Defenderpage.xyz ads (fake) - Free Guide
Defenderpage.xyz ads Removal Guide
What is Defenderpage.xyz ads?
Defenderpage.xyz is a dubious page used by crooks to generate revenue
Crooks can impersonate well-known brands to manipulate users
Defenderpage.xyz is a bogus website created by crooks to monetize user activity. It is designed to look like a security alert from Norton. The page informs people that their PC is infected by multiple viruses and their system is in danger. This, of course, is fake. Norton has nothing to do with this fraudulent campaign. Crooks are only using their name to appear legitimate.
The main goal of this site is to redirect users to the official Norton website. They earn money through the affiliate program. Fraudsters may also earn passive income through pay-per-click advertising. The site can cause push notification spam. The pop-ups may be generated by rogue advertising networks.[1]
By clicking on links embedded in the ads, people can end up on dangerous websites. Users can get tricked into providing personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),[2] and even malware. However, these pop-ups can also look like security alerts, further pressuring people into installing unnecessary tools.
NAME | Defenderpage.xyz |
TYPE | Push notification spam, adware |
SYMPTOMS | Users may start seeing pop-ups that say their system is infected; the amount of commercial content on the machine might increase |
DISTRIBUTION | Shady websites; deceptive ads; freeware installations |
DANGERS | The website may cause unnecessary installations of antivirus programs or cause pop-ups leading to shady sites |
ELIMINATION | Check your browser for malicious browser extensions, and scan your machine with anti-malware tools; follow our guide for push notification removal instructions |
FURTHER STEPS | Use FortectIntego to clear your browsers and get rid of any remaining damage |
Distribution methods
To avoid deceptive websites, like Defenderpage.xyz we advise visiting only websites that you know and trust. Do not click on random links and ads even if they seem to be promoting legitimate products and services. Most of the time, scams are placed on other shady pages, behind deceptive ads and sneaky redirects.
This is especially prevalent on pages that engage in illegal activities, like illegal streaming sites. They are unregulated, so crooks can place ads on them. They may even show fake “Download” and “Play” buttons that open new tabs with scam pages in them.
Do not visit unknown pages to avoid interactions with scammers
Adware infections
The appearance of a page, like Defenderpage.xyz may also occur without any user input. This can happen if you are infected with adware.[3] It is advertising-supported software that can cause an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects.
Adware is mainly spread on freeware distribution platforms. Many people rush through the installation process and overlook the bundled software. If you want to keep the risk of PUAs sneaking into your system to a minimum, you should always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods, inspect the file list and uncheck the boxes next to unnecessary programs.
Disable push notifications
If you want to disable those annoying virus alerts from Defenderpage.xyz, you have to turn off 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):
- Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Scroll down and click on Advanced.
- Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
- Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
- Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
- Click on Privacy & Security section.
- Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click Settings button next to it.
- In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
MS Edge:
- Open Microsoft Edge, and click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
- Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
- Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
- Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.
Check the browser for malicious extensions
Check if your browser is affected by a browser hijacker. Some symptoms may include changed settings (homepage, new tab address, and search engine), increased commercial content, and unknown extensions added to the settings.
Web-based applications can automatically redirect users to scam sites, such as Defenderpage.xyz. You should go to your browser settings and see if any plugins are added. We recommend removing the add-ons one by one to see if you notice any changes.
Clear your browsers
After successful removal, we recommend using FortectIntego repair tool to care for your browsers. Almost every website you visit uses cookies to track your browsing activity, like the pages you visit, links you click on, and purchases you make.
If you have pop-ups appearing from questionable sources, it most likely means that you were surfing through web pages you should not and clicked on dangerous links. Your browsing data might be exposed or sold to advertising networks and other third parties that use it for malicious purposes.
Use anti-malware tools to scan your machine
Suppose you disabled push notifications and checked the browser for extensions but still experience unwanted symptoms like unexpected redirects and an increased amount of commercial content. In that case, you should scan your system for adware. We suggest using trusted professional security tools SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes for PUP 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:
- 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.
Windows 7/XP:
- 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.
Mac:
- 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.
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.
- ^ Zeljka Zorz. How does a rogue ad network function?. Helpnetsecurity. Information Security.
- ^ Wendy Zamora. What is a PUP? – How to avoid potentially unwanted programs. Malwarebytes. Security Tips, Tricks and How-Tos.
- ^ Adware. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.