How to remove Cadom.live ads

Cadom.live uses social engineering methods to convince people that their PC is infected

Cadom.live is a website created by crooks to generate revenue from affiliate programs and pay-per-click advertising. It uses the name of a well-known security brand Norton to trick people into thinking that their PC is infected by multiple viruses. The site may also start spamming people with annoying pop-up ads that can appear even when the browser is closed.

Social engineering techniques

The creators of Cadom.live use social engineering techniques^[1] to convince people that their PC is really infected by multiple viruses. It bombards people with several prompts, and the message reads as follows:

Norton Security
Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!
ACTION REQUIRED!
Your Norton Subscription Has Expired!
Renew now to keep your pc protected.
If your PC is unprotected, it is at risk for viruses and other malware.

It states that the PC is unprotected, so it got infected. The truth is that websites cannot scan a computer's system and determine that. To make this even more convincing, it starts supposedly scanning the system for any threats and of course, it finds many to make people scared and act without thinking clearly.

Distribution methods

Deceptive pages, like Cadom.live are rarely found in the search results. They are usually hidden on other shady sites that are unregulated. We recommend only visiting pages that you know and trust. Do not click on random links and ads even if they seem to be promoting legitimate products and services.

Privacy issues

Websites can use cookies to track users' activities. They are small text files that store information, like the websites you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online. Normally, they are used to personalize the user experience. However, crooks can use them to generate revenue.

Cookies can be sold to advertising networks and other third parties. That is why security experts recommend clearing them regularly. FortectIntego maintenance tool is a great option if you want to do this automatically. This powerful software can also fix various system errors which is helpful after a virus infection.

Disable push notifications

To stop annoying virus alerts from Cadom.live, you have to block the site permissions that allow it to show you push notifications. You can do that by following our step-by-step guide:

Google Chrome (desktop):

1. Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on Advanced.
3. Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
4. Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
5. Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.

Google Chrome (Android):

1. Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
2. Select Notifications.
3. Scroll down to Sites section.
4. Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
2. Click on Privacy & Security section.
3. Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click Settings button next to it.
4. In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
5. Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.

Safari:

1. Click on Safari > Preferences…
2. Go to Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
3. Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.

MS Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge, and click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
2. Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
3. Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
4. Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.

MS Edge (Chromium):

1. Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
2. Select Site permissions.
3. Go to Notifications on the right.
4. Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
5. Click on More actions and select Block.

Freeware installations

If you disabled push notifications but still experience unwanted symptoms like unexpected redirects and an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, and banners you should scan your system for adware.^[2] It is advertising-supported software that is mostly spread on freeware^[3] distribution sites. They include additional programs to monetize user activity.

Many people rush through the installation process and do not notice the bundled software. If you want to keep the risk of adware sneaking into your system to a minimum, always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods, read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to find out how your data will be used, etc. Inspect the file list and uncheck the boxes next to unnecessary programs.

Scan your machine with anti-malware tools

We suggest using trusted professional security tools SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes for PUP (potentially unwanted program)^[4] removal. It should detect most suspicious apps and remove them successfully. Of course, you can also remove a PUP manually, but it is unknown which particular app could be causing annoying behavior, as crooks disguise them as “handy” tools.

Manual uninstallation can also leave some traces of the program behind which could result in the renewal of the infection. However, if you still do not want to use security tools and know which program is at fault, use the instructions below to help you uninstall it:

Windows 10/8:

1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
3. From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.

Windows 7/XP:

1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Mac:

1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
3. 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:

1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.