24stream virus – a PUP from ad-supported software family

24stream is a term that describes adware[1] program that initiates browser redirects to install.24-stream.com and other suspicious websites. This potentially unwanted program (PUP) is aimed to promote the installation of additional questionable content like web browser toolbars, box advertisements, plug-ins. Such activity makes browsing unbearable, but developers of the PUP can generate pay-per-click earnings.
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Name | 24stream |
| Type | Adware |
| Danger level | Medium. Might display potentially dangerous ads |
| Redirect domain | install.24-stream.com |
| Symptoms | Delivery of aggressive pop-ups, banners, and other ads; redirects to questionable sites |
| Distribution | Software bundles |
| To uninstall 24stream, install FortectIntego and run a full system scan | |
Install.24-stream.com adware targets Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge and other internet browsers. Typically it sneaks into the system in the software bundle, so users often cannot understand why they see so many ads and other annoying commercial content.
However, the 24stream virus might modify browser’s settings in order to control what users see on the Internet. There’s no doubt that so many pop-up ads and redirects to various websites, banners that fill up the browser makes surfing the Web frustrating. However, there are bigger problems than that.
install.24-stream.com redirect issues are highly concerning. Adware displays pop-up ads that might be risky. They might redirect to promotional sites that offer to download potentially dangerous problems. Additionally, all of those deals offered by adware might guide you throughout some suspicious pages that might be harmful, for instance, phishing or tech support scam.[2]
Security specialists from utanvirus.se[3] also warn that undesired software and potentially harmful content can be downloaded to your computer without consent too. This can attach other PUPs that installs other ones, and this becomes a vicious circle of redirects. This activity makes people want to remove 24stream ASAP.
Although you can delete extensions and programs from your browser manually, we do not recommend to choose this type of 24stream removal. You can safely use certified tools for this job like FortectIntego that can provide you with a full system can.

Caution is a key when it comes to software download and installation process
When you download any software to your computer make sure you pay attention. PUP developers know the tendency of skipping installation process steps, which people have. This careless behavior and lack of knowledge causing questionable downloads.
When downloading software, make sure that you are relying on a certified and legitimate provider or store. This will ensure that you are getting the right programs and nothing else. If not doing so you might get a bundle of free additional programs that would make your browsing experience frustrating.
Each time you click on an advertisement or banner you are redirected to another one, and that makes the risk of infecting your browser and computer furthermore. It is crucial to know what you are downloading and clicking on to avoid getting browser infections.
Remove 24stream from your browser immediately
You can try to remove 24stream and all the suspicious extensions from your browser manually. Look for any dubious and questionable add-ons or other programs with similar names. The guidelines below will show you how it’s done. However, we do not recommend this elimination option because it may not be effective.
It’s easy to overlook adware-related components, so we recommend using an anti-malware program for 24stream removal. Once you run a full system scan, all suspicious programs, files, and applications will be wiped out from your machine.
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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