Cacaoweb virus: what it is and how to remove it
Cacaoweb virus is a rogue application developed by CACAOWEB LIMITED, located in the UK and registered in Hong Kong. Its authors claim that the app allows users to share data and communicate with friends, as well as integrate content from the internet.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Cacaoweb virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Cacaoweb virus |
| Type | Adware extension |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 4 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | Cacaoweb virus |
| First seen | 23 August 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Cacaoweb virus dangerous?
From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since
Cacaoweb is the questionable PUP that acts like hijacker and shows ad-supported content
Cacaoweb virus is a rogue application developed by CACAOWEB LIMITED, located in the UK and registered in Hong Kong.
Its authors claim that the app allows users to share data and communicate with friends, as well as integrate content from the internet. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out that the program is, in fact, adware in disguise.
Cacaoweb virus injects Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari with pop-ups, in-text links, auto-play video and audio ads, and other commercial content. Additionally, digging through the Privacy Policy, we found that, by registering to the service, users agree for their personal information to be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
Users can find the program on the official website, although it is not how Cacaoweb is usually injected into their computers. Instead, the app relies on software bundling - a deceptive marketing technique used all over the world by shareware and freeware authors. For that reason, it is classified as a potentially unwanted program, and many AV engines recognize it as such.
While some adware can be pretty harmless and easily detectable/removable, this browser app is not so much. Officially, it cannot be classified as malware, but it certainly posses several features. The program performs the following upon installation:
These factors alone should warrant thorough virus removal.
Another terrifying feature of Cacaoweb adware is information gathering. It turns out that developers harvest a large amount of personal and non-personal data by using cookies and web beacons technologies. While non-PI collection is a common practice among PUPs, personal information sharing raises serious privacy and security concerns.
We struggled to find the Privacy policy of the application immediately, as it was not listed on the main site. Only after entering the Terms of Service, we managed to find a link to it. It states the following:
Developers then claim that your telephone number and email address can be passed on to e-mail marketers, telemarketers, SMS text-based marketers, and similar. In case your inbox is cluttered with spam - now it should be clear where all the junk is coming from.
We cannot stress enough that providing personal details for apps like Cacaoweb is not a good idea. In the best-case scenario, you will end up with advert spam on all possible platforms you own. In the worst case, you could get your identity or money stolen.
Thus, if you value your online safety and do not wish to be disturbed by telemarketers constantly, make sure you remove the virus before it's too late. If you already installed the app and provided personal details, removing yourself from lists might be exceptionally complicated, as you would have to contact all partners of Cacaoweb and request your PII withdrawal.
- Adds an exclusion to itself on Windows Firewall;
- Modifies Windows Registry;
- Runs cacaoweb.exe in the background;
- Starts installing additional components without users' permission.
From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Cacaoweb virus
- Software bundling, the official website
- Intrusive ads and redirects plague each of the affected browsers
- Sensitive data loss, malware infections
- You can recover the proper performance with applications like that can find and fix issues with the virus damage
- The Personal Information that you submit to us remains your property, but by submitting such information to us you grant us the right, subject to applicable state and federal law, to use the Personal Information (other than Sensitive Information) for marketing purposes.
- Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we reserve the right to share, sell, rent, lease and/or otherwise distribute any and all Personal Information (other than Sensitive Information) with/to any third-party for any and all uses permitted by this Privacy Policy and applicable law
From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since
Potentially unwanted programs can also be dangerous or even malicious, so avoiding them is the key
As we already mentioned, most adware applications are simply annoying to deal with, but they usually do not endanger computer safety if the user is careful enough.
Nevertheless, some adware-type programs are incredibly aggressive in their operation and closely resemble malware.
Therefore, experts advise users to avoid the installation of rogue programs by following these tips:
- Do not click on suspicious links that pop up on questionable sites;
- Always read up online about the program that is being offered to you before proceeding with the installation;
- Use official sites for your downloads;
- Read through the Privacy policy and ToS before installing anything. Do not risk installing software that does not provide these documents;
- When prompted, always pick Advanced or Custom installation mode;
- Untick any pre-selected boxes that offer add-ons, toolbars, system optimization tools, etc.
How to remove Cacaoweb virus
How to remove the Cacaoweb virus extension
Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Uninstall Cacaoweb virus
Cacaoweb virus is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Cacaoweb virus, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Cacaoweb virus that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since
Get rid of the Cacaoweb adware to protect your personal data
There is no need to risk your online safety for the supposedly useful functionality of the app.
There are plenty of other programs that are capable of doing the same things but do not track and share your personal details for marketing purposes. Thus, if your machine is infected, you should not wait any longer and remove the Cacaoweb virus.
We listed several anti-malware applications below, although you can try any other trusted sources.
Otherwise, several components of adware might be still present, and the unwanted activity might continue.
Questions about Cacaoweb virus
Is Cacaoweb virus a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Cacaoweb virus did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Cacaoweb virus came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Cacaoweb virus still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Cacaoweb virus?
Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.
In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?
The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.
If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.
I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?
Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.
You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.
Does adware steal passwords?
Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.
If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.
What is Cacaoweb?
Cacaoweb virus is a rogue application developed by CACAOWEB LIMITED, located in the UK and registered in Hong Kong. Its authors claim that the app allows users to share data and communicate with friends, as well as integrate content from the internet.
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Cacaoweb. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs. The removal plan below it works in order, from the safest step to the more thorough ones.
Will Fortect remove Cacaoweb virus?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Cacaoweb virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Kaspersky: What is Adware? (read October 7, 2026)
- OdstranitVirus: OdstranitVirus (read October 7, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)