“Support for Windows Products” scam virus (Removal Guide) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
“Support for Windows Products” scam virus Removal Guide
What is “Support for Windows Products” scam virus?
“Support for Windows Products” website: is it a scam?
When “Support for Windows Products” virus gets into a device, it triggers constant redirects to a specific domain offering to purchase a security app. The website promotes well-known Reimage PC program. However, there is one major flaw to this website. It is not an official distributor. In fact, you might download a corrupted version of the software. These redirects are caused by adware[1] which settled on your computer some time ago. Furthermore, you might notice that you are getting directed to websites which misinform you about your computer being infected with viruses. Alternatively, you might get misled to web pages offering to install shady tools to scan your computer. After a while, this behavior becomes too annoying. What is more, this application only leaves a negative impact on the performance of the device. In short, we recommend you to remove Support for Windows Products. If you are unsure how to do it, follow the guidance of FortectIntego or Malwarebytes.
Making easy money is an ever-popular idea for crooks and users of various ilk. Likewise, they come up with most vivid and sometimes even astonishing techniques to wheedle out money. One of the sources of their inspiration is computer security applications. Due to the rise in crypto-malware threats[2], users have become more concerned about the prevention methods. There are hundreds of promoted anti-virus and anti-malware applications in the cyber space. A user who is looking for such program to install might easily get lost in the midst of such programs. However, picking a right program might also be a challenge. Some racketeers promote altered versions of well-known applications to attract users and make them purchase the apps from their domains[3]. Such goal might also be achieved with the help of browser add-ons and extensions. Therefore, the line between advertising and malvertising becomes more transparent than ever[4]. In other words, the longer this adware resides on the operating system, the more Support for Windows Products ads you may see. According to this privacy policy, the web page may contain links to third parties. In short, you may download a corrupted application instead of a reliable cyber security app. When you notice “Support for Windows Products” redirect tendency, look for potentially unwanted applications on your computer and uninstall them.
"Support for Windows Products" ads lead you to this website which promotes Reimage program. However, keep in mind that you might download a corrupted version instead of a genuine one.
When did this PUP get into my PC?
There are two methods how “Support for Windows Products” scam might have sneaked into the device. If you were deliberately looking for a program to protect the computer from all kinds of threats, it is not surprising if you have visited this web page after spotting it among search results. Alternatively, you might start noticing these notifications, if you recently installed a new movie streaming application, audio editor or download accelerator. While installing it, you might have overlooked additionally pinned applications. Likewise, you enabled “Support for Windows Products” hijack without being aware of it. When you are about to install any application, opt for “Custom” settings. They will reveal optional programs, and you will be able to unmark before they tiptoe to your computer.
Eliminating the adware
You can easily get rid of this potentially unwanted application. Firstly, you might check manual guidelines how to fully remove Support for Windows Products virus. Do not forget to reset the browser settings as well since the adware. Alternatively, you may perform Support for Windows Products removal much faster with the assistance of an anti-spyware application. An updated database of virus definitions will also help you escape more complex virtual threats. Lastly, from time to time, do not forget to clean your device both, inside and outside[5].
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of “Support for Windows Products” scam virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of “Support for Windows Products” scam registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting adware
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
- ^ Nico Neumann. Ad Fraud 2.0: When Adware Destroys Product Usage And Customer Experience. Ad Exchanger. News and Views on Data-Driven Digital Advertising and Malvertising .
- ^ Bill Brenner. RSA Conference 2017: your chance to get to grips with ransomware. NakedSecurity. Award-winning computer security news .
- ^ Lucian Constantin . Malware distributors are switching to less suspicious file types. CSO. Security news, features and analysis about prevention, protection and business innovation.
- ^ Ian Murphy. Malvertising grows faster than advertising. Enterprise Times. Business news and insights.
- ^ Paul Sarconi. Weekend Project: It’s Time to Clean Your Computer, Inside and Out. Wired. Busines, Culture, Technology News.