machine. Explore the advanced installation menus and download content from trusted sites and developers. Downloading free software might seem like a good idea, but sometimes you might get more than you’ve bargained for, if you are not careful.

Secondly, after you’ve found out that you have  Smart New Tab “Virus”  on your computer, do not interact with any of the displayed ads, pop-ups, banners or page redirects, since you probably won’t gain anything useful from them and also stand the chance that some of those might expose your system to danger. It doesn’t really matter if you are using Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer – symptoms that you’ve got  Smart New Tab “Virus”  will probably still be pretty much the same for all of these browsers.

The third most important thing you should know is how to remove the unwanted program. There is a thorough manual on the matter below, which will guide you through the main steps you should take in order to remove  Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your PC.

STEP ONE – remove Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your list of installed programs

In order to do it you need to navigate to your control panel.

For Windows 10 -> right click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel. In the Menu that opens select Uninstall a program

For Windows 7-> left click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel->Programs_>Programs and Features->

For Windows 8-> Swipe from the right edge of the screen and hit Search. If you are using a mouse rather point to the upper-right corner, then move the pointer downwards. Select Search. In the Search field type Control panel.

Find Smart New Tab “Virus”  in the list or programs, right click on it and select uninstall.

• IMPROTANT It is possible that the Adware will try to install another program in its place. Carefully read the wording of any confirmation pop-up that may appear and select the option that will not result in anything else getting installed on your computer.
• OPTIONAL Sort your programs by installation date starting from the most recent ones. Uninstall any other application that the Adware may have added to your PC. They are likely nothing but trouble.

STEP 2 – remove any shortcut modifications added to your browser

This step is rather simple:

1. Right-click on the shortcut you usually use to start your browser.
2. Select Properties
3. Look at the field labeled Target. Delete anything that comes after .exe

STEP 3 – remove any extensions added to your browser

From Chrome

1. Start your Chrome browser and click on the toolbox menu located in the upper-right corner, in the browser’s toolbar field.
2. Click Tools -> Extensions
3. Find the extension installed by Smart New Tab “Virus”  and remove it by clicking on the trash bin icon.
4. Now go through the list of extension again and remove anything that you don’t know or don’t use.

• What if you cannot click on the Delete/Trash icon – it is grayed out or similar?

You need to click on the box called Developer Mode located in the upper-right corner. This will enable you to see the ID of the extension. Mark the whole string of numbers and copy them.

Now close your Chrome browser and hit Win+R simultaneously. In the button that opens type regedit.

Hit Control+F and paste the ID you copied from the browser. Delete any entries that pop-up from the result.

Now you can start your Chrome browser again and finish the removal of the Extension.

From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Click on the gear Tools button located in the upper-right corner  , and then select Manage add-ons.
3. Under the Show menu select “show all add-ons”, now find and delete the add-on installed by Smart New Tab “Virus” .
4. Go through the list of add-ons again and delete anything you are not familiar with/don’t use.

• What if you cannot remove or disable the extension?

This means that there is an active program installed on your computer that prevents you from doing so. You need to do back to Step 1 and carefully look through the list of installed programs. Uninstall anything that looks suspicious to you.

From Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal stripes button located in the upper-right corner . Select Add-ons.
3. Now go through the Appearance, Extensions and Plug-ins tabs and remove anything connected to Smart New Tab “Virus”  from there. Use the Remove option whenever possible.
4. Go through these tabs again and remove any extensions that are unfamiliar to you or that you don’t use at all.

Didn’t work? Smart New Tab “Virus”  not listed as an add-on or extension? Try resetting your browser to its default settings to clean away any malware additions.

Step 4 – resetting your internet browser

 How to reset Google Chrome

 What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Chrome, your search engines and home pages will be set to the default one. Default startup tabs will be cleared as well, unless you are on Chromebook. Likewise, new tab page will be empty. Pinned tabs will be unpinned and lost. Content settings are cleared out and set to default, cookie and site data removed. Extensions and themes are disabled.

Click on the Chrome menu button, the three horizontal stripes in the top-right corner, then select

1. Scroll to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings.
2. Look for the section “Reset settings,” click on Reset settings.
3. A dialog window will appear, confirm the reset:

• NOTE: You’ll see the following check box“Help make Google Chrome better by reporting the current settings”. If you select it you are agreeing to anonymously send Google your current settings. They’ll use this information to analyze how the Adware hooked in and improve the defense of the browser. It’s up to you whether to help or not.

How to reset Mozilla Firefox to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset button for Mozilla Firefox, your browsing history and bookmarks, as well as windows, open tabs, passwords and cookies and web-form information are preserved. Extensions, themes and other add-ons and plug-ins are removed.

1. Start your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:support in the address bar, then hit
3. Now click on the Reset Firefox… button located in the upper-right part of the screen.
4. Confirm the reset, Firefox will now close and be reset.

How to reset Internet Explorer to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Internet explorer you have the option to control whether your browsing history, search providers, accellerators, tracking protection, home pages and Active filtering data are removed. All this can be done from the Delete Personal Settings checkbox. Check the guide below.

1. Start opening your Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear in the rop-right corner, that is the Tools Select Internet options. In case you don’t actually see the Tools menu, press Alt.
3. Now click on the Advanced tab, then find and click Reset.
4. Select the Delete personal settings check box. Please note that this will also delete your browsing history, home pages and more. Unfortunately it is needed to clean the Adware.
5. Confirm and wait for the process to finish.

Hopefully this will be enough to remove Smart New Tab “Virus”  from your machine. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact us, we’ll try to help you to the best of our ability!

How To Get rid of Trusted Surf

According to security experts, Trusted Surf is being classified, not as a virus, but as an adware. What is the difference? Well, an adware is a non-malicious piece of programming code that does not seek to harm the computer in which it resides. A virus, on the other hand, is a malicious piece of programing code that will cause a direct harm to the computer in which it resides. However, that is not to say that if you have Trusted Surf in your computer, you got off scot-free and there is no need to perform an uninstall process. There may still be some negative side-effects that you are probably better off not having. These include, but are not limited to potential feelings of anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance and even increased levels of stress.

This adware is designed in such a way that it is able to track all your Internet browsing history, patterns, favourites and bookmarks. From the data gathered, it may then generate ads that are convincing and tempting specifically to you. These ads may appear in the form of pop-up ads and boxes, banners or even as a separate window. They may feature anything from touting coupons and deals of items that you are inclined towards, to claiming that you have won a lucky draw. Regardless of what these ads feature, you are strongly advised against clicking on them.

Why should I not click on the ads?

These ads are designed in a way to entice you to click on them, when you do just that, the creators have already succeeded in what they set out to do.

Upon clicking on the ads, you will be directed to a third-party webpage. The level of security threat that these pages possess varies. It can be as harmless as a previously viewed webpage, taken from your browsing history where the “deals” can be found. It can also be as dangerous as being a portal for other adware threats to enter your computer without your knowledge. It may be one of the many pay-per-click sites that allow the creators of this type of adware to earn some extra income, providing further incentives for them to create more adware. Or, it may be a page that prompts the download of a program that has so many security loopholes that it may cause serious security issues in the future.

Therefore, as you can see, no good can come out of you clicking on the ads.

How did my computer get infected in the first place?

Infections can happen in many different ways. According to our expert researchers, the most common way is via downloading the free and legal programs that are readily available online. Creators take advantage of this popular activity and tie their adware to these programs into what is called a “bundle”. This is how adware gets downloaded, along with the said program, onto computers without the user realizing it.

However, if you suspect this is how you got infected, do not despair. This does not mean that you will have to cease downloading free programs. An adware can only run after it has been successfully installed onto your computer first. Therefore, during the installation process, you would still able to prevent its activation. When being prompted, select the “Custom Installation” option instead of the “Automatic Installation” option. You will then be able to see a list of files that will be installed onto your computer. This is where you have to be extra careful and thorough. Look through all the names of the files and uncheck any of those that seem unfamiliar or foreign to you.

STEP ONE – remove Trusted Surf from your list of installed programs

In order to do it you need to navigate to your control panel.

For Windows 10 -> right click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel. In the Menu that opens select Uninstall a program

For Windows 7-> left click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel->Programs_>Programs and Features->

For Windows 8-> Swipe from the right edge of the screen and hit Search. If you are using a mouse rather point to the upper-right corner, then move the pointer downwards. Select Search. In the Search field type Control panel.

Find Trusted Surf in the list or programs, right click on it and select uninstall.

• IMPROTANT It is possible that the Adware will try to install another program in its place. Carefully read the wording of any confirmation pop-up that may appear and select the option that will not result in anything else getting installed on your computer.
• OPTIONAL Sort your programs by installation date starting from the most recent ones. Uninstall any other application that the Adware may have added to your PC. They are likely nothing but trouble.

STEP 2 – remove any shortcut modifications added to your browser

This step is rather simple:

1. Right-click on the shortcut you usually use to start your browser.
2. Select Properties
3. Look at the field labeled Target. Delete anything that comes after .exe

STEP 3 – remove any extensions added to your browser

From Chrome

1. Start your Chrome browser and click on the toolbox menu located in the upper-right corner, in the browser’s toolbar field.
2. Click Tools -> Extensions
3. Find the extension installed by Trusted Surf and remove it by clicking on the trash bin icon.
4. Now go through the list of extension again and remove anything that you don’t know or don’t use.

• What if you cannot click on the Delete/Trash icon – it is grayed out or similar?

You need to click on the box called Developer Mode located in the upper-right corner. This will enable you to see the ID of the extension. Mark the whole string of numbers and copy them.

Now close your Chrome browser and hit Win+R simultaneously. In the button that opens type regedit.

Hit Control+F and paste the ID you copied from the browser. Delete any entries that pop-up from the result.

Now you can start your Chrome browser again and finish the removal of the Extension.

From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Click on the gear Tools button located in the upper-right corner  , and then select Manage add-ons.
3. Under the Show menu select “show all add-ons”, now find and delete the add-on installed by Trusted Surf.
4. Go through the list of add-ons again and delete anything you are not familiar with/don’t use.

• What if you cannot remove or disable the extension?

This means that there is an active program installed on your computer that prevents you from doing so. You need to do back to Step 1 and carefully look through the list of installed programs. Uninstall anything that looks suspicious to you.

From Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal stripes button located in the upper-right corner . Select Add-ons.
3. Now go through the Appearance, Extensions and Plug-ins tabs and remove anything connected to Trusted Surf from there. Use the Remove option whenever possible.
4. Go through these tabs again and remove any extensions that are unfamiliar to you or that you don’t use at all.

Didn’t work? Trusted Surf not listed as an add-on or extension? Try resetting your browser to its default settings to clean away any malware additions.

Step 4 – resetting your internet browser

 How to reset Google Chrome

 What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Chrome, your search engines and home pages will be set to the default one. Default startup tabs will be cleared as well, unless you are on Chromebook. Likewise, new tab page will be empty. Pinned tabs will be unpinned and lost. Content settings are cleared out and set to default, cookie and site data removed. Extensions and themes are disabled.

Click on the Chrome menu button, the three horizontal stripes in the top-right corner, then select

1. Scroll to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings.
2. Look for the section “Reset settings,” click on Reset settings.
3. A dialog window will appear, confirm the reset:

• NOTE: You’ll see the following check box“Help make Google Chrome better by reporting the current settings”. If you select it you are agreeing to anonymously send Google your current settings. They’ll use this information to analyze how the Adware hooked in and improve the defense of the browser. It’s up to you whether to help or not.

How to reset Mozilla Firefox to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset button for Mozilla Firefox, your browsing history and bookmarks, as well as windows, open tabs, passwords and cookies and web-form information are preserved. Extensions, themes and other add-ons and plug-ins are removed.

1. Start your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:support in the address bar, then hit
3. Now click on the Reset Firefox… button located in the upper-right part of the screen.
4. Confirm the reset, Firefox will now close and be reset.

How to reset Internet Explorer to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Internet explorer you have the option to control whether your browsing history, search providers, accellerators, tracking protection, home pages and Active filtering data are removed. All this can be done from the Delete Personal Settings checkbox. Check the guide below.

1. Start opening your Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear in the rop-right corner, that is the Tools Select Internet options. In case you don’t actually see the Tools menu, press Alt.
3. Now click on the Advanced tab, then find and click Reset.
4. Select the Delete personal settings check box. Please note that this will also delete your browsing history, home pages and more. Unfortunately it is needed to clean the Adware.
5. Confirm and wait for the process to finish.

Hopefully this will be enough to remove Trusted Surf from your machine. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact us, we’ll try to help you to the best of our ability!

How To Get rid of Trusted Surf

According to security experts, Trusted Surf is being classified, not as a virus, but as an adware. What is the difference? Well, an adware is a non-malicious piece of programming code that does not seek to harm the computer in which it resides. A virus, on the other hand, is a malicious piece of programing code that will cause a direct harm to the computer in which it resides. However, that is not to say that if you have Trusted Surf in your computer, you got off scot-free and there is no need to perform an uninstall process. There may still be some negative side-effects that you are probably better off not having. These include, but are not limited to potential feelings of anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance and even increased levels of stress.

This adware is designed in such a way that it is able to track all your Internet browsing history, patterns, favourites and bookmarks. From the data gathered, it may then generate ads that are convincing and tempting specifically to you. These ads may appear in the form of pop-up ads and boxes, banners or even as a separate window. They may feature anything from touting coupons and deals of items that you are inclined towards, to claiming that you have won a lucky draw. Regardless of what these ads feature, you are strongly advised against clicking on them.

Why should I not click on the ads?

These ads are designed in a way to entice you to click on them, when you do just that, the creators have already succeeded in what they set out to do.

Upon clicking on the ads, you will be directed to a third-party webpage. The level of security threat that these pages possess varies. It can be as harmless as a previously viewed webpage, taken from your browsing history where the “deals” can be found. It can also be as dangerous as being a portal for other adware threats to enter your computer without your knowledge. It may be one of the many pay-per-click sites that allow the creators of this type of adware to earn some extra income, providing further incentives for them to create more adware. Or, it may be a page that prompts the download of a program that has so many security loopholes that it may cause serious security issues in the future.

Therefore, as you can see, no good can come out of you clicking on the ads.

How did my computer get infected in the first place?

Infections can happen in many different ways. According to our expert researchers, the most common way is via downloading the free and legal programs that are readily available online. Creators take advantage of this popular activity and tie their adware to these programs into what is called a “bundle”. This is how adware gets downloaded, along with the said program, onto computers without the user realizing it.

However, if you suspect this is how you got infected, do not despair. This does not mean that you will have to cease downloading free programs. An adware can only run after it has been successfully installed onto your computer first. Therefore, during the installation process, you would still able to prevent its activation. When being prompted, select the “Custom Installation” option instead of the “Automatic Installation” option. You will then be able to see a list of files that will be installed onto your computer. This is where you have to be extra careful and thorough. Look through all the names of the files and uncheck any of those that seem unfamiliar or foreign to you.

STEP ONE – remove Trusted Surf from your list of installed programs

In order to do it you need to navigate to your control panel.

For Windows 10 -> right click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel. In the Menu that opens select Uninstall a program

For Windows 7-> left click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel->Programs_>Programs and Features->

For Windows 8-> Swipe from the right edge of the screen and hit Search. If you are using a mouse rather point to the upper-right corner, then move the pointer downwards. Select Search. In the Search field type Control panel.

Find Trusted Surf in the list or programs, right click on it and select uninstall.

• IMPROTANT It is possible that the Adware will try to install another program in its place. Carefully read the wording of any confirmation pop-up that may appear and select the option that will not result in anything else getting installed on your computer.
• OPTIONAL Sort your programs by installation date starting from the most recent ones. Uninstall any other application that the Adware may have added to your PC. They are likely nothing but trouble.

STEP 2 – remove any shortcut modifications added to your browser

This step is rather simple:

1. Right-click on the shortcut you usually use to start your browser.
2. Select Properties
3. Look at the field labeled Target. Delete anything that comes after .exe

STEP 3 – remove any extensions added to your browser

From Chrome

1. Start your Chrome browser and click on the toolbox menu located in the upper-right corner, in the browser’s toolbar field.
2. Click Tools -> Extensions
3. Find the extension installed by Trusted Surf and remove it by clicking on the trash bin icon.
4. Now go through the list of extension again and remove anything that you don’t know or don’t use.

• What if you cannot click on the Delete/Trash icon – it is grayed out or similar?

You need to click on the box called Developer Mode located in the upper-right corner. This will enable you to see the ID of the extension. Mark the whole string of numbers and copy them.

Now close your Chrome browser and hit Win+R simultaneously. In the button that opens type regedit.

Hit Control+F and paste the ID you copied from the browser. Delete any entries that pop-up from the result.

Now you can start your Chrome browser again and finish the removal of the Extension.

From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Click on the gear Tools button located in the upper-right corner  , and then select Manage add-ons.
3. Under the Show menu select “show all add-ons”, now find and delete the add-on installed by Trusted Surf.
4. Go through the list of add-ons again and delete anything you are not familiar with/don’t use.

• What if you cannot remove or disable the extension?

This means that there is an active program installed on your computer that prevents you from doing so. You need to do back to Step 1 and carefully look through the list of installed programs. Uninstall anything that looks suspicious to you.

From Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal stripes button located in the upper-right corner . Select Add-ons.
3. Now go through the Appearance, Extensions and Plug-ins tabs and remove anything connected to Trusted Surf from there. Use the Remove option whenever possible.
4. Go through these tabs again and remove any extensions that are unfamiliar to you or that you don’t use at all.

Didn’t work? Trusted Surf not listed as an add-on or extension? Try resetting your browser to its default settings to clean away any malware additions.

Step 4 – resetting your internet browser

 How to reset Google Chrome

 What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Chrome, your search engines and home pages will be set to the default one. Default startup tabs will be cleared as well, unless you are on Chromebook. Likewise, new tab page will be empty. Pinned tabs will be unpinned and lost. Content settings are cleared out and set to default, cookie and site data removed. Extensions and themes are disabled.

Click on the Chrome menu button, the three horizontal stripes in the top-right corner, then select

1. Scroll to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings.
2. Look for the section “Reset settings,” click on Reset settings.
3. A dialog window will appear, confirm the reset:

• NOTE: You’ll see the following check box“Help make Google Chrome better by reporting the current settings”. If you select it you are agreeing to anonymously send Google your current settings. They’ll use this information to analyze how the Adware hooked in and improve the defense of the browser. It’s up to you whether to help or not.

How to reset Mozilla Firefox to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset button for Mozilla Firefox, your browsing history and bookmarks, as well as windows, open tabs, passwords and cookies and web-form information are preserved. Extensions, themes and other add-ons and plug-ins are removed.

1. Start your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:support in the address bar, then hit
3. Now click on the Reset Firefox… button located in the upper-right part of the screen.
4. Confirm the reset, Firefox will now close and be reset.

How to reset Internet Explorer to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Internet explorer you have the option to control whether your browsing history, search providers, accellerators, tracking protection, home pages and Active filtering data are removed. All this can be done from the Delete Personal Settings checkbox. Check the guide below.

1. Start opening your Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear in the rop-right corner, that is the Tools Select Internet options. In case you don’t actually see the Tools menu, press Alt.
3. Now click on the Advanced tab, then find and click Reset.
4. Select the Delete personal settings check box. Please note that this will also delete your browsing history, home pages and more. Unfortunately it is needed to clean the Adware.
5. Confirm and wait for the process to finish.

Hopefully this will be enough to remove Trusted Surf from your machine. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact us, we’ll try to help you to the best of our ability!

What is Albireo “Virus”

Have you ever come upon messages on your computer claiming that you won a prize, e-mails with no certain recipient and no purpose, discount coupons for the most frequently visited online shops etc.? Do pop-up or banner ads keep appearing on your web browser when visiting websites like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart?
I bet it happens! Have you ever wondered how and why does it happen?
Here is some information that might be useful for you to understand. Have you heard of Albireo “Virus”? Albireo “Virus” is a rather nasty adware infection. It’s a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that makes your online experience seem like living hell. It puts your patience to the limit and utterly infuriates you to no end. It is an adware program that is frequently combined with other free programs or torrents downloaded off the Internet. This adware can be downloaded and installed via its official website, but it is often promoted via free downloads, especially video player and download manager program. It is not malicious related, but due to their stealthy behavior such as installing itself automatically on your web browser without obvious notification, people rank in low acceptance of this software. So when you download anything free you may find that you have installed Albireo adware without you even knew it. It is usually bundled within the installers from Cnet, Softonic installer, InstallRex or other similar installers.

How do you know if your computer is infected? Well, the common symptoms are:
– Pop- up ads, advertising banners and in text ads injected with the most visited web pages;
– Browser pop- ups recommending updates or other software;
– Other unwanted adware programs might get installed without the user’s knowledge.

How to deal with Albireo “Virus”?
According to the researches Albireo “Virus”gathers information related to the browser, such as IP addresses, unique identification numbers, URLs of the visited web sites, pages viewed, searches and many others. This information might be shared and your personal data might be stolen and misused, that is why Albireo “Virus” must be uninstalled and removed immediately.
Here is some information that might help you. The removal instructions work for Chrome, Firefox, Internet explorer, Safari, as well as all versions of Windows.
It is not clear how dangerous this adware program can be for your computer. However, you should always pay attention and be careful when you install some software, when you download torrents or applications, or even when you open your e-mails. Optional installs are included and when you agree to install all in a package you might install Albireo “Virus” without even knowing about it. What you should do is to opt for custom installation and deselect anything unfamiliar.
There is also a detection tool that might help you since malware and adware are difficult to track down. Use Albireo “Virus” scanner to find all files infected. Once detected you have to do the following to get rid of the Albireo “Virus”. First uninstall Albireo “Virus” from Windows, next remove Albireo “Virus”malware with Reason Core Security Free, then remove Albireo “Virus” malware with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free (Optional) and reset Internet Explorer, Firefox or Google Chrome settings to remove Albireo “Virus”

All you have to do is to be extremely careful. Do not click on the advertisements or do anything but close them down as quickly as possible. Also be careful not to give any personal contact details, even banking information, because it could have bad consequences, such as identity thefts or other schemes.
So, let’s summarize, don’t open ads and pop- ups, close them immediately, analyze the processes using the “Custom” or “Advanced” settings, and use the Detection tools. To avoid installation of these unwanted programs, always download software from legitimate source such as the publisher’s web site, not through a download portal that is advertised.

STEP ONE – remove Albireo from your list of installed programs

In order to do it you need to navigate to your control panel.

For Windows 10 -> right click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel. In the Menu that opens select Uninstall a program

For Windows 7-> left click on your Win button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel->Programs_>Programs and Features->

For Windows 8-> Swipe from the right edge of the screen and hit Search. If you are using a mouse rather point to the upper-right corner, then move the pointer downwards. Select Search. In the Search field type Control panel.

Find Albireo in the list or programs, right click on it and select uninstall.

• IMPROTANT It is possible that the Adware will try to install another program in its place. Carefully read the wording of any confirmation pop-up that may appear and select the option that will not result in anything else getting installed on your computer.
• OPTIONAL Sort your programs by installation date starting from the most recent ones. Uninstall any other application that the Adware may have added to your PC. They are likely nothing but trouble.

STEP 2 – remove any shortcut modifications added to your browser

This step is rather simple:

1. Right-click on the shortcut you usually use to start your browser.
2. Select Properties
3. Look at the field labeled Target. Delete anything that comes after .exe

STEP 3 – remove any extensions added to your browser

From Chrome

1. Start your Chrome browser and click on the toolbox menu located in the upper-right corner, in the browser’s toolbar field.
2. Click Tools -> Extensions
3. Find the extension installed by Albireo and remove it by clicking on the trash bin icon.
4. Now go through the list of extension again and remove anything that you don’t know or don’t use.

• What if you cannot click on the Delete/Trash icon – it is grayed out or similar?

You need to click on the box called Developer Mode located in the upper-right corner. This will enable you to see the ID of the extension. Mark the whole string of numbers and copy them.

Now close your Chrome browser and hit Win+R simultaneously. In the button that opens type regedit.

Hit Control+F and paste the ID you copied from the browser. Delete any entries that pop-up from the result.

Now you can start your Chrome browser again and finish the removal of the Extension.

From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer browser
2. Click on the gear Tools button located in the upper-right corner  , and then select Manage add-ons.
3. Under the Show menu select “show all add-ons”, now find and delete the add-on installed by Albireo.
4. Go through the list of add-ons again and delete anything you are not familiar with/don’t use.

• What if you cannot remove or disable the extension?

This means that there is an active program installed on your computer that prevents you from doing so. You need to do back to Step 1 and carefully look through the list of installed programs. Uninstall anything that looks suspicious to you.

From Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal stripes button located in the upper-right corner . Select Add-ons.
3. Now go through the Appearance, Extensions and Plug-ins tabs and remove anything connected to Albireo from there. Use the Remove option whenever possible.
4. Go through these tabs again and remove any extensions that are unfamiliar to you or that you don’t use at all.

Didn’t work? Albireo not listed as an add-on or extension? Try resetting your browser to its default settings to clean away any malware additions.

Step 4 – resetting your internet browser

 How to reset Google Chrome

 What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Chrome, your search engines and home pages will be set to the default one. Default startup tabs will be cleared as well, unless you are on Chromebook. Likewise, new tab page will be empty. Pinned tabs will be unpinned and lost. Content settings are cleared out and set to default, cookie and site data removed. Extensions and themes are disabled.

Click on the Chrome menu button, the three horizontal stripes in the top-right corner, then select

1. Scroll to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings.
2. Look for the section “Reset settings,” click on Reset settings.
3. A dialog window will appear, confirm the reset:

• NOTE: You’ll see the following check box“Help make Google Chrome better by reporting the current settings”. If you select it you are agreeing to anonymously send Google your current settings. They’ll use this information to analyze how the Adware hooked in and improve the defense of the browser. It’s up to you whether to help or not.

How to reset Mozilla Firefox to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset button for Mozilla Firefox, your browsing history and bookmarks, as well as windows, open tabs, passwords and cookies and web-form information are preserved. Extensions, themes and other add-ons and plug-ins are removed.

1. Start your Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:support in the address bar, then hit
3. Now click on the Reset Firefox… button located in the upper-right part of the screen.
4. Confirm the reset, Firefox will now close and be reset.

How to reset Internet Explorer to default settings

What is about to happen? When you use the reset option for Internet explorer you have the option to control whether your browsing history, search providers, accellerators, tracking protection, home pages and Active filtering data are removed. All this can be done from the Delete Personal Settings checkbox. Check the guide below.

1. Start opening your Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear in the rop-right corner, that is the Tools Select Internet options. In case you don’t actually see the Tools menu, press Alt.
3. Now click on the Advanced tab, then find and click Reset.
4. Select the Delete personal settings check box. Please note that this will also delete your browsing history, home pages and more. Unfortunately it is needed to clean the Adware.
5. Confirm and wait for the process to finish.

Hopefully this will be enough to remove Albireo from your machine. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact us, we’ll try to help you to the best of our ability!