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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Jan 2018

How to remove Adware.Elex.ShrtCln

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

Gabriel E. Hall · Passionate web researcher

Adware.Elex.ShrtCln – dangerous app that promises to help users prevent adware on their computer

Adware.Elex.ShrtCln trojan

Adware.Elex.ShrtCln is a term used to describe a dangerous program which disguises itself as a tool designed to help users prevent adware. However, right after being installed on the system, the Elex virus starts acting the opposite, e.g., shows sponsored ads, redirects its users to predetermined websites and tracks their searches.

Despite the fact that Adware.Elex.ShrtCln malware has been added to adware category,[1] it can also be found as a Trojan horse. These conclusions have been made because of program's aggressive distribution techniques and the association with a wide list of browser hijackers, including Youndoo, YesSearches, and Trotux.

Also, when dealing with Adware.Elex.ShrtCln, you can get infected with a trojan horse[2] and similar malware. Be sure to avoid ads that appear on your web browser out of nowhere because their goal can not only be generating revenue through advertisements but installing viruses on your computer. Besides, they can trick you into revealing your personal information by showing you survey ads and similar warning messages. 

Adware can affect the most popular browsers, like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and similar. According to experts, it can attack its victims under the name of Adobe Flash Player or Java update. Make sure you update these program only by visiting their official websites instead of clicking questionable ads that show up while browsing the Internet!

If you have even the slightest suspicion that you can be infected, remove Adware.Elex.ShrtCln using FortectIntego software that can not only get rid of malicious files but can also fix damage initiated by them.

 Adware.Elex.ShrtCln malware

To sum things up, as soon as Adware.Elex.ShrtCln infiltrates the system, it initiates these main activities on each of web browsers:

  • Displays commercial ads, pop-ups, banners, offers, etc. on your web browser. In most cases, they will redirect you to partners’ websites where revenue is generated through advertisements. The ads might display such phrases as “Sponsored By,” “Ads by” etc.
  • Redirects you to websites filled with dubious content (pornography, gambling, and similar). Additionally, you can be redirected to a potentially dangerous site that claims that you are in a tech-related website and that you need to download updates or similar software. Do NOT fall for them as these updates are malicious.
  • Downloads additional unauthorized or malicious software to your PC without any permission asked. In most of the cases, this software is used to prevent virus removal from the system.

Like the most of adware programs, Adware.Elex.ShrtCln can also be used to track its users and record their activity on the Internet. This information includes search queries, browsing history, IP addresses, details that are added while visiting different websites, and similar. This data helps developers to generate personalized ads.

If infected, you might find that you can't perform manual Adware.Elex.ShrtCln removal on your computer. In fact, we don't recommend doing this without professional security software. Otherwise, your computer might become incredibly unstable, and even non-responsive. 

Adware attacks unsuspecting users with the help of aggressive techniques

Adware programs have mostly been spread with the help of bundling.[3] However, this is a truly malicious program that is ready to do anything to get into the system. According to PC security experts, Elex malware can also infect your computer with the help of fake Flash Player and Java updates.

Keep in mind that intrusive ads that show up on your browser while you are searching the Internet cannot be real. If you need an update, you are typically informed about that right after you reboot your computer or launch the specific program which is out of date. Otherwise, the update is fake and seeks to lead you into adware attack. 

If you are new to bundling, you should know that they can be easily filled with adware and unwanted programs. To prevent them, security experts have always been recommending using Advanced/Custom installation modes instead of Recommended/Quick ones as dubious software can be hidden in them.

Adware.Elex.ShrtCln virus removal is more than necessity

As mentioned above, many adware programs have removal protection implemented. Therefore, the most reliable way to remove Adware.Elex.ShrtCln virus and similar threats are by using anti-spyware software. However, make sure you download and install a legitimate program as the internet is filled with fake security software which is usually useless in dealing with adware. We highly recommend using programs that are listed below to get rid of this serious virus.

However, if you do not wish to invest in additional software, you can simply follow our step-by-step guide below which will assist you in every step of the process. Be aware that incorrect malware elimination can lead you to permanent computer damage, so make sure you are extremely careful while you proceed with Adware.Elex.ShrtCln removal. 

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

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