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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Feb 2021

How to remove System Security Tool

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Jake Doevan · Computer technology expert

System Security Tool is a potentially unwanted program that shows fake advertisements

System Security Tool virus is an adware that is capable of generating legitimate-looking ads that claim that the computer’s system is in critical condition, and encourage users to contact the remote tech support in order to solve this problem. In reality, there is no actual threat on your computer.

Furthermore, if you decide to trust on System Security Tool virus and call the number provided in the fake security notification, you will not be connected to the technician but merely to a salesperson waiting to sell you an unnecessary security contract or offer other services. The scare tactics that these security support scammers use often work and the victims purchase the supposed security support contracts.

However, we have to warn you not to try contacting the given number, not to mention buying the suggested products, because you may simply be scammed. The first thing you should do, if you notice such ads occurring on your computer is to scan your system with a reliable antivirus tool. It will detect and remove System Security Tool and any other suspicious components from your PC.

There are also other ways of distinguishing fake ads from legitimate system notifications if you suspect you have been a victim of a System Security Tool hijack. First, you can try closing your browser and see if the notifications still appear on your screen. Even better, you can disconnect your device from the network and monitor your computer’s activity.

System Security Tool virus

If the notifications stop appearing you can be sure that they were simply System Security Tool ads, and you should not worry about the safety of your computer too much. However, as mentioned before, you should make sure that the system is virus-free by scanning your computer with some reputable virus-fighting utility, such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes.

Finally, you should specifically examine the content of the System Security Tool notifications. It varies minimally throughout the different ads; therefore, it is easily recognizable. Take a look at the following example:

Firewall Detected Potential Threads on Your Computer
Warning. Windows Security Essentials wasn’t able to block the threats. Windows detected several threats that will compromise your privacy and harm your computer.
Error Code: 0x000007c, Windows couldn’t install the definition updates.
More Information & Support Please contact 1-800-754-3403

If you notice ads featuring similar content occurring on your computer you most likely have adware residing on your PC. It is essential to take care of the System Security Tool removal if you want to keep using your computer safely and uninterruptedly. Also, if you notice that your computer is still performing worse than before after all problems have been terminated, you may need to fix your system. We recommend using FortectIntego or a similar repair tool.

Ways developers distribute adware

Even though some features of this program slightly differ from other programs of this particular category, the ways through which it is distributed are virtually the same. This adware is distributed through a deceptive marketing method, also referred to as “bundling”.

“Bundling” occurs when two programs are added to the same software package, and the user downloads them both in one go. You can imagine how useful such a feature can be to the creators of potentially unwanted programs. Their malicious creations can enter the users’ computers unnoticed and silently carry out questionable activities. But this stealthy hijack can as well be avoided if you spare some more time for the new software installation process.

Firstly, choose your source of downloading programs wisely. Secondly, before heading straight to the installation process, let your antivirus scan the downloaded application to determine its reliability. Finally, always opt for the advanced installation settings to monitor and manage all the optional installs.

Recommendations for the System Security Tool virus removal

Essentially, there are two ways to remove System Security Tool from the computer: automatic and manual removal. At the end of this article, you can find the manual virus removal guide; however, this removal option is recommended only for users who have higher than average computer knowledge. Removing viruses manually not only about following instructions but also requires technical skill, because different virus components may be scattered around and hidden deep in the computer’s system.

For quicker and more precise virus elimination, the security experts suggest the automatic System Security Tool removal approach. You can simply rely on professional antivirus tools to help you get rid of the virus. Just do not forget to keep the virus database updates to ensure the best protection.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

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

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

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

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

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

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

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

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

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

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Reset the homepage:

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

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

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

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

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

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Clear history and website data:

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

Reset Safari:

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

Did this guide help?

3 comments

  1. Bertha

    Downloaded the anti-spyware program instantly. It deleted the app for me!

  2. Nora

    Thanks for the warning! :)

  3. Gill

    I was about to call that number. Im lucky I spotted this tutorial!

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