Remove Gangnamgame.net (Free Instructions)

Gangnamgame.net is a malicious adware infection that modifies Windows registry in order to gain persistence

Gangnamgame.net

Gangnamgame.net is a domain name that virus-infected users find as soon as they load up Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer or another web browser. The modification of the web browser is not only performed by altering their settings but also by changing Windows registry^[1] – a database that the OS uses to store all the settings in.

While Gangnamgame.net is more of an adware infection, its unusual behavior of system file modification closely reminds that of malware. Therefore, while resetting all the web browsers is one of the steps to recovery, this action will not be enough to remove Gangnamgame.net virus altogether, and the infected users will have to use additional, more advanced, methods.

Gangnamgame.net infection might result in further system compromise, as you might be redirected to a hacked or malicious site that can exploit software vulnerabilities^[2] on your device and install malware automatically. Besides, the never-ending ads will not allow you to view your favorite websites without continually being interrupted.

Name	Gangnamgame.net
Type	Adware
Infection means	Software bundling, ads, third-party sites, etc.
Related process	cmd.exe
Registry modification	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Affected browsers	Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, UC browsers, etc.
Associated risks	Malware infection, installation of other PUPs, money loss
Termination	To remove the virus, scan your computer with anti-malware software or check our manual guide below
Recovery	To fix Windows registry and other affected system files, use Fortect Intego

The main Gangnamgame.net site reminds of a fan-made page about a popular First Person Shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and is presented in the Russian language (that is why users named it “Gangnam game virus“). Therefore, it might be that the virus was aimed at Russian users, although Korean users also claimed to be suffering from the unexpected Gangnamgame.net appearance. Nevertheless, the content of the site may vary overall.

Gangnamgame.net adware might have slipped into your machine when you downloaded and installed freeware or shareware from third-party sites. This is common potentially unwanted program distribution tactic and is often used by developers to monetize. Unfortunately, users end up with potentially harmful applications that interrupt their web browser settings with pop-ups, banners, offers, deals, and redirect them to dangerous websites.

While in general, it is a very typical adware behavior, Gangnamgame.net goes a step further and acts like malware by creating a new cmd.exe command that is launched as soon as Windows is booted. This ensures that the malicious process runs all the time. To launch it, Gangnamgame.net virus modifies the registry key located in the following location:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Even though the changes made by Gangnamgame.net adware might be reverted manually, it is highly discouraged by security experts.^[3] Registry is one of the vital Windows OS parts, and deleting important entries or modifying wrong keys might result in program malfunction and crashes. In the worst-case scenario, the reinstallation of the entire Windows OS might be required.

Gangnamgame.net pop-ups

To avoid that, we highly recommend scanning the PC with Fortect Intego, as it can fix Gangnamgame.net-altered registry automatically. Besides, it can also fix all the virus damage. Nevertheless, you will have to reset the installed browsers regardless to make sure that the infection does not return.

To perform a full Gangnamgame.net removal, you can use anti-malware software that focuses on potentially unwanted programs or check out a manual termination guide below. However, as we explained, registry modification might not allow you to get rid of Gangnamgame.net entirely.

Watch out when installing new software – PUPs are hidden inside the freeware installers

While most of the programs that are bundled with freeware and shareware are harmless, some of them might induce unwanted changes to your browser and display intrusive ads you never asked for. In worst cases, users might infect their machines with malware that can proliferate other viruses, causing even more severe damage to the PC and compromising users' online safety.

Bundled software might be useful in some cases and allow users to try out applications for free. However, users should also be aware that malicious apps can also be included, so installing new programs carefully is vital for computer safety. Here are some tips on the matter:

Select reputable sources for your downloads and avoid torrent or similar shady websites (note: even well-known freeware sites bundle software, so you should always be careful);
Check if the app provides access to such documents like Privacy Policy and Terms of Service;
Beware of the fine print, pre-selected boxes and misleading button placements;
Select Advanced/Custom installation settings to discover what apps are actually being installed and remove the unwanted ones;
Install reputable security software and keep it up to date.

Revert all the system modifications initiated by Gangnamgame.net and get rid of the virus

As we previously mentioned, Gangnamgame.net removal might not be as straight forward as it would be with common adware infections. In most of the cases, detecting the potentially unwanted programs and removing them from the list by clicking “Uninstall” and resetting browsers would work. Unfortunately, Gangnamgame.net virus is much more persistent due to the modifications made to the Windows registry.

Gangnamgame.net CS:GO

We would recommend checking the list of the installed programs as explained below and removing anything that seems suspicious or not recognizable. After that, you should install reputable anti-malware software and scan your device for the traces of adware and malware. Finally, you should also reset each of the installed browsers as explained below to remove Gangnamgame.net malware from your PC completely.

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.

How to remove Gangnamgame.net

Gangnamgame.net is a malicious adware infection that modifies Windows registry in order to gain persistence

Watch out when installing new software – PUPs are hidden inside the freeware installers