Remove Brkdown.com (Removal Guide)

Brkdown.com is a scam site you should never download software from

Brkdown.com

Brkdown.com is a malicious website that you could encounter at any time when browsing the web via Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser. While the web page could be encountered on all platforms, iPhone or Mac users are the ones who are most commonly targeted. The website is known to promote all sorts of fake claims and scams with the intention to make users download potentially dangerous software on their devices.

The Brkdown.com popup claims that “they” (whoever they are) have detected a number of Trojans,^[1] viruses, and other malware on the device due to browsing of “corrupted sites.” According to the message, the offered security application needs to be installed in order to prevent theft of sensitive data, such as Facebook/WhatsApp logins and private messages, as well as photos located on the device. It is important to note that no websites can detect malware on your system, hence Brkdown.com is a scam and should never be trusted.

Name	Brkdown.com
Type	Phishing, scam, fake alert
Claim	The message says that malware was found on the device, and that the login credentials of Facebook and other social networks, personal photos, and other sensitive data will be stolen
Goal	The main goal is to make users download a suspicious application for the fake virus elimination
Distribution	The popups and redirects to the site can be encountered after clicking on a malicious link or after being redirected by adware or another potentially unwanted program
Related	Your Apple iPhone is infected, Your system is infected with 3 viruses
Elimination	If you did not download anything, you a are unlikely to be infected; however, we recommend checking the system with anti-malware or looking for adware programs manually
Further steps	You should perform a full system scan with anti-malware and then remediate the computer or phone with Fortect Intego repair tool

First of all, before understanding the goals and principles of the Brkdown.com scam operation, it is important to know how you can get there. Without a doubt, you did not type in the web address to land on the site. However, you are likely to be redirected to it after visiting a suspicious website (torrents, video-streaming, gambling, X-rated, and similar). These automatic redirects are typically executed thanks to JavaScript^[2] or other background processes. You might also encounter the Brkdown.com virus alert after clicking on a link.

In some rare cases, you might be infected with adware – a variation of a potentially unwanted program category, which specializes in browser takeover, redirects to suspicious websites, intrusive ad campaigns, as well as background information tracking for marketing purposes. Thus, if Brkdown.com redirect is persistent, you should either check for PUPs manually or scan the device with powerful anti-malware, such as SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes.

However, please keep in mind that all the claims you see on the message that is shown to you on the site it bogus – Trojans and other malicious programs are unlikely to reside on your device. Even if so, it would not be related to this “detection,” as websites generally can't detect and diagnose infections of the device.

Upon Brkdown.com entry, you might encounter several different variations of the scam. Here is an example that promotes the “Your Apple iPhone is infected” scam:

Your Apple iPhone is severely damaged by 19 viruses!

We have detected that your Browser is (59%) DAMAGED by BROWSER TROJAN VIRUSES picked up while surfing recent corrupted sites.

Immediately install mobile security application or sensitive data like your Facebook account, WhatsApp messages, photos and private applications will be infected and stolen.

[Install] [Cancel]

The Brkdown.com popup looks very plain, although it does include the Apple devices' settings logo, which might make some people think that the message is legitimate. The first red flag is that the pop-up is not coming from an official source. It also attempts to intimidate users by applying a timer, creating a sense of urgency.

Do not worry, your social media accounts are safe. However, you should remove Brkdown.com popup by simply closing down the web page immediately. No matter what you do, do not download and install the promoted applications, as it could easily result in malware infections.

Brkdown.com scam

If you did install something, Brkdown.com removal might become a bit more difficult. First of all, you should check the installed program section of your device. However, the best way to eliminate all potentially malicious software is by scanning your Mac or another device with SpyHunter Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes Malwarebytes, or another reputable software. To remediate the system, experts^[3] also recommend using Fortect Intego.

Ways to recognize online scams and avoid adware infections

As mentioned above, adware could be one of the main causes you see scams on your device. These PUPs might take over the web browser and inserts ads everywhere. Unfortunately, some of those ads or redirects might be deceptive and, in some cases, even dangerous. Therefore, it is best to ensure that your phone or desktop computer is adware-free. For that, consider practicing the following:

If possible, only download apps from official sources (App Store, Google Play, etc.);
Never visit torrent or similar sites that distribute software cracks or pirated application installers;
During the installation of third-party software, always opt for Advanced/Custom settings instead of Recommended/Quick ones – it will let you stay in control of the process;
Remove all the ticks from the pre-ticked boxes, read the fine print, and watch out for misplaced buttons.

Online scams might also be encountered randomly on thousands of malicious websites. Therefore, it is important to recognize them not to be tricked. As previously noted, phishing and scam sites are often used to make users download malicious software, provide sensitive information, or waste money on useless apps. Never downloads anything from sites that claim your device is infected with malware – they can not diagnose such intricacies. Always check the URL of the page you are visiting, as it will be an unknown address that has nothing to do with official sources such as Apple.

Eradicate Brkdown.com scam pop-ups for good

First of all, it is important to note that if you saw the Brkdown.com virus notification for the first time, you should not panic and simply close down the tab or the web browser. However, if you downloaded and installed software suggested to you after being intimidated by the message, Brkdown.com removal would work slightly differently.

First of all, if you are using an iPhone, go to Settings > Safari and then enable Block Pop-ups and Fraudulent Website Warning feature. This will prevent websites from showing you scam notifications in the future.

Now, you should ensure that your system is safe and not infected. For that, you can either visit the installed app section of your device and look for inconsistencies. If you are not quite sure what you are doing, you should instead rely on powerful security tools – they could remove Brkdown.com scam leftovers and all the associated malicious programs within just a few minutes.

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 Brkdown.com

Brkdown.com is a scam site you should never download software from

Ways to recognize online scams and avoid adware infections