Always Weather virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Always Weather updates you with current weather forecasts. Is it really so?
Always Weather virus is promoted as a browser extension which delivers you hourly and 5-day weather forecasts. You will be able to attach several locations for the app to keep you updated.
Though the veneer of the website might evoke the impression of the application being highly useful, take several aspects into consideration. Before appending it to the Chrome, the informational message pops up stating that the tool can:
- Read and change all your data on the websites you visit
- Display notifications
- Manage your apps, extensions, and themes
Furthermore, regardless of the appealing official site, it does not present any privacy policy nor EULA. Due to these factors, the site is labeled as PUP. Thus, you might want to remove Always Weather. In this situation, you might find Reimage or Malwarebytes Anti Malware useful.
Useful application or misleading veneer?
At first glance, the application might seem quite ordinary. If you are not aware of security dangers, you may disregard the absence of the above-mentioned applications.
However, a website or an app without privacy policy sparks doubts whether it is safe to use it. Furthermore, there is no information whether the application collects any information about users and whether Always Weather transmits the data to its business partners. Considering the past incident involving AccuWeather[1], the collection of personal data might cause more troubles.
Therefore, it is likely that you might be bothered with Always Weather redirect problem. However, you should not disregard this issue. Always Weather ads or notifications might not only inform you about weather changes but direct you to shady domains. Thus, there are more than enough reasons to initiate Always Weather removal.
Adware distribution campaigns remain the same
While adware becomes more intertwined with malware[2], certain samples exhibit different distribution campaigns, however, such typical PUPs as this one spreads the ordinary ways. It can be found on Google Chrome Web Store and on its official site – http://alwaysweather.net/.
Considering other distribution possibilities, “Always Weather hijack” does not exist. Nonetheless, be vigilant while installing even well-known apps such as Java or Skype. Recklessly dashing through the installation wizard might deprive you of overlooking optional but often irrelevant add-ons.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
If you are 'Windows 10 / Windows 8' user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once 'Quick Access Menu' shows up, select 'Control Panel' and 'Uninstall a Program'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Delete Always Weather extension
If you have already installed the extension, you can uninstall it manually by removing it from the extensions list. However, you should also eliminate its cookies and web elements. You can do so with the assistance of malware elimination tool.
In addition, below instructions will be of service to you decide to remove Always Weather virus manually.
The extension can be promoted to non-native English speakers, for instance, Danish[3]. Now start Always Weather removal procedure.
You can remove Always Weather automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Manual Always Weather virus Removal Guide:
Remove Always Weather from Windows systems
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
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Uninstall Always Weather and related programs
Here, look for Always Weather or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
Remove Always Weather from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Always Weather or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Remove Always Weather from Internet Explorer (IE)
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Always Weather and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Always Weather removal.
Remove Always Weather virus from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe. -
Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Always Weather should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Always Weather from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Always Weather and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Always Weather removal.
Remove Always Weather from Google Chrome
Get rid of Always Weather extension and remove its web scripts.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Always Weather and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Always Weather removal.
Remove Always Weather from Safari
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Always Weather or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Always Weather removal process.
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References
- ^ Alice Woods. Accuweather lost its trust: the weather app shares users’ location data with third-party companies. 2-spyware. Spyware and security news.
- ^ Russell Brandom. Lenovo settles with the FTC over Superfish adware. The Verge. IT News and Commentary.
- ^ Eliminate malware. Udenvirus. Security news and malware elimination guidelines in Danish.