Remove Pushwhy.com “Virus” (Chrome, Firefox, IE)

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Pushwhy.com is a site, you don’t want to see. If you do, you’re in trouble. It’s a clear sign of an adware application. Then, the website begins to make an appearance, every time you browse. You see it at every turn. Open a new tab, it’s there. Type a search, it appears among the results. It’s everywhere. Even the ads, you get stuck with, are ‘Powered by Pushwhy.com.‘ And, you see quite a lot of them! Pop-up, banner, in-text ads, interstitial and new page ones. You also get stuck with fake offers and survey pop-ups. And, get redirected to a myriad of phishing websites. You may also discover the Pushwhy.com site in place of your default homepage and search engine. Did you approve the switch? No. Did you know about its implementation prior to discovering it? No. That’s because the adware has the power to force changes on you. And, without seeking your consent, or bothering to inform you. It can modify your settings, and mess with registry files. Not to mention, all its interference causes your system to suffer frequent crashes. Also, lagging turns into a daily occurrence as your PC slows down to a crawl. What’s worse, the adware can deteriorate your system’s security. It can disable anti-virus program and firewall. Thus, making it easier for outside threats to slither their way in. But, even the threat of unwanted malware, pales in comparison to the privacy risk. Yes, you face a privacy risk, on top of everything else. Do yourself a favor, and don’t extend the adware’s stay beyond the point of discovery. Get rid of it as soon as it reveals itself. The Pushwhy.com page is your sign of action. Heed it.

How did I get infected with?

The application invades via trickery and finesse. It gets you to approve its admission, while keeping you oblivious. It may seem confusing, but it’s rather simple. Here’s the thing. No adware can enter a system without the user’s consent. It has to ask whether you, the user, agree to its install. Only if you do, can it proceed. That’s why, these tools do their best to avoid rejection. They prey on your carelessness, and turn to the old but gold invasive methods. That includes, hiding behind freeware, spam emails, and fake updates. As well as, using corrupted links, sites, and torrents as a way in. No matter the method, the adware chooses, it can’t invade without your help. It needs you to be careless enough not to spot it attempting invasion. To allow it to slip by you unnoticed. Don’t make its infiltration easier. Don’t throw caution to the wind, and rely on luck. Don’t rush and rely on luck, but take your time. Don’t leave your fate to chance, but do your due diligence. Caution helps you to catch cyber threats in the act, and deny them entry. Choose caution over carelessness. One keeps infections out, while the other invites them in. Make the right choice.

Why is this dangerous?

As mentioned, the infection threatens your privacy. That’s because, it has instructions to steal and expose your data. And, it follows them. Let’s explain. After the adware invades, it proceeds to spy on your every move. It monitors everything you do, while browsing. That includes, links and ads you click, sires you frequent, social media. Of course, logins, passwords, all manner of personal and financial details. The tool has access to them. But it doesn’t only observe. It also records your actions. And, when it deems it has gathered sufficient data, it sends it. To whom? Well, to the unknown individuals, behind it. People with malicious intentions, who shouldn’t get access to your private information. Don’t let them have it! Once the adware announces its presence via the Pushwhy.com page, take action. Find where its hiding place is, then delete it. The sooner it leaves your computer, the better.

How to Remove Pushwhy.com virus

The Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Pushwhy.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Pushwhy.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

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

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 Pushwhy.com, 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 Pushwhy.com 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 Pushwhy.com 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.