TheAdGateway.com Adware Removal

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TheAdGateway.com is bad news. If the page pops up on your screen, brace yourself. You’re in for a pretty horrendous experience. Consider the page’s display an announcement. It reveals the presence of an adware application on our computer. It’s a clue. The sooner you acknowledge it as such, the better. The TheAdGateway.com site popping up, is the adware’s grand reveal. It’s its way to clue you into its existence. Heed its warning! And, take immediate action. Adware programs have NO place on your computer. All, they do is wreak havoc, and make a mess. The one, using TheAdGateway.com as a face, is no different. It pus you through a horrendous experience, and floods you with unpleasantness. The application also jeopardizes your privacy. That’s right. Among, everything else it puts you through, it also threatens your privacy. The infection begins to spy on your browsing from the moment it infiltrates. It keeps track of every online move you make, and records it. After it deems it has collected enough data, it proceeds to expose it. Yes, the tool steals information from you. And, then, sends it to the cyber criminals, behind it. The question is, are you going to allow that? Or, would you rather, avoid the risk altogether? Do what’s best for you, and get rid of the adware ASAP. Don’t extend its stay by even a moment after detection. Don’t grant it the opportunity to offer up your sensitive data to strangers with agendas. Keep your personal and financial details private. Once you spot TheAdGateway.com on your screen, act! Locate the exact hiding place of the adware. Then, delete it. It’s the best course of action you can take. So, take it NOW!

Remove TheAdGateway.com

How did I get infected with?

TheAdGateway.com didn’t pop up out of the blue. The page appears, courtesy of the adware, using it as a front. But what about the adware? How did it end up on your PC? These tools don’t show up as if by magic. They require permission to enter. Your permission. An, they have to ask for it. Unless they receive it, they can’t enter. So, with that in mind, do you recall approving the adware in? Odds are, you don’t. But that doesn’t change the fact that you did. You got duped. Here’s the thing. Yes, the adware has to seek your permission on its installment. But don’t think it has to be straightforward with it. It doesn’t. It’s the exact opposite. The tool does seek your consent. But it does it in the sneakiest way it can. After all, if it outright popped up, and sought your approval, you’d deny it. Wouldn’t you? To avoid the risk of rejection, it turns to trickery. The application employs the old but gold means of invasion. It hides behind freeware, corrupted links, spam emails. It even poses as bogus updates. Like, Java or Adobe Flash Player. It’s quite inventive with its deception. And, it’s up to you to spot its deceit. To catch the threat it the act, and prevent its entry! To do that, you have to be thorough. Take the time to be vigilant, and do your due diligence. Don’t skip the terms and conditions, but read them. When installing tools, or updates, do your research. Know what you agree to. Even a little extra attention can save you a ton of troubles. Remember! Infections prey on your carelessness. So, don’t grant it. Choose caution over it.

Why is this dangerous?

After the adware invades, prepare for problems. It doesn’t take long before you start to notice its touch. The tool doesn’t waste time. As soon as it settles, it spreads its nastiness throughout. And, affects every aspect of your system. You begin to notice its influences, shortly. They tend to manifest with your browsing first. All of a sudden you can’t make a single move, without interruption. The adware meddles with everything, you do. It floods you with advertisements. Pop-up, in-text, banner. Every type of ad there is, you see on your screen. Not only that, but it also bombards you with suspicious sites. It redirects you at every turn. You see a plethora of suspicious, malicious sites. TheAdGateway.com, most of all. Open a new tab? See TheAdGateway.com. Type in a search? TheAdGateway.com is among the results. The website even replaces your default search engine and homepage. Did you agree to the switch? No. Had you a clue of its implementation, prior to discovering it? No. That’s how adware programs work. They do as they wish, and not bother to inform you. Or, seek consent. That poses quite the danger. What if the infection decides to allow more infections into your system? It can! Don’t stand by as the infection wreaks havoc. Do your best to remove it the first chance you get. Ensure your system’s well-being. Don’t allow your personal and financial data to get stolen, and exposed. Locate the exact lurking place of the cyber threat. Delete it on discovery. The sooner, the better.

How to Remove TheAdGateway.com virus

The TheAdGateway.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 TheAdGateway.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 TheAdGateway.com in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate TheAdGateway.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down TheAdGateway.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.

end-malicious-process

  • Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate TheAdGateway.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 TheAdGateway.com virus from the windows registry

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

win-plus-r

  • A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

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]

delete backgroundcontainer

  • 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:

hosts-redirect-virus

STEP 3 : Clean TheAdGateway.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

  • Open Google Chrome

  • In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
  • Remove the TheAdGateway.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
  • Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

disable TheAdGateway.com from chrome

  • Open Mozilla Firefox

  • Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
  • Disable the unwanted Extension
  • Go to Help
  • Then Troubleshoot information
  • Click on Reset Firefox

remove TheAdGateway.com from 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

remove TheAdGateway.com from ie

  • Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by TheAdGateway.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 TheAdGateway.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.

safebrowsing-biz-shortcut-removal

  • in the target field remove TheAdGateway.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 TheAdGateway.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.

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