Thecouponstore.co virus - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Thecouponstore.co virus Removal Guide
What is Thecouponstore.co virus?
Thecouponstore.co – a browser hijacker that offers nothing but trouble
Thecouponstore.co virus can start bothering you daily if you accidentally agree to install a particular browser extension[1]. In this case, it's called The Coupon Store, and it asks for the user’s permission to read and change all the data on the websites that the user visits.
Once installed, the extension starts controlling the “On Startup > Open the New Tab page” setting and changes the default homepage and new tab page to Thecouponstore.co. This domain provides a search engine, which looks completely safe to use.
However, if it replaced your previous homepage without your knowledge, better get rid of it as soon as possible. Untrustworthy search engines could lead to questionable sites resulting in privacy issues or worse. This article contains removal instructions and a summary of the threat.
| name | Thecouponstore.co virus |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker, PUP |
| Associated extensions | The Coupon Store |
| Symptoms | Modified browser settings (new tab, search engine, homepage) that lead to questionable sites and show search results filled with ads |
| Risks | Privacy issues, additional PUP installation, malware infections |
| Distribution | Software bundles, deceptive ads |
| Elimination | Remove the browser intruder with reputable security software or with our detailed removal instructions posted at the bottom |
| System health | Delete tracking cookies and take care of system errors by using the FortectIntego PC repair tool |
We do not recommend using suspicious search engines that appear in your browser right after installing a particular program to your computer. It can sneak into the PC along with free programs such as download managers, games, or other applications that agree to bundle[2] it alongside them.
Such applications as TheCouponStore collect certain information from the user, including operating system details, IP address, and browsing-related information such as your search queries and list of websites you visit on a daily basis. You can never know how such information will be used.
We know that this company uses it for market analysis and might provide you with targeted search results and ads. However, if you are not the only one who uses the computer, you might not want others to see ads based on your interests. Besides, all of these ads point to external websites that are not under The Coupon Store’s control.
These can be dangerous, for example, provide suspicious surveys[3] that ask to enter sensitive information, suggest installing “necessary” software, or simply try to trick you into visiting another dangerous website[4] by providing deceptive ads or links.
Therefore, we believe that it is better to remove Thecouponstore.co as quickly as possible and use a different search tool. For the removal, we suggest using either SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes. Either of these AV engines will remove all threats within minutes. Afterward, a system tune-up with FortectIntego is in order to keep the device running smoothly.
How do potentially unwanted programs get into a computer without the user’s knowledge?
You can download this software from its official web page, although in the majority of cases, users install it without realizing it. If you do not want to agree to install potentially unwanted programs without getting an explicit notification about their existence, better act carefully when you download new programs to your computer.
Free programs tend to suggest installing third-party products alongside them, and if you do not want that to happen, you have to modify installation settings in a certain way. Usually, software installers offer “Default,” “Standard,” or “Basic” settings by default.
Do not trust these! Instead, switch the selection to “Custom” or “Advanced” one and decompose the software bundle according to your needs. We recommend you opt out of all suggested programs because computer software that is promoted in such a way usually appears to be untrustworthy.
How can I remove Thecouponstore. co safely?
If you no longer want to allow this hijacker to control your browser’s settings, you should get rid of it – the sooner, the better. Unfamiliar and unwanted programs can pose a threat to your PC[5] and your privacy. In this case, the intruder implements unacceptable activities such as arbitrary modification of your browser settings and attempts to coerce you to use a particular search engine.
To remove Thecouponstore.co virus, we highly recommend using professional anti-malware tools, although you can also efficiently remove it manually (it takes more time and patience to do so). For manual removal, follow instructions provided by our support team and ask us any questions that come into your head when reading them.
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 Thecouponstore.co virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Although usually this program only inserts its components into web browsers, we highly recommend checking for its parts in the Control Panel. These instructions are made to ease this task for you.
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
Google Chrome holds an extension that prevents you from changing your homepage address. You have to delete the extension if you want to make modifications to your browser's homepage settings again.
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 Thecouponstore.co 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 browser hijacker
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
If this free guide helped you and you are satisfied with our service, please consider making a donation to keep this service alive. Even a smallest amount will be appreciated.
- ^ Jeremy Kirk. Many Chrome browser extensions do sneaky things. InfoWorld. Technology Insight for the Enterprise.
- ^ Here’s What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps. How-To Geek. For Geeks, By Geeks.
- ^ Beware of scam surveys and fake free offers. Scamwatch. Information to Consumers and Small Businesses About How to Recognise, Avoid and Report Scams.
- ^ Dann Albright. Which Websites Are Most Likely to Infect You with Malware?. MakeUseOf. Your Guide in Modern Tech.
- ^ Jake Doe. What is malware and how to remove it. 2-Spyware. Information about Viruses and Cyber Security.