How to Remove LIGHTGATE.EXE

Why you need to Remove LIGHTGATE.EXE?

The LIGHTGATE.EXE virus is light years away from being reliable. Unfortunately, if you notice its nasty presence on board, you’re in for trouble. This thing has been classified as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) for numerous reasons. Yes, it’s dangerous and yes, it could cause you some irreversible damage. The long list of malicious traits exhibited by LIGHTGATE.EXE begins with the ads. And if your machine has been infected with this parasite, you know exactly which ads we’re talking about. Being entirely ad-supported, LIGHTGATE.EXE practically floods your PC screen with pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, interstitials, etc. It goes without saying that you can no longer surf the Web now that you’re forced to deal with various commercials on a daily basis. Once the virus gets installed, it injects all your browsers with its pile of nasty advertisements. However, that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that NONE of the ads LIGHTGATE.EXE generates is safe. What does that mean? It means you could easily install a rich bouquet of parasites on your own computer simply by clicking a compromised web link. That’s all it takes. Obviously, there’s no telling whether you’re seeing a corrupted ad or a real one until you click. Is this really a risk worth taking, though? Remember that LIGHTGATE.EXE was never supposed to help you save time or money. It was only supposed to boost web traffic towards some specific and highly questionable websites. As long as hackers gain their dubious profit online, your safety doesn’t matter. You will keep seeing unreliable commercials all over your PC screen till the very moment you successfully eliminate the parasite. Don’t hesitate. LIGHTGATE.EXE modifies your browser settings without asking for any permission or authorization first. Then, thanks to the browser plugin it installs, you get bombarded by ads. As we already mentioned, avoiding these commercials is incredibly important for your further safety. Even if you see some particularly alluring ad on your PC screen, keep in mind that the device has been compromised. Nothing your browsers generate is trustworthy. As if that wasn’t enough, LIGHTGATE.EXE also spies on your personal information. You could imagine how badly this might end, right? All your private information (including some personally identifiable data, if you’re unlucky) gets sent straight into the hands of hackers. Your email addresses, IP addresses, passwords, usernames, browsing history, search queries, etc. are being constantly monitored. Long story short, your private life online is not private anymore. LIGHTGATE.EXE poses a huge threat for your virtual security so the only reasonable thing to do is get rid of the virus. You won’t regret it.

How did I get infected with LIGHTGATE.EXE?

Do you often install illegitimate software? Then we might have just answered the question, how LIGHTGATE.EXE invaded your machine. One immensely efficient (as well as very stealthy) infiltration method is called freeware/shareware bundling. You probably know that most cyber infections travel the Web in silence. That’s why we highly recommend you to watch out for potential threats every time you browse the Web and, especially when you install programs. Keep in mind that viruses are sneaky so they take advantage of your haste online. To prevent malware installation, always pay attention to the programs you download. Remember, unverified websites usually include at least one “bonus” infection to their bundles. If you’re neglectful of the installation process, you will eventually install this “bonus” as well. It goes without saying that you most certainly do not want it to happen. Opt for the Custom or Advanced option in the Setup Wizard and be cautious online. Stay away from suspicious-looking websites unless you’re willing to accidentally install malware. Also, even though reading the Terms and Conditions isn’t a fun thing to do, it might easily protect your computer from infections. And that should be your number one priority when browsing the Web.

Why is LIGHTGATE.EXE dangerous?

LIGHTGATE.EXE’s shenanigans begin immediately after installation. This parasite is just as dangerous as it is sneaky. And it managed to invade your PC behind your back. You do the math. Thanks to the malicious browser extension LIGHTGATE.EXE installs, all your browsers are now infected. The virus is perfectly compatible with some of the most commonly used browsers out there which includes Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. There is no escaping the commercials. At the least, you will waste your time avoiding them. However, if you (in)voluntarily click a corrupted ad, you’ll automatically end up on a compromised page. In addition, the LIGHTGATE.EXE ads are very intrusive and stubborn; they cover all websites you visit and effectively disrupt your entire browsing experience. The sooner you take adequate measures, the better. To delete the pesky LIGHTGATE.EXE parasite manually, please follow the detailed removal guide that you will find down below.

Manual LIGHTGATE.EXE Removal Instructions

STEP 1: Windows 8 Removal

STEP 2: Windows 7/XP/Vista Removal

STEP 1: Start Your Computer into Safe Mode with Networking in Windows 8

• Make sure you do not have any floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs inserted in your computer
• Move the mouse to the upper right corner until the windows 8 charm menu appears
  
• Click on the magnifying glass

• select Settings
• in the search box type Advanced
• On the left the following should appear

• Click on Advanced Startup Options
• Scroll down a little bit and click on Restart Now

• Click on Troubleshoot

• Then Advanced options

• Then Startup settings

• Then Restart

• When you see this screen press F5 – Enable Safe Mode with Networking

STEP 2: Start Your Computer into Safe Mode with Networking in Windows 7/XP/Vista

• Make sure you do not have any floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs inserted in your computer
• Restart the computer
  
• When you see a table, start tapping the F8 key every second until you enter the Advanced Boot Options

• in the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking , and then press ENTER.

STEP 3: Locate the startup location

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

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

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:

%LocalAppData%\LIGHTGATE.EXE

where %LocalAppData% refers to:

C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local

• delete the whole folder
• file associated with the infection:
• LIGHTGATE.EXE, located in the %temp% directory,
• LIGHTGATE.EXE, located in the %localappdata% directory

Double check with any antimalware program for any leftovers. Keep your software up-to date!