How to Remove PreAMo “Malware”

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PreAMo is yet another adware menace. It is a parasite that sneaks into your computer and throws you into a whirlwind of ads. The adware follows programming to study your browsing activities and to flood you with targeted ads. The good news is that it’s not a virus. The bad news is that it’s not safe either. This menace has no filters nor security mechanisms. Its sole purpose of existence is to generate revenue for its publishers. Your well-being is not part of the deal! PreAMo floods your browser with countless unreliable ads. Click nothing! These “great deals” arise unwarranted expectations at best. At worst, they redirect web traffic to spam, deceptive, and even corrupted web pages. Do not put up with this situation! The adware has no place on your computer. It is a threat that should be dealt with promptly. The longer you tolerate the intruder, the worse your situation gets. Heed the experts’ advice and take action. Find where PreAMo hides and delete it upon detection. The sooner you clean your PC, the better!

How did I get infected with?

PreAMo travels the Web via slyness and trickery. This parasite relies on malvertising, corrupted links, fake updates, and software bundles. Do not overestimate it, though. Its tricks succeed only if you let your guard down. The thing about adware is that these parasites need you, the user, to approve their access. No permission, no admission! PreAMo is bound to seek your consent. There is, of course, a catch. Having to ask is not the same as having to do so outright! The adware hides in the fine print. It infects your computer when you “forget” to deny it access. Do not make that mistake! No anti-virus app can protect you if you throw caution to the wind. Only your vigilance is powerful enough to prevent adware infections. Don’t follow questionable links. Download software and updates from reliable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” installation 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. Even a little extra attention can spare you an avalanche of problems. Don’t hesitate to opt out of the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

PreAMo is a nightmare. This adware slithers into your OS and makes a mess out of your browser. Whether you watch a video or browse your favorite website, you notice its corruption. Banners cover every website you visit. Pop-ups appear out of the blue. Commercials pause your videos. Random text turns into hyperlinks. Notifications urge you to “Add” or “Approve” questionable apps. You can barely get any work done. Countless ads flood your browser daily. Their great number, of course, also causes performance issues such as freezing and crashes. You face an avalanche of errors and malfunctions. You, however, also face a security threat. PreAMo is not a mere annoyance. Just take a closer look at its ads and you’ll realize its true nature. This parasite spies on you! Its ads are based on the websites you visit, the links you follow, the videos you watch. That’s how the adware operates. It studies your browsing habits and uses the collected data against you. 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 take unnecessary risks! Remove the adware before it gets a chance to cause you harm!

How to Remove PreAMo virus

The PreAMo 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 PreAMo 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 PreAMo in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate PreAMo startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the PreAMo 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 PreAMo

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 PreAMo, 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 PreAMo 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 PreAMo 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.