Dr. Clean Pro 2018 is a dubious application that promises to clean up users' PCs
Dr. Clean Pro 2018 is a fake system optimizing tool and recently emerged as a rebranded version of such software as PC Fixer Pro 2018 and SpeedUp PC 2018. This potentially unwanted program[1] enters PCs as an additional component in a software bundle and immediately starts performing computer scan. Unsurprisingly, the PUP finds multiple bogus issues and users are prompted to buy licensed version of the program to be able to fix them.
| SUMMARY | |
| Name | Dr. Clean Pro 2018 |
|---|---|
| Type | Potentially unwanted program |
| Distribution | Software bundling, advertising campaigns |
| Symptoms | Constant computer scans bringing bogus results, increased advertising on various websites, etc. |
| Main dangers | Might lead to system disturbances after deleting important files; personal data exposure, lost money, etc. |
| Elimination | You can uninstall it automatically by scanning your machine with FortectIntego |
The unwanted app promises to detect malware and PUPs and enhance computer performance by fixing broken registry entries and startup/uninstall issues. However, all these assurances are there just to extort money from unsuspecting users. Therefore, if you noticed your computer being scanned continually out of nowhere, make sure you remove Dr. Clean Pro 2018 immediately.
Security experts expressed a lot of concerns when it comes to Dr. Clean Pro 2018 and other bogus system optimizers, as they can often show false results to gain monetary benefit. For example, simple Google cookies might be marked as a threat of medium severity, which is entirely not true.
Additionally, Registry entries should not be tampered with, as reported by Microsoft itself.[2] Some fake optimizers might even damage the proper operation of the operating system after “cleaning” some essential files. Besides, these tiny files only take a few kilobytes of space and will not impact PC performance in any way. Thus, ignore whatever Dr. Clean Pro 2018 virus displays for you.
Because the dubious application enters machines stealthily, it is highly likely that your computer is infected by other potentially unwanted programs, such as adware or a browser hijacker. These programs typically display intrusive advertising in various forms, such as pop-ups, deals, offers, banners on your Google Chome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or other browsers.
The ads can promote the installation of bogus software or urge users to install fake updates. The worst part is that sometimes users may be redirected to dangerous websites where malware can be obtained. This way, users can infect their machines with a trojan horse, spyware or even ransomware. The latter locks up computer files and demands the ransom to be paid for their release.
Finally, AV engines detect this program as an unwanted program. Besides, users should not trust a program which asks them to buy full version of the program in order to eliminate computer threats.
Regardless of how this dubious application got onto your machine, you should urgently perform Dr. Clean Pro 2018 removal. Because of questionable infiltration techniques, we advise users to scan their computers with reputable security tools, such as FortectIntego or SpyHunterCombo Cleaner.
Distribution methods of unwanted programs
Despite the popular belief, potentially unwanted programs never enter machines out of nowhere. Unfortunately, users are letting PUPs in involuntarily themselves. We agree that software bundling technique is not fair. Nevertheless, it is legitimate, and the only way to avoid unwanted apps is by being vigilant while browsing the internet and installing new software.
To avoid questionable applications, follow these guidelines:
- Do not trust all applications or services that are offered to you – make sure they are legitimate first;
- Avoid downloading apps from questionable websites and use only trustworthy ones;
- When installing free software from the internet, make sure you pick Advanced/Custom installation mode instead of Recommended/Quick one;
- Decline all the optional installs bundled with the original application (in a lot of cases, this option only becomes available if Advanced settings are chosen during installation).
Dr. Clean Pro 2018 elimination methods
You can remove Dr. Clean Pro 2018 virus in two different ways, you can pick the one that suits you most. If you want a quick solution, security experts[3] recommend downloading and installing security software and running a full system scan. It is an excellent way to check if your computer is affected by any other unwanted programs or even malware.
Dr. Clean Pro 2018 removal can also be executed without using additional programs. All you have to do is check our illustrated guide below. Nevertheless, we advise you to refrain from this elimination method if you are not that experienced with computers.
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.
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