Sleepshadow – a browser hijacker which has been targeting Mac OS X to start continuous redirects to sponsored websites
Sleepshadow is a PUP[1] which modifies web browsers' settings that can be reversed to their previous state only when the hijack[2] is eliminated. The main page, search provider, and new tab section are usually set to Search.Sleepshadow.com. Additionally, users are forced to use this search provider each time they enter a search request. This program can easily get into your system secretly because of the bundling technique used by its developers. Beware that they have been actively promoting their Removal tool to “help” users get rid of this browser hijacker which we do NOT recommend installing because of the possibility to get more viruses on your PC system.
| Name | Sleepshadow.com |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Browsers affected | Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, IE, and others. |
| Distribution methods | Software bundles, misleading pop-ups, secondary installers, etc. |
| Prevention techniques | Avoiding suspicious sites, using only original installers, installing a trustworthy antivirus program |
| The main purpose | To gain profit from naive users |
| Elimination | Use FortectIntego to uninstall the browser hijacker. Do NOT install the recommended Sleepshadow removal tool! |
The most disturbing fact related to Sleepshadow virus is that it might provide misleading results. After collecting non-personal details about their users, developers set browsing-related content (usually ads and in-text links) which are displayed among the user's search results. No matter it may seem that they are decreasing the quality of your browsing experience, they can also redirect you to the malware-filled website. These ads are typically used for the pay-per-click revenue scheme.
The browser hijacker is typically collecting this kind of data:
- visited pages;
- clicked links and ads;
- the computer's IP address;
- its location;
- bookmarks' list;
- etc.
Such activity is revealed in the Privacy Policy. Additionally, the company is warning its users about data sharing activity:
We may share non-personally identifiable information with third parties, when this is required in order to provide, maintain or improve the Sleepshadow operation and services. We may NOT share personally identifiable information with any third party, except in an aggregated and/or statistical form.
As you can see, the system's hijack can lead you to various problems that are mostly used to generate revenue. To avoid troubles caused by this browser hijacker, you should remove Sleepshadow from your browser and the whole PC system. You can do it very easily by downloading and installing an anti-malware tool. We recommend using FortectIntego which will guarantee you a quick and safe elimination process.
If you want to perform the Sleepshadow.com removal without additional tools, use steps provided at the end of this post. Better not waste time until your system is overloaded by various intrusive ads, and get rid of the infection as soon as you noticed it on your browser.
Browser hijackers are spread using a few main ways
According to professional tech experts,[3] PUPs such as browser hijackers usually invade the system by using a stealth method called bundling. However, there is a wide list of methods used to spread these PUPs:
- Software bundles. If you like downloading free software, you might face an infiltration of unwanted components. Make sure you double check the included components before downloading it to your computer;
- Official website. A browser-hijacking application can be downloaded straight from its official site where it is advertised as an exclusive app. Before you fall for its promises, make sure you read reviews and comments of other PC users;
- Third-party installers. As these things are provided by secondary sources, they can also contain harmful content;
- Various dubious pages and links. If you like clicking on everything you see, beware that you might click on something malicious one day;
As you can see, the danger is everywhere, and that is the main reason why it is so important to know, how to avoid such harmful apps on your computer:
- To prevent bundles, get your software only from trusted sources. If you still decide to download it from third-party sites, select only Custom/Advanced installation settings and carefully look through all pre-checked check marks to deselect unwanted components;
- Avoid suspicious-looking websites, intrusive ads. If you encounter such content, be wise and close it immediately for harmful programs not to spread;
- Nothing can be avoided with all 100%. Even if you are a careful person which does browsing activity with big responsibility, a threat might be capable of sneaking in your PC anyway. In case to notice if that happens, install an antivirus. Make sure you do regular updates and it will inform you if any infections are doing damage to your computer system.
To get rid of Sleepshadow, take care of its components
To remove Search.Sleepshadow.com from your web browsers, you need to take the required actions. First of all, you need to get rid of all suspicious and unknown browser extensions, add-ons and other apps. The guide given below will guide you thru this process. However, don't forget to reset your affected websites as well to delete the search engine related to this hijacker.
If you want to proceed with the automatic Sleepshadow removal, you will need to download and install anti-malware. This method will help you eliminate the cyberthreat with each of its components with only one click. However, resetting Chrome, Firefox, Edge, IE, and other browsers is still recommended.
In the end, we strongly recommend staying away from browser hijackers as their main task is to redirect you to the needed websites.
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.
Was this guide helpful?
Be the first to comment