How to Remove Karma Setup Malware Threat

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Karma Setup is yet another parasite. It is an ad-generating malware that falls under the Adware category. It is an intruder that follows programming to corrupt your web browsers and to flood them with ads. Chrome, Edge, Firefox – there is no immune program. The adware turns your favorite apps into ad-displaying platforms. This parasite inserts various banners on every website you visit. Even web pages that used to be ad-free get heavy on coupons and discounts. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The adware also turns random text into hyperlinks, pauses your videos for commercial breaks, and opens pop-ups. This menace is also the culprit that loads random websites in new tabs. Karma Setup knows no boundaries nor limits. It not only uses every opportunity to bombard you with ads but also constantly increases the number of its interruptions. The adware tends to get out of control. Bear in mind, however, that the more ads it displays, the slower your computer gets. The adware is so aggressive that it often causes errors and malfunctions. Do not put yourself through this advertising torture. The adware has no place on your computer. It is meddling, annoying, and irritating. It is also quite dangerous. Do yourself a huge favor and delete Karma Setup before it gets a chance to cause you harm!

How did I get infected with?

Fake updates, corrupted links, malvertising, spam messages. There are myriads of adware distributions tricks. Karma Setup, however, tends to rely on the good old software bundles. This adware travels the web hidden in app packets. It gets installed when you “forget” to deselect it. Do not make that mistake. Karma Setup, just like many other parasites, hides in the fine print. It infects your computer only when you throw caution to the wind. Do not make that mistake! No anti-virus application is powerful enough to protect you if you give into naivety. Only your vigilance can keep your PC free of infections. So, make the right decision. 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 visit questionable websites. Download software and updates from reliable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” setup strategy. When available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Deselect the unwanted bonus apps and go through the terms and conditions. Don’t hesitate to abort the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

Karma Setup is like a pain in the neck – it gets worse with time. What starts as an occasional commercial turns into ad invasion. The adware follows you around the web and throws ads at you. Click nothing, though. The ads are unreliable and potentially dangerous. They often redirect web traffic to deceptive and scam websites. The ads are hazardous, of course, but they are also your warning. If you take a closer look the these “Powered by Karma Setup” pop-ups, you’ll realize that you are in serious trouble. You are under surveillance! The adware spies on you and uses your preferences to turn you into an easy target. That’s how this menace operates. Karma Setup sneaks into your computer and as soon as it does, it starts to study your browsing habits. And what do you think happens to the collected data? The adware sells it, of course. This menace shares your data with unknown individuals with questionable plans. Do you think that ends well? Some pieces of data, your search queries, for example, may leak personal and financial details. Do not risk it! Protect yourself and your privacy. Remove Karma Setup ASAP! Find where this parasite hides and delete it upon detection. That’s your best course of action!

How to Remove Karma Setup virus

The Karma 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 Karma 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 Karma Setup in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Karma Setup startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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