How to Remove Diddy Setup “Virus”

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The Diddy Setup utility is not essential for your OS. Quite the contrary — it is unwanted. This app is a parasite that falls under the Adware umbrella. It is an aggressive ad-generating invader. The adware uses trickery to sneak into your OS unnoticed. Once on board, it wastes no time and throws you into a whirlwind of issues. The adware is an utter menace. It follows orders to become your constant online companion. This parasite corrupts all installed browsers and turns them into ad-displaying tools. Chrome, Edge, Firefox, there is no immune program. The adware uses your browsers against you. This parasite injects ads on every website you visit. It displays in-text, pop-up and banner ads everywhere. Even pages that used to be ad-free are now heavy on coupons and discounts. You cannot get a simple task done without an ad popping up. The adware, after all, gets paid when you click on these adverts. Thus, it drowns you in a sea of “great deals,” offers, and discounts. The more you see, the bigger the chance you click. If you, however, refuse to cooperate, the adware changes its tactics. It starts browser redirection. Diddy Setup opens sponsored third-party websites directly in your browser. The adware opens new tabs and windows just as easily as it injects banners. And it doesn’t stop just here. The adware gets more and more aggressive with each passing day. This parasite is a plague that tends to get out of control. Do not let this scenario unfold. Take action against the adware. Remove Diddy Setup for good!

How did I get infected with?

No adware can infect your computer on its own. Diddy Setup is not an exception. It cannot get installed without your permission, so it resorts to trickery. The adware hides in software bundles, fake updates, torrents, and spam emails. It lurks in the shadows and waits for you to make a mistake. All it needs to succeed is one second of carelessness. The adware preys on your recklessness and naivety. Do not make its job easier. No anti-virus app can protect you if you act recklessly. Only your caution can keep your device secure and virus-free. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Even a little extra caution goes a long, long way. Stay away from shady websites. Download software from reputable sources only. And don’t skip any installation steps. When available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Most of the apps we download off the web come bundled with bonus software. The extras, more often than not, are parasites. Make sure you know what you install. You would be able to deselect all suspicious apps under the advanced setup. And, of course, read the terms and conditions. You can speed up this step by using an online EULA analyzer. Abort the installation if you notice anything suspicious.

Why is this dangerous?

Diddy Setup adware is like a pain in the neck: the more you tolerate it, the worse the consequences. At first glance, the parasite appears to be a mere nuisance. It, however, is quite dangerous. The adware opens your browser to surveillance and targeted ads. Diddy Setup threatens to steal sensitive information, as well as to further corrupt your system. This parasite spies on you from the moment it invades. It knows your every online step. Even the Incognito mode of your browser cannot hide you. The adware knows your preferences and shares this information with third-parties. Anyone willing to spend some money can use the adware and its resources. Numerous crooks are more than happy to open their wallets. The crooks use the collected data to prepare customized ads. They would then use the adware to force these irresistible adverts on you. The crooks show you what you want to see, but when you click, bad things happen. You might get redirected to phony, phishing and scam web pages. Diddy Setup turns you into a target. Do not put up with this situation. The more time this parasite spends on your system, the bigger the chance it lures you into a trap. Don’t test your luck. Do what’s best for you and your system’s well-being. Remove Diddy Setup ASAP!

How to Remove Diddy Setup virus

The Diddy 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 Diddy 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 Diddy Setup in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Diddy Setup startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Diddy 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 Diddy 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 Diddy 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 Diddy 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 Diddy 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.