ProxyGate is calling itself a free VPN but is more likely to be an adware

ProxyGate is promoted as a free VPN service[1] that allows accessing geo-restricted websites created by a company called Gold Click Ltd. However, this application has plenty of negative features and operates as adware. It means that it can display commercial content as soon as it gets into the system.
ProxyGate adware seems to be actively spread using bundling – a deceptive software marketing method that allows installing this potentially unwanted program (PUP)[2] without asking direct user’s permission. However, some users might discover its official website and install it voluntarily.
It seems that ProxyGate virus allows third-party ad servers to place cookies on user’s computers to track how the user interacts with advertisements, which, by the way, are also served by these ad servers and networks. According to the developers of this adware-type program:
We have included links on this site for your use and reference.
Be aware that third-party links can lead you to unexpected locations on the Internet, including possibly malicious sites. Therefore, we do not recommend you to click on any content (pop-up ads, banners, in-text links) that is marked as “ProxyGate ads.”
Logically, the appearance of repetitive ads uses computer resources, so do not be surprised if your computer starts to run slower right after the installation of the indicated adware. Therefore, to fix this issue, it is recommended to remove ProxyGate from the computer and scan it for other threats using FortectIntego software.
Additionally, the majority of ad-supported applications are capable of tracking user’s activities online; and ProxyGate might not be an exception. According to, security specialists, it might track browsing history, clicked ads, search queries, IP address,[3] and similar information which can be used for targeted advertising campaigns.
However, there’s always a possibility that adware can install third-party tracking technologies or share aggregated information with partners or affiliates, which might be not only advertising networks but cyber criminals too. Thus, ProxyGate removal is needed to avoid privacy-related issues as well.

Most likely this ad-supported application has downloaded to your PC together with other free programs
You might install this ad-supported app alongside free applications as a “recommended download.” Chances are, you might not even notice that such suggestions are provided because PUPs are spread via bundling, an efficient software distribution method that allows packing several programs together. Bundled software[4] can be downloaded from insecure download sites, so be careful and think before you hit that “download” button.
Even if you end up downloading an untrustworthy free program, check whether it has some additional pieces of software added to it by opening Advanced or Custom installation settings. These are provided within the setup wizard. If you see any statements like “I agree to install XXX” or “Yes, make XXX as my homepage” after selecting these settings, then remove ticks from checkboxes next to them.
Just like we have mentioned above, this adware has its official site, but it seems that users rarely visit it. Therefore, security team from senzavirus.it[5] claim that the majority of users become victims of ProxyGate hijack after installing a software bundle.
Delete ProxyGate virus and reduce the number of suspicious ads on the browser
You can remove ProxyGate ads by uninstalling this suspicious program from the Control Panel together with other related entries. However, some of the adware-related components may have been installed to your web browsers as well. Thus, you should follow our prepared guide and wipe out them too.
If you do not want to waste your precious time, just install an anti-malware software, run a system scan to detect suspicious programs and complete ProxyGate removal automatically. Remember to keep your anti-malware program up-to-date to make it capable of detecting the latest spyware and malware examples. Otherwise, it might not be able to remove certain cyber threats that are very new.
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.

Did this guide help?
4 comments
Reise
i cant stand ProxyGate ads! I thought it will be a useful program, turns out it is just a piece of malware! Hate it!
Drizzy
Thanks for providing these instructions! Deleted and forgot this threat already.
Harib0
Could not delete it, whyyyy
Christina38
No, please... no more ads! I need to get anti-adware solution. My antivirus does not help to control these ad-supported viruses at all...