Types of Adware: SmartBrowser
One can never be too careful with all of the malicious infections circulating throughout the internet. The threat of computer infection has now become a reality for several users surfing the web. While viruses and worms were once the major concern, a deceptive program by the name of adware has surpassed all as the most prevalent threat. Even though adware is not always malicious, it has very questionable practices that has made it a thorn in the side's of several PC users.
What is SmartBrowser?
SmartBrowser is described as an adware program that tends to behave more like spyware. It has been known to flood a user's screen with dozens of pop-up advertisements, mostly pertaining to pornographic content. SmartBrowser tends to make significant changes to the Internet Explorer web browser such as supplying additional toolbars, taskbar bubbles and offensive links. It will also redirect several or your web requests to pornographic sites whether they are typed into a search engine or the address bar. Some of these locations include "extremelyamateurs.com" and "extremelybabes.com". Furthermore, it has been reported that these sites may attempt to download premium-rate spyware dialers.
Common Methods of Infection
SmartBrowser is often distributed when a user visits an internet website compromised with malware. Other methods of infection include browser and system vulnerabilities as well as deceptive pop-up windows that appear to be legitimate dialog boxes and email attachments. It is most commonly distributed with desirable freeware and share applications. In this scenario, the EULA (End-User License Agreement) states that SmartBrowser will be installed and regularly display advertisements. While the presence of this program is stated, the EULA demonstrates various security risks.
By reading the SmartBrowser End-User License Agreement, you will find that it is has the right to bombard your screen with pop-up advertisements based on information obtained as you explore the web. Additionally, you give this program the right to make an internet connection and download updates and add-on components from the SmartBrowser web server. You agree that data from your computer can be monitored and used to distribute messages to contacts in your email address book. SmartBrowser has the right to use your computer and make connections to chat sessions, the Yahoo website and the Microsoft network to publish the company's products. The EULA also grants SmartBrowser the right to change or redirect 404 error pages to the company's publicity page or targeted URLs. By agreeing to this document, you are essentially giving this program consent to control the major functions of your system.
How to Remove SmartBrowser
Some adware programs are downloaded with uninstall functions - SmartBrowser however, is not. This program creates keys in the registry of your system, making it quite difficult to manually remove. Fortunately, there are several anti-adware and anti-spyware programs capable of removing this troublesome infection with ease.
Below we have compiled a few security solutions that are capable of removing SmartBrowser and other forms of malware:
- Windows Defender
- Spybot Search and Destroy
- Norton 360
- Adware Pro
- ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware
- CounterSpy
- Spyware Doctor
- Anti-Spy
- Spyware BeGone
- Spy Killer
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