Amigo virus (Removal Guide) - Jan 2021 update
Amigo virus Removal Guide
What is Amigo virus?
Amigo adware might hijack your browser and initiate a redirect to suspicious sites
Amigo is developed by Mail.Ru Group and presented as a powerful web browser with built-in social networks. However, it has more negative features than positive ones, and for this reason, it is categorized as a potentially unwanted program.[1]
This ad-supported application mainly targets Russian-speaking users.[2] It is usually distributed using “bundling,” which allows third-party apps to spread bundled with various freeware as “optional components.” Thus, it might enter the system without asking direct permission.
Immediately after successful infiltration, Amigo browser may replace Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or any other web browser that is set by default. In addition to that, it may initiate continuous redirects to go.mail.ru domain, which is an untrustworthy search site. Be careful and avoid making searches with it as it may deliver altered search results filled with sponsored links and advertisements.
However, not only go.mail.ru search can initiate undesired redirects but also predetermined ads that may show up while you are using this browser. The most important thing that you have to keep in mind is related to the reliability of the websites that Amigo ads can try to promote. It has been found that it can try to support both reliable and untrustworthy sites, which may even be involved in suspicious activities.
If you click on ads or third-party links, Amigo virus might redirect you to websites that were created for spreading malware[3] or various scams.[4] Thus, cybercriminals might have prepared various tricks to get your sensitive information or convince to download bogus software.
Not to mention, this browser is also blamed for spying on its users and collecting personally non-identifiable information related to their browsing habits. Keeping in mind that this program is closely related to third parties and may leak data to them, we highly recommend removing Amigo and set one of the trusted browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Internet Explorer by default.
At the end of the article, we have provided instructions that will help to get rid of the adware manually. However, we suggest saving your time and scanning the computer with FortectIntego. This anti-malware[5] will complete automatic Amigo removal for you.
Amigo is a suspicious browser that might infiltrate computers with the help of freeware.
The hijack might occur during incorrect installation of freeware or shareware
The browser is promoted via the official website and can be downloaded right there. However, it is seldom installed manually as the site can hardly be found accidentally, whereas the program does not seem that trustworthy to be used instead of the most reliable browsers.
In most cases, it is distributed via other freeware and shareware, such as download managers, PDF creators, media players, games, etc. that are promoted on such popular websites as download.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, cnet.com, and so on.
Such a marketing method is known as “bundling” and is deceptive enough to make people install unwanted apps without being noticed. To prevent this from happening, whenever you decide to install a freeware, keep in mind these tips:
- opt for Advanced/Custom installation (instead of Quick/Basic),
- read all terms carefully,
- unmark ticks that are set alongside statements that you agree to install Amigo or another suspicious application.
Uninstall Amigo virus from the computer
To reset a default web browser, first of all, you will have to remove Amigo and other related programs, such as Search Protect, WebSparkle, MyAllSearch, and so on. In order to do that, you can follow the manual removal guidelines below.
If you decide to uninstall the adware manually, you should be careful. Various programs, files, and extensions might have been installed in numerous places on the system. It’s crucial to find and delete all these entries in order to stop redirects, ads and get back control over your browser.
However, we want to remind you that automatic Amigo removal can protect you from failure. Install reputable anti-malware, update it and scan the system. Within several minutes this PUP will be terminated from your PC.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Amigo virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Go to Control Panel and lookup for Amigo. Uninstall this program together with other unknown applications.
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
After adware infiltration, some suspicious components may have been installed to Microsoft Edge. Thus, you need to fix this problem by following these steps:
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Make sure that any suspicious extensions or add-ons haven't been installed to Mozilla Firefox. These guidelines will help you to get rid of these entries.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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
Follow the instructions to delete all components from Google Chrome that might be related to Amigo virus.
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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Amigo registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting adware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Margaret Rouse. PUP (potentially unwanted program). TechTarget. Latest technology news and global network of technology-related blogs.
- ^ Bedynet. Bedynet. Russian site about cyber threats that provides malware removal instructions.
- ^ Tim Fisher. What is Malware?. Lifewire. The website about technology and modern gadgets.
- ^ Sid Kirchheimer. Scams to Watch For in 2017. AARP. The official site of nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.
- ^ Forrest Stroud. Anti-malware. Webopedia. Online Tech Dictionary for IT Professionals.