AdBlocker for YouTube – an extension that might change your browser settings without warning

Adblocker For YouTube is one of many extensions offered for users to stop ads from being displayed. This particular one is designed to stop the intrusive advertisements that are shown during YouTube watching sessions. The add-on can be found in Chrome and Firefox web stores, although it is not uncommon to discover it after installing freeware apps downloaded from third-party sources, as it can be spread via software bundles.
While Adblocker For YouTube seems like a useful extension, there are many suspicious features that it holds. First of all, users complained that commercials still pop up, despite it being installed correctly. Furthermore, the main concern arises when it adds itself to the exclusion category of Windows Defender‘s scanning list. The app also has gone rogue, as users started to complain about unexpected browser redirects to search.grilime.com.[1] Due to these features, virus researchers categorize it as adware[2].
| Name | Adblocker For YouTube |
| Type | Browser extension, ad-blocker, adware |
| Distribution | Software bundle packages, official Chrome/Firefox stores |
| Symptoms | Advertisements show up on most visited websites; unexpected redirects to Bing or other search providers; changed homepage and new tab address |
| Removal | You can eliminate the extension by accessing your web browser settings. It is also recommended to check the system for other PUPs, as well as malware – do it manually as per instructions below or scan the system with security software |
| Additional steps | In case you found other potentially unwanted or malicious programs on your system, your computer might begin acting abnormally, e.g., stat crashing, throwing errors, or similar. You can attempt to fix such problems automatically with FortectIntego |
It is not a secret that some apps are better than others in their particular field. Ad-blockers are generally useful additions to web browsers, as they can prevent JavaScript from executing malicious scripts, hindering automatic malware infections. Not to mention that they improve web browsing experience from users' point of view.
However, some ad-blocking apps are simply bad – they instead inject ads, connect to unknown servers, redirect traffic, or even act as malware. Unfortunately, the so-called Adblocker For YouTube virus has caused many users troubles instead of helping them.
Many similar apps attempt to slip into users' machines with the pretext of blocking ads. Here are a few examples:
Besides, security researchers also spotted fake ad-blockers being distributed to thousands of users. For this reason, picking a correct program is crucial, as it may otherwise result in privacy issues, malware infections, or monetary losses. Thus, we recommend you remove Adblocker For YouTube as soon as possible.
Regularly popping advertisements and commercials in YouTube videos surely remain a pain in the neck. Depending on the duration of the original video, such pop-ups emerge quite frequently[3]. Responding to the needs of the virtual community, the developers present two versions of the program – for Mozilla Firefox[4] and Chrome browsers. It is promoted as a secure extension which grants you the privilege of watching YouTube videos without irritating commercials.

Even though the ratings of both extensions suggest of the effectiveness of the program, user reviews reveal an alternative truth. Some of the users got disappointed after finding out that it fails its mission as an ad-blocking app. In the review, it notes that it does not collect any browsing data about users. Contradictory, when you are about to enable the extension, it alerts users that the extension is capable of reading and changing “all your data on the websites you visit.” The latter statement is especially obscure as the “change” implies several possible scenarios.
Furthermore, this extension makes a disguised connection to the server located in Russia. The purpose of such peculiarity is still unknown. In addition, AdBlocker for YouTube redirect phenomenon may also occur. You might get accidentally misled to a third-party website which promotes other ad-blocking programs. Such features are not common for a reliable browser extension. Its tendency to evade the scanning by Windows Defender implies that certain specifications of the program may be detected as potentially insecure or even fraudulent[5]. These are the main arguments which should encourage you to initiate AdBlocker for YouTube removal.
Transmission tendencies of the adware
This PUP is promoted via three channels. You might easily find it in the Google or Apple app store and enable the extension. Secondly, this application is promoted via the “bundling” technique. In other words, you are likely to encounter so-called AdBlocker for Youtube hijack when you hop through the stages of the installation wizard. Note that this PUP may be promoted along with Skype or Adobe Flash Player updates.
Therefore, it is of key importance to pay attention while proceeding to next installation stage. Selecting “Custom” settings will enable you to see optional downloads and cancel the pre-marked add-ons on time. Thirdly, this add-on may be promoted with the help of retargeting technique. Likewise, you will see AdBlocker for Youtube ads or “Ads by Youtube Adblock.” If you have ever searched for ad-blocking programs and accidentally visited one of the partner websites, do not get surprised if these notifications pop up in your browser.

AdBlocker for Youtube uninstallation
You can choose from two elimination options: either remove AdBlocker for Youtube virus manually or entrust the termination to malware removal program. Update it and let it scan the device. Usually, AdBlocker for Youtube removal does not take long.
The application will also come in handy battling with the more elaborate threat. Lastly, check manual guidelines how to clean your browser properly. On the final note, before downloading new apps and enabling new features, check users reviews as well.
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.

Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.

Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.

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

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.

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