I’ve been annoyed by Alert.net-update.com redirect virus. It hijacks my browsers, pops up tons of ads and even adds unwanted toolbars to my browsers. I have tried removing it using Norton but it doesn’t work. Is there any effective way to get rid of this redirect virus?
About Alert.net-update.com Redirect Virus
Alert.net-update.com redirect virus is usually used by cyber hackers to make great profits. By modifying users’ browser settings, it can keep redirecting their search results to specified websites which promote certain products or services. Once the redirect virus sneaks into your computer, it alters Proxy settings and Windows Hosts files so that it can block you from browsing the Internet as usual. Then, it changes your default homepage to Alert.net-update.com, and correspondingly the search engine is changed to a new one. Every time you run the browser, the strange website will appear as your homepage, offering an unknown search engine with which you can search for web, images or videos. However, if you search for something using the new search engine, you may be always redirected to some irrelevant websites. By redirecting you to particular domains, the webmasters of those websites may earn money. It is important that you think twice before buying any products or services promoted in the websites you are redirected to, or you may just pay money for some useless products or non-existing services. Additionally, this redirect virus may install some unwanted toolbars onto your browser, which may pop up a lot of commercial ads on the web pages you are viewing. To deliver more precise ads to you, Alert.net-update.com redirect virus will also collect your personal information by monitoring your online activities. If you don’t want to end up being a victim of identity theft, you should take immediate actions to remove this redirect virus as soon as you notice its presence.
Symptoms of Alert.net-update.com Redirect Virus Infection
After getting installed, the redirect virus will begin to perform a series of harmful activities in the infected computer and cause various problems. If your computer shows the following symptoms, it indicates that your computer has got infected by this redirect virus.
• You computer obviously runs slower than before.
• Browser default homepage is changed to Alert.net-update.com without any consent.
• Search results are always redirected to ad-based websites.
• There are many alerts, error messages and ads popping up on the computer.
• Unwanted toolbars appears on your browsers, which you have never installed.
• Network speed becomes slower and it is hard to access to the security-related websites.
How Does Alert.net-update.com Redirect Virus Infect Your PC?
This redirect virus infects your computer mostly through email attachments. Usually, you may receive a legitimate email attachment, but once you click on it, a threat called rootkit may be downloaded onto your computer. Once the rootkit is downloaded, it attaches to the operating system on your computer. The rootkit hides the actual redirect virus which appears to be a legitimate folder or file in your computer. When the virus attaches itself in this manner, it is very difficult for your antivirus program or malware scanners to detect it. Besides, Alert.net-update.com redirect virus may slip into your computer by means of hacked websites. If you visit some unsafe website and carelessly click on the dubious links or pop-up windows in the websites, you may unknowingly download this redirect virus onto your computer. Another way utilized by the redirect virus to infect your computer is freeware. Some free software looks harmless, but downloading and installing such software could lead to malware infections. The redirect virus can hide in the free software that you have downloaded onto from the Internet, and once your install such software, it gets installed as well. Therefore, extra caution is needed while you are browsing the web or downloading something onto your computer.
Tip: Manually removing the redirect virus would take much time and run the risk of damaging your system. If you want to remove the threat easily and safely, using a professional removal tool is a better option.
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