FreePDFCombiner Malware Removal

Can’t Remove FreePDFCombiner hijacker virus? This page includes detailed FreePDFCombiner Removal instructions!

The FreePDFCombiner browser extension offers to turn your web browser into a PDF combiner for free. It might sound great if you combine PDF files on a daily basis. Yet, even if you need such software, the FreePDFCombiner app is not the best choice. This utility is an aggressive ad-generating parasite. It camouflages itself as a useful tool, yet, once you install it, it reveals its true nature. This app falls under the browser hijacker umbrella. It alters your browser’s settings and locks the changes. The hijacker forces numerous reshuffles on you. It replaces your default search engine, as well as changes your homepage. It might also install toolbars and browser extension. Once it corrupts your browser, hell raises. The hijacker initiates an aggressive ad-bombardment on you. It doesn’t miss a chance to interrupt you with an advert of some sort. You would notice that every website you visit is heavy on banner and in-text ads. That’s right. It’s the hijacker! It gets paid when you click on its adverts so it floods your browser with countless ads. The parasite displays pop-ups, turns random text into hyperlinks, even loads websites in new windows and tabs. The hijacker knows no boundaries. It even dares pause your online videos for commercial breaks. Do not put up with this situation. The FreePDFCombiner hijacker is an invader. The more time it spends on your system, the worse your situation becomes. Take action against it. Remove the hijacker before it gets out of control.

How did I get infected with?

FreePDFCombiner pretends to be a great tool. It has an official website. Yet, there are hundreds of users who have no idea how did the app manage to infect their systems. If you are one of them, you won’t like the answer. It was you the one who let the parasite on board. This hijacker cannot hack your system. It needs you, the user’s approval to get installed. No permission, no admission. If you, however, give into naivety, you are might install it unintentionally. The parasite hides in software bundles, torrents, fake updates, and spam messages. All it needs is one moment of recklessness. Do not make its job easier. No anti-virus app can protect you if you act recklessly. Choose caution over carelessness. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Remember that even a little extra vigilance goes a long, long way. Download software from reliable platforms only. When installing an app, pay attention to the fine print. If available, use the advanced setup option. And don’t even think about skipping the terms and conditions. If you cannot spare enough time to read the whole document, scan it with an online EULA analyzer. Abort the installation if you detect anything suspicious.

Why is this dangerous?

The FreePDFCombiner hijacker doesn’t miss a chance to interfere with your browsing activities. This parasite is never idle. It redirects your browser, bombards you with pop-ups, and pauses your videos. Its aggressive advertising causes dozens of issues. You would notice that your system performs poorly. That your browser freezes, that your Internet connection seems slower. These issues, however, should not be your main concern. These problems are symptoms. Something dangerous is happening behind your back. The FreePDFCombiner hijacker opens your browser to surveillance and targeted ads. The pest spies on you from the moment it invades. It studies your browsing habits so it can turn you into an easy target. The hijacker analyzes and catalogs your every online step. And when it deems it has enough information, it sends it to a remote server. Anyone willing to pay can access it there. As you can imagine, the crooks are more than happy to pay. They use the FreePDFCombiner parasite and its resources to target potential victims. They create irresistible adverts and push them to you. The crooks show you what you want to see, but when you click, bad things happen. The hijacker gets paid to advertise, not to guarantee your security. Bear this in mind the next time you see an irresistible offer. This parasite may redirect you to phony, scam, phishing, and even infected websites. Do not risk falling into an online trap! Remove the hijacker before it’s too late!

How to Remove FreePDFCombiner virus

The FreePDFCombiner infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the FreePDFCombiner infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down FreePDFCombiner related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate FreePDFCombiner startup location

STEP 3: Delete FreePDFCombiner traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down FreePDFCombiner related processes in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate FreePDFCombiner startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean FreePDFCombiner virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean FreePDFCombiner traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the FreePDFCombiner by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by FreePDFCombiner

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for FreePDFCombiner, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove FreePDFCombiner argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove FreePDFCombiner Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.