Remove Brow Setup Malware (PUP.AD.BROW.SETUP)

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Brow Setup is yet another adware parasite. It is an aggressive, ad-generating menace that makes a mess out of your web browser. If your PC harbors this parasite, brace yourself. Brow Setup is a complete and utter menace. It knows no boundaries nor limitations. This adware floods your browser with countless ads. It inserts various banner and in-text ads on every website you visit. It also opens pop-ups, plays commercials, and turns random text into hyperlinks. No ad-blocking app is powerful enough to shield you from the ads. You will notice annoying coupons and discounts even on web pages that used to be ad-free. Dozens and dozens of ads pop up on your screen every time you so much as touch your browser. That’s the nature of the adware. Brow Setup uses every opportunity to interrupt you with annoying ads. It is so aggressive that users often mistake it for malware. Luckily, the adware is not a virus. This parasite is a simple app. It limits its corruption to your web browsers only. The bad news is that you are not safe. The adware is quite hazardous. This parasite opens your browser to numerous online threats. Its annoying ads, for example, often redirect traffic to deceptive and scam web pages. Brow Setup turns its victims into targets. It lures people into online traps! Do not take unnecessary risks. There is no place for adware on your PC. Find where the parasite hides and remove it upon detection. Clean your computer the first chance you get!

How did I get infected with?

Brow Setup travels the Web hidden in software bundles, fake updates, corrupted links, pirated software, and spam messages. It hides in the shadows and attacks when you let your guard down. Do not make that mistake! This parasite preys on your naivety. It infects your computer when you “forget” to deny it access. Confused? The thing about adware is these parasites follow standard installation procedures. They need you, the user, to approve, their installation. No permission, no admission! Note, though, that having to ask is not the same as having to do so outright. The parasites hide in the fine print! They infect your PC when you rush or when you don’t pay attention to the red flags. Don’t make their job easier. Choose caution over carelessness. Even a little extra attention can spare you an avalanche of problems. Always take the time to do your due diligence! Don’t follow suspicious links. Download software from reliable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” setup strategy. If available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Deselect all unwanted bonus apps and go through the terms and conditions. If you can’t read the whole document, scan it with an online EULA analyzer. Don’t hesitate to opt out of the installation process if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

Brow Setup is a nightmare. It sneaks into your computer and makes a mess out of your browsing experience. Whether you watch a video or browse your favorite website, the adware is always there to annoy you. It floods you with ads, forces you to watch video commercials, and redirects your web traffic. You can barely get any work done. Countless ads interrupt your every activity. The ads are annoying, meddling, and highly irritating. They, however, are also your clue. If you just take a close look at them, you will realize that you are in serious trouble. The ads are related to your online activities, aren’t they? That’s because you are under surveillance! Brow Setup studies your browsing habits and uses your preferences against you. It bases its ads on the websites you visit, the links you follow, the videos you watch. The problem is that it also sells the collected information. If you run out of luck, some pieces of data, your search queries, for example, may leak confidential details. Do not risk it! Brow Setup is a hazardous intruder. Remove it before it gets a chance to cause you harm.

How to Remove Brow Setup virus

The Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Brow Setup startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup

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 Brow Setup, 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 Brow Setup 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 Brow Setup Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your system 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.