There are numerous types of malware – or malicious software – out there and adware installs itself on your computer in the same way as many of its cousins. Generally speaking, most variants of this adware are installed when:
- You share files with other Internet users
- You download videos or music from websites or peer to peer sites
- You visit a website that has adware embedded into it
- You download a free games and other freeware software
- You download free wallpapers or emoticons
Of course not everything you download has something malicious attached but that's not to say you shouldn't be careful if you want to limit the possibility of being infected. And because BlockAndSurf isn't perceived as being as harmful as say, Trojan horses, it can be tempting to disregard it as merely an annoyance: as you probably know, and as the name suggests, adware is advertising and it will inundate you with endless pop up and banner adverts.
Why do people create adware?
BlockAndSurf is created primarily to recoup the money they have spent on programming other often software. They justify their usage of adware by saying that it is through advertising that they are able to provide you with the online freebies that you enjoy using: games, wallpapers, emoticons etc. However, some variants are also designed to simply display "Ads by BlockAndSurf" without thinking any further for example, users experience in mind and efficiency. It usually displays ads not worrying about quality which means users can be redirected to dodgy websites and services.When adware meets spyware
While BlockAndSurf might be annoying, the fact remains that it's still an invasion of your privacy – after all you've had a program installed on your PC without giving your permission. And that's not all, because as it gets increasingly sophisticated it is really starting to cross the boundaries between being a pest and being a threat. This is because the people who create adverts know they are only going to be clicked on if they are relevant to the user. And this is where spyware comes in. Spyware is employed so the adware programmer can customize adverts that align with your Internet usage. How they do this is by monitoring the websites you visit.But when spyware really shows its bad side is when it's used to oversee other ways that you use your PC. This can be by taking screen shots or using something called a keylogger which records the keys you're pressing and sends a record of what you've typed back to the programmer. They may keep this for their own nefarious use or sell the information to an unscrupulous third party. And of course this data will include your passwords, credit card details and log in information. BlocknSurf, of course, doesn't go that far and doesn't spy on you in terms of credit card details and passwords. However, it still an invasion of your privacy.
How do I protect myself from BlockAndSurf?
- Install an up to date and reputable anti-malware on your machine and run it regularly
- Also install an anti-adware program
- Check the security settings on your PC are minimum medium setting
- Try to resist downloading freebies from the internet
- When you download software always read license agreements carefully
If you have questions, please leave a comment down below. I will be more than happy to help you. Good luck and be safe online!
Written by Michael Kaur, http://deletemalware.blogspot.com
BlockAndSurf Removal Guide:
1. First of all, download anti-malware software and run a full system scan. It will detect and remove this infection from your computer. You may then follow the manual removal instructions below to remove the leftover traces of this malware. Hopefully you won't have to do that.
2. Remove BlockAndSurf related programs from your computer using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or Uninstall a program control panel (Windows 7 and Windows 8).
Go to the Start Menu. Select Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.
If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for "control panel".
Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there.
3. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and remove the following:
- BlockAndSurf
- and any other recently installed application
Simply select each application and click Remove. If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, click Uninstall up near the top of that window. When you're done, please close the Control Panel screen.
Remove BlockAndSurf related extensions from Google Chrome:
1. Click on Chrome menu button. Go to Tools → Extensions.
2. Click on the trashcan icon to remove BlockAndSurf, LyricsSay-1, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
If the removal option is grayed out then read how to remove extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Remove BlockAndSurf related extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
1. Open Mozilla Firefox. Go to Tools → Add-ons.
2. Select Extensions. Click Remove button to remove BlockAndSurf, LyricsSay-1, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
Remove BlockAndSurf related add-ons from Internet Explorer:
1. Open Internet Explorer. Go to Tools → Manage Add-ons. If you have the latest version, simply click on the Settings button.
2. Select Toolbars and Extensions. Click Remove/Disable button to remove the browser add-ons listed above.
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