Pubads.g.doubleclick.net is a suspicious domain used by adware to promote questionable content

Pubads.g.doubleclick.net is a domain that is widely used by various adware[1] programs. Similarly to Ad.doubleclick.net, it causes numerous redirects to questionable websites and displays ads on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and other browsers.
| Name | Pubads.g.doubleclick.net |
|---|---|
| Type | Adware |
| Danger level | Medium |
| Symptoms | Ads and redirects that disturb browsing sessions |
| Distribution Method | Bundling, unsafe sites |
| Elimination | To get rid of adware, run a full system scan with FortectIntego. |
Doubleclick.net is a legitimate advertising service provided by Google which allows website owners generate revenue. Unfortunately, adware present on the PC injects these ads, deals, banners, offers and other pop-ups[2] onto websites without permission. This allows adware creators to generate pay-per-click revenue in a shady way.
Overall, adware is not a dangerous application (it does not corrupt system files). If anything, it is more annoying than unsafe (unwanted content which bombards the browser slows down loading time significantly). However, Doubleclick.net redirect tendencies can prove to be extremely risky for computer safety.
Doubleclick.net ads and redirects might lead users to websites where malicious JavaScripts can be run to install malware on their PCs. Additionally, you might be delivered a fake shopping offer that leads to a phishing site. Thus, never click on content you have been redirected to and close down your browser immediately.
Research conducted by usunvirusa.pl[3] concluded that adware typically collects a considerable amount of non-personally identifiable information, such as IP address, browser type, clicks on links, search queries, sites visited and similar data. It helps authors of Pubads.g.doubleclick.net virus display targeted ads and manipulate the content exposed to the user.
Additionally, aggregated details might be shared with third-parties, and this may lead to privacy-related issues. Thus, you should remove Pubads.g.doubleclick.net and stop this unfair activity. Keep in mind that the longer you keep adware installed, the more data it might collect and more questionable ads it might display. Hence, you can avoid this by scanning affected computer with FortectIntego.
Pubads.g.doubleclick.net removal can also be performed manually. However, it might be a challenging task if you have never dealt with such cyber threats in the past. Though, follow our prepared instructions at the end of the article.

Bundling helps adware developers install unwanted applications on users’ PCs
Bundling is a successful marketing technique used by PUP creators. Despite it being entirely legal, we do not think that such distribution method is entirely fair, as it uses deception to let unwanted apps slip into users’ machines unnoticed. Therefore, we urge you to be attentive while installing free software from the internet.
You need to remember never to pick Recommended/Quick installation mode because it hides additional components there. Thus, select Advanced/Custom mode and untick any check-marks by toolbars, search engines, PDF creators, music platforms and similar useless software. If these applications might seem like an excellent addition to your system, find a legitimate counterpart and install it via the official site.
Remove Doubleclick.net virus and fix your browser
Do not delay Pubads.g.doubleclick.net removal as adware programs can build up quickly once one of them is established. Thus, normal internet browsing sessions will eventually become impossible as a layer of ads will be covering the whole screen.
Fortunately, it is relatively easy to eliminate potentially unwanted programs. You can either do it manually or automatically – both options are viable, so make sure you pick the one suiting you the best.
If you are not that familiar with computers and its processes, we suggest you remove Pubads.g.doubleclick.net by downloading and installing reputable security software. Feel free to pick one from mentioned below as these programs are designed to deal with even the most stubborn malware in just a few minutes.
If you are a computer-savvy person and would like to withhold additional software installation, you can always pick manual Doubleclick.net removal. However, be careful while executing this procedure as you might delete some vital system files and damage your computer instead of fixing it.
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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