Shar-pei.top ads can be malicious and lead to problems with security

Shar-pei.top adware causes the constant appearance of advertisements that trigger issues with intrusive redirects. The thing with these potentially unwanted programs is that people are puzzled when these pop-ups, banners, and notifications appear out of nowhere.
Shar-pei.top ads and notifications are not caused by the site itself. These redirects and issues created by the unwanted content exposure are the symptoms and consequences of the particular adware-type infection.[1] The program is trying to trick people into subscribing to push notifications and other browser spam that comes directly to the desktop or phone screen.
| Name | Shar-pei.top |
|---|---|
| Type | Adware, redirect, push notifications virus |
| Category | Potentially unwanted program |
| IP address | 185.177.92.29 |
| Issues | The threat can trigger exposure to malicious content online, redirects to malware-laced pages or scams |
| Distribution | Freeware installations, other deceptive pages, infections like this PUP |
| Removal | The threat can be removed with AV tools |
| Repair | Running an application like FortectIntego can help improve the performance of the PC |
Fake messages and errors that the applications like this can cause can be deceptive and misleading. Shar-pei.top ads cannot be related to the machine and the security of your computer because random sites and advertisers cannot check the machine for malware. This is a pure scam campaign.[2]
Note that none of the AV distributors or security tool developers can check the machine for malware. Anything that these commercial pop-ups list as dangerous cannot be true and are there just to trick people into adding useless tools on the machine and allow push notifications from Shar-pei.top.
Removal of the adware
Sometimes pages like Shar-pei.top are displayed without any user input. This can be caused by adware, which is a program that generates commercial content on the computer without the user's knowledge. Many of them are disguised as “handy” tools, which makes them harder to detect for less experienced computer users.
The program might run in the background and cause all those notifications, redirects, Shar-pei.top ads and lead to dangerous content online. This is achieved by altering startup settings and other preferences even. So keeping the program gives no value to the machine. There might be other apps installed too.

For this reason, professional security tools such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes are essential. A PC without an antivirus program is like a house without a door. Antivirus programs and anti-malware can scan the computer and detect suspicious processes running in the background. Besides, they can prevent infections by warning the user about dangerous files that try to enter the system.
Remove Shar-pei.top using the proper system scan and forget about those speed and performance issues. As for the direct damage on web browsers, you can reset them fully to default and revert any alterations. It is also possible to block notifications from all the sites manually.
Remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome (desktop):
- Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Scroll down and click on Advanced.
- Locate 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.

Remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome (Android):
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Scroll down to the Sites section.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).

Remove unwanted notifications from 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 the 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.

Remove unwanted notifications from Safari:
- Click on Safari > Preferences…
- Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
- Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.

Remove unwanted notifications from 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.

Remove unwanted notifications from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
- Select Site permissions.
- Go to Notifications on the right.
- Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
- Click on More actions and select Block.

Remove unwanted notifications from Internet Explorer:
- Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right of the window.
- Select Internet options and go to the Privacy tab.
- In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
- Locate web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.

Additional tips for infection avoidance
Fraudulent websites like this one are rarely found in search results. Usually, they are hidden on other dubious and unregulated websites. Thus, Shar-pei.top ads might show up after you click on a fraudulent advertisement or a sneaky redirect.
It is recommended to visit only well-established and trustworthy websites. Do not click on random links and ads, even if they seem to promote legitimate products and services. Anything online should be considered suspicious and possibly dangerous. Experts[3] always note that sites can seem legitimate, but be used to spread malware instead.
It is also very likely that the fraudulent page has appeared automatically. For instance, this happens due to the installation of adware on the computer, which is ad-supported software. It can lead to an increased amount of commercial content, such as pop-ups, banners, and redirects.
To avoid such infections, choose official web stores and manufacturer's sites when you want to install new software. Also, choose Advanced or Custom installation options during every freeware installation procedure to avoid Shar-pei.top redirects and PUP installations in the future.
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.
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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