Remove Ads by Clean Browser (Removal Instructions)

Clean Browser – adware that launches via the SoftwareDetector.exe command

Clean Browser adware

Clean Browser, developed by Intriguing apps, is another promising browser plug-in that boasts being able to “recognize malicious websites, minimizing your risk of downloading harmful viruses and malware.” It is compatible with all major web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or MS Edge, and may smoothly work on each of them.

However, we do not recommend installing this app since it may spy on your browsing activities, initiate various system modifications, deliver commercial advertisements on each website you visit, cause system slowdowns, redirects, and similar issues. Also, when the adware places itself on your computer system, you might be able to recognize it from its main process that is named SoftwareDetector.exe.

Name	Clean Browser
Category	Adware/PUP
Main process	SoftwareDetector.exe might be found running in the background
Activities	The adware program can relate in intense advertising activities, redirects, collection of browsing-related information, modification of the browser's default homepage/new tab search URL
Distribution	The main PUP delivery techniques are “software bundling”, injection into third-party ads and hyperlinks, etc.
Removal	You can eliminate the adware program by employing automatic software or by performing the step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article
Repair tip	If the adware has resulted in the comptonization of some system components, you can try recovering them with the help of Fortect Intego

Seeing “Ads by Clean Browser” during browsing is one of the main signs that you have been infected with this adware. The PUP might start delivering unwanted pop-ups and pop-unders whenever you are trying to browse the Internet sphere. Continuously, there is a big chance that you will find additional components such as extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons installed right into your browser settings.

It might also initiate some changes in major browsers' settings and interfere with your browser's homepage and new tab URL sections. It is also set to promote affiliate websites and increase their ranking and sales in any way possible. However, no one guarantees that they are safe and does not take any responsibility if you will be exposed to corrupted websites.

Here we come to another problem – redirecting. Redirects can take you to affiliate sources that are filled with various deals and offers. However, some of these pages might also end up infected with malware and the same parasite might try to sneak into your computer system and perform some damage. As you can see, having a PUP such as adware on your machine makes it indirectly vulnerable to other cyber threat attacks.

Adware might show you ads that promote various offers and deals. Some of these adverts might try to trick you into installing unreliable security utilities. Others might come in the forms of surveys and fake reward claims that might ask you to enter some personally-identifiable information or provide your credentials. You should not do that as your data or money might easily get stolen by malicious actors.

Clean Browser virus

By the way, you should be careful not only with Clean Browser ads but also with its cookies. Once inside, this adware installs HTTP cookies^[1] and may track your online activities and browsing history, habits, experience all the time. Even though its targeted information is not considered as personal, such activity implemented behind your back may be associated with privacy violation.

Different data might be targeted for collection – it may include:

recently visited websites
hyperlinks and advertisements accessed
bookmarks saved
technical device details
commonly searched offers
IP address, etc.

Mostly, developers capture this type of information and use it in targeted advertising campaigns. They provide users with beneficially-looking advertisements and look forward to earning income from a marketing scheme known as pay-per-click.

To avoid all of these unwanted activities or to prevent them from continuing, you have to remove the PUP from your affected machine and web browsers. The process can be fully completed by employing reliable antimalware software or by using the step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article. Also, you can use a tool such as Fortect Intego for repairing compromised system objects if there are some.

PUP removal is a necessary task to complete if you want to free your computer and browsers from the adware-related effects. For proper elimination, you have to clean both the OS and web browser apps, otherwise, the adware might easily return. Besides, your web browsers should stop struggling and freezing after freeing them from all the intense advertising and redirecting that has been caused by the PUP.

Clean Browser

Adware uses deceptive techniques to appear on computers

Some adware programs have their official website and can be installed right there. However, people seldom run into such websites accidentally and install the PUP willingly. You might be wondering how did the adware reach your computer system if you did not apply for its installation process. The answer is simple – it spreads bundled with freeware and infiltrates the system unless users opt-out of it.

Such a distribution method is called “bundling” and is closely related to various freeware and shareware. It is a big mistake to think that it is enough to click on the “next” button all the time in order not to install a freeware.^[2] However, if you want to deselect such programs and keep your computer safe, you have to select Advanced or Custom installation and monitor the entire process as carefully as possible.

Continuously, adware apps can get delivered via third-party sources that come filled with numerous hyperlinks and pop-up ads. This type of content might be placed there intentionally to get clicked on by random users. You should avoid visiting websites that drop a concerning look to you and especially prevent proceeding to networks that have been marked as unsafe to enter by your own web browser app or antimalware program.

In some other cases, adware programs can come camouflaged as fake Flash Player updates. If you receive any offer to upgrade your programs while browsing on the Internet, you should resist such suggestions and close the page immediately. Also, if you are not sure about some type of update, you can always go and visit the developer's official website where all recently-released updates should be provided.

Get rid of Clean Browser adware

Even if this app does not possess the biggest risk of harm possible, it can make your computer vulnerable to other infections, modify your browsers, add processes to your computer system, and modify the Registry section.

You can remove Clean Browser by employing reliable antimalware software or by using the step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article. We suggest opting for the automatic technique as this method is known to be more effective and reliable.

According to experts from LosVirus.es,^[3] adware might leave browsers filled with unwanted objects too. So, if you are looking forward to eliminating the adware permanently, you should not forget to clean your web browser applications and not only just the computer system.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.

Remove the unwanted program:

In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:

Select Go > Go to Folder.
Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
Click Remove.

Clear cookies and other browser data:

Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
Then find On startup section.
Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
Select Details tab.
Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and site data:

Click on Menu and go to Settings.
Select Privacy, search and services.
Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
Under Time range, pick All time.
Select Clear now.

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

Click on Menu and select Settings.
On the left side, pick Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values.
Confirm with Reset.
This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
Select Add-ons.
In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.

Reset the homepage:

Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
Choose Settings.
Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

Click Menu and pick Settings.
Go to Privacy & Security section.
Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
Click on Clear Data...
Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

Click on Menu and pick Settings.
Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
Click Clear data.

Change your homepage:

Click menu and choose Settings.
Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

Click on Menu and select Settings.
In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
Confirm with Reset settings.

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.

Clear history and website data:

Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.

Reset Safari:

Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.

How to remove Ads by Clean Browser

Clean Browser – adware that launches via the SoftwareDetector.exe command

Adware uses deceptive techniques to appear on computers