Completely Remove MapsGalaxy Malware Removal Tutorial

MapsGalaxy is a Browser Extension developed by MindSpark Inc. witch usually comes bundled with other software. This extension claims it allows users to search the web, open maps, and check out fasters routes to a destination.

While active, it monitors your browser activity. The links you visit, the searches you make, the websites you use, and even personal information is sent back to MindSpark Inc. to later be sold/used to deliver ads to your browser.

While this extension is active you may see additional unwanted ads, sponsored links, and pop-up ads displayed in your search results and browser. It also changes your default search engine to MyWay, ensuring its ads are displayed. Several anti-virus scanners have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore not recommended to keep on your PC.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a form of unwanted software program, usually a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in browser settings. Practically all browser hijackers are made for marketing or advertising purposes. Typically, it will drive users to predetermined websites that are looking to increase their advertising campaign revenue. Many people believe that such websites are legitimate and harmless but that is not true. Almost every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is vital to classify them under privacy risks. They do not just screw up your internet browsers, but browser hijackers can also modify the computer registry to make your computer or laptop vulnerable to various other malware attacks.

How to know if your internet browser has been hijacked

Below are some symptoms that indicate you have been hijacked:
1. your web browser’s homepage is suddenly different
2. you observe new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to ad-filled or pornography websites
3. The default search page of your web browser is modified
4. discover new toolbars that you didn’t add
5. you’ll notice random pop-ups start occurring frequently
6. websites load very slowly and sometimes incomplete
7. Inability to navigate to certain websites, especially anti-malware and other security software sites.

Exactly how they infect computer systems

There are many ways your PC can get infected by a browser hijacker. They typically arrive by way of spam email, via file-sharing networks, or by a drive-by download. They could also be deployed via the installation of a web browser toolbar, extension, or add-on. A browser hijacker could also be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware, and pirated programs. Well-known examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, RocketTab, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, Searchult.com, Snap.do, and Delta Search.

Browser hijackers might record user keystrokes to collect potentially invaluable information leading to privacy concerns, cause instability on computers, significantly disrupt the user experience, and eventually slow down the PC to a point where it will become unusable.

How to fix a browser hijack

The one thing you can try to get rid of a browser hijacker is to locate the malicious software in the “Add or Remove Programs” list in the Windows Control Panel. It may or may not be there. When it is, try to uninstall it. Having said that, most hijackers are quite tenacious and need specialized tools to remove them. Inexperienced PC users should not attempt the manual form of removal methods, since it requires in-depth computer knowledge to do fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file.

Find Out How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected Computer system

Practically all malware is inherently unsafe, but certain kinds of malicious software do more damage to your PC than others. Some malware variants alter web browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configurations. In these cases, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all internet sites, and therefore unable to download or install the required security software to eliminate the infection. If you’re reading this article now, you have perhaps recognized that virus infection is the cause of your blocked web connectivity. So how to proceed when you want to download and install an antivirus application such as Safebytes? There are some options you could try to get around with this problem.

Get rid of viruses in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a special, basic version of Microsoft Windows in which just a bare minimum of services are loaded to prevent viruses as well as other problematic applications from loading. In the event, the malicious software is set to load immediately when the computer boots, switching into this particular mode could prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the computer is booting up or run MSCONFIG and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in Safe Mode, you can attempt to download and install your anti-malware program without the hindrance of the malware. At this point, you are able to run the anti-virus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another malicious application.

Utilize an alternate web browser to download the anti-malware application

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities in a specific browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. If you seem to have a trojan attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to a different browser with built-in safety features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-virus from your flash drive

Here’s another solution which is utilizing a portable USB anti-malware software package that can scan your computer for malicious software without the need for installation. Adopt these measures to run the anti-virus on the infected computer.
1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a clean computer.
2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer.
3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard.
4) Select the drive letter of the pen drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the antivirus. Do as instructed on the screen to finish up the installation process.
5) Unplug the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-malware on the infected computer.
6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the software.
7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all types of malware.

Features and Benefits of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to download an anti-malware application for your computer, there are plenty of tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you should not trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a paid or free program. Some are worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick one that is trustworthy, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. On the list of the recommended tools by industry leaders is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the most dependable program for Windows computers.

SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, very effective protection tool created to assist users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and removing harmful threats from their personal computers. This software program can easily identify, eliminate, and protect your PC from the most advanced malware threats such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, along with other possibly damaging software programs.

SafeBytes carries a plethora of amazing features which can help you protect your laptop or computer from malware attack and damage. Let’s look into some of them below:

Live Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active checking and protection from all known computer viruses and malware. It will regularly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides end-users with sophisticated firewall protection.

Optimum AntiMalware Protection: With its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and remove the malware threats hiding in your computer system effectively.

Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes inspects the hyperlinks present on a web page for possible threats and notifies you if the website is safe to check out or not, through its unique safety rating system.

Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the quickest and most efficient within the industry. It's targeted scanning drastically increases the catch rate for viruses that are embedded in various PC files.

Lightweight: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and will not impact your PC efficiency.

24/7 On-line Tech Support: Support service is available for 24 x 7 x 365 days via email and chats to answer your queries.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you want to manually get rid of MapsGalaxy without the use of an automated tool, it might be actually possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll likely also want to reset your internet browser.

If you choose to manually delete the system files and registry entries, make use of the following list to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. But bear in mind, this can be a difficult task and only computer experts could accomplish it safely. Additionally, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its deletion. It is highly recommended that you carry out the removal process in Safe Mode.

Files:
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%#MANIFEST#%cbrmon.exe 26,576 682c1b3de757f8d44c49aa01fff940ab
%PROGRAMFILES%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%#MANIFEST#%cbarsvc.exe 34,864 2114e46c4564da66ac9026e9c848504d
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39bar.binbarsvc.exe 87,264 6b0c56f3192873cddf2bda0c6615118d
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsmjkonbafhhjkakmgejhidcnkkidokinm
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionseejjfjgkdnjfeflpeeopjobjjldcmlfi
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsggjmakejeechofmkhjljemfepbhppbbh
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionslkfkgnbjmeminilhckfckamlbkdgeaik
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsijjnmdphpnlnelhbhefnfmimenjgbfcn
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEIPlug.dll 55,784 59a25ac6974b6c98bfd4d11d4b2653f8
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEzSetp.DLL 739,816 8e7674f70d21bbc0703000ce5c72398a
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binNP39EISb.DLL 31,216 fa7fbc48b84026c2a0dcb611e0e04bf9
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsdcahllpkcnofkhpacpajmibjfjccajlj
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionshfnlkbpoacofighnabkdomkfdbpjeomm
%LOCALAPPDATA%MapsGalaxy Installer(00ef2c80).exe

Registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareAppDataLowHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy6818868a-1b3d-4e35-a561-fa964a96cd3b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy79e57afa-bc05-4636-9457-fbc0abb3576b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy9193e23b-4182-493f-a38e-682307a7c463
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicyae0f4663-eae3-437f-be60-9ec9b745dbfa
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicye1f80eb5-8af4-410d-87c1-4f3e2776822a
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar, value: 364ea597-e728-4ce4-bb4a-ed846ef47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objects1e91a655-bb4b-4693-a05e-2edebc4c9d89
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objects71c1d63a-c944-428a-a5bd-ba513190e5d2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved3ED5E5EC-0965-4DD3-B7D8-DBC48A1172B9
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved4b7d0b0c-cff3-49c5-9bc3-ffabc031c822
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved8f0b76e1-4e46-427b-b55b-b90593468ac6
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproveda35ff019-6dbe-4044-b080-6f3fa78a947f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApprovede045df14-bf1d-405c-a37b-a75c1551ad17
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy Search Scope Monitor
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallMapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall Firefox
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallMapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall Internet Explorer
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy1241cebd-9777-4bc6-aae5-2a77e25db246
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy6818868a-1b3d-4e35-a561-fa964a96cd3b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy79e57afa-bc05-4636-9457-fbc0abb3576b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy9193e23b-4182-493f-a38e-682307a7c463
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicyae0f4663-eae3-437f-be60-9ec9b745dbfa
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicye1f80eb5-8af4-410d-87c1-4f3e2776822a
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar, value: 364ea597-e728-4ce4-bb4a-ed846ef47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved1796ec91-d094-4a5f-b681-e16015d1ceac
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved3ED5E5EC-0965-4DD3-B7D8-DBC48A1172B9
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved4b7d0b0c-cff3-49c5-9bc3-ffabc031c822
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved8f0b76e1-4e46-427b-b55b-b90593468ac6
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproveda35ff019-6dbe-4044-b080-6f3fa78a947f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApprovede045df14-bf1d-405c-a37b-a75c1551ad17
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy Search Scope Monitor
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce, value: MapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicybf75b5a2-8403-4f70-88a6-488e3bea0d7b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicybf75b5a2-8403-4f70-88a6-488e3bea0d7b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerApproved Extensions, value: 71C1D63A-C944-428A-A5BD-BA513190E5D2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtSettings364EA597-E728-4CE4-BB4A-ED846EF47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats1E91A655-BB4B-4693-A05E-2EDEBC4C9D89
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats364EA597-E728-4CE4-BB4A-ED846EF47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats71C1D63A-C944-428A-A5BD-BA513190E5D2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerDOMStoragesearch.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerSearchScopesb0441a0e-a49a-4e16-afc1-74ecced1921f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerSearchScopesb0441a0e-a49a-4e16-afc1-74ecced1921f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMapsGalaxy
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragewww.mapsgalaxy.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStartupApprovedRun32, value: MapsGalaxy EPM Support
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy EPM Support
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASMANCS
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASMANCS
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASAPI32
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASAPI32
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.tb.ask.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftware[APPLICATION]MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall..Uninstallercbrmon.exe 26,576 682c1b3de757f8d44c49aa01fff940ab
%PROGRAMFILES%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%#MANIFEST#%cbrmon.exe 26,576 682c1b3de757f8d44c49aa01fff940ab
%PROGRAMFILES%Maps4PC_0cbar.bin%#MANIFEST#%cbarsvc.exe 34,864 2114e46c4564da66ac9026e9c848504d
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39bar.binbarsvc.exe 87,264 6b0c56f3192873cddf2bda0c6615118d
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsmjkonbafhhjkakmgejhidcnkkidokinm
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionseejjfjgkdnjfeflpeeopjobjjldcmlfi
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsggjmakejeechofmkhjljemfepbhppbbh
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionslkfkgnbjmeminilhckfckamlbkdgeaik
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsijjnmdphpnlnelhbhefnfmimenjgbfcn
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEIPlug.dll 55,784 59a25ac6974b6c98bfd4d11d4b2653f8
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEzSetp.DLL 739,816 8e7674f70d21bbc0703000ce5c72398a
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binNP39EISb.DLL 31,216 fa7fbc48b84026c2a0dcb611e0e04bf9
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsdcahllpkcnofkhpacpajmibjfjccajlj
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionshfnlkbpoacofighnabkdomkfdbpjeomm
%LOCALAPPDATA%MapsGalaxy Installer(00ef2c80).exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareAppDataLowHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy6818868a-1b3d-4e35-a561-fa964a96cd3b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy79e57afa-bc05-4636-9457-fbc0abb3576b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy9193e23b-4182-493f-a38e-682307a7c463
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicyae0f4663-eae3-437f-be60-9ec9b745dbfa
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicye1f80eb5-8af4-410d-87c1-4f3e2776822a
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar, value: 364ea597-e728-4ce4-bb4a-ed846ef47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objects1e91a655-bb4b-4693-a05e-2edebc4c9d89
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objects71c1d63a-c944-428a-a5bd-ba513190e5d2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved3ED5E5EC-0965-4DD3-B7D8-DBC48A1172B9
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved4b7d0b0c-cff3-49c5-9bc3-ffabc031c822
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved8f0b76e1-4e46-427b-b55b-b90593468ac6
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproveda35ff019-6dbe-4044-b080-6f3fa78a947f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApprovede045df14-bf1d-405c-a37b-a75c1551ad17
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy Search Scope Monitor
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallMapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall Firefox
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallMapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall Internet Explorer
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy1241cebd-9777-4bc6-aae5-2a77e25db246
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy6818868a-1b3d-4e35-a561-fa964a96cd3b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy79e57afa-bc05-4636-9457-fbc0abb3576b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicy9193e23b-4182-493f-a38e-682307a7c463
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicyae0f4663-eae3-437f-be60-9ec9b745dbfa
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicye1f80eb5-8af4-410d-87c1-4f3e2776822a
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar, value: 364ea597-e728-4ce4-bb4a-ed846ef47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved1796ec91-d094-4a5f-b681-e16015d1ceac
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved3ED5E5EC-0965-4DD3-B7D8-DBC48A1172B9
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved4b7d0b0c-cff3-49c5-9bc3-ffabc031c822
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproved8f0b76e1-4e46-427b-b55b-b90593468ac6
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApproveda35ff019-6dbe-4044-b080-6f3fa78a947f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtPreApprovede045df14-bf1d-405c-a37b-a75c1551ad17
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy Search Scope Monitor
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce, value: MapsGalaxy_39bar Uninstall
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicybf75b5a2-8403-4f70-88a6-488e3bea0d7b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMapsGalaxy_39
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLow RightsElevationPolicybf75b5a2-8403-4f70-88a6-488e3bea0d7b
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerApproved Extensions, value: 71C1D63A-C944-428A-A5BD-BA513190E5D2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtSettings364EA597-E728-4CE4-BB4A-ED846EF47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats1E91A655-BB4B-4693-A05E-2EDEBC4C9D89
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats364EA597-E728-4CE4-BB4A-ED846EF47970
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExtStats71C1D63A-C944-428A-A5BD-BA513190E5D2
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerDOMStoragesearch.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerSearchScopesb0441a0e-a49a-4e16-afc1-74ecced1921f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftInternet ExplorerSearchScopesb0441a0e-a49a-4e16-afc1-74ecced1921f
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMapsGalaxy
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMapsGalaxy
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragewww.mapsgalaxy.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.myway.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStartupApprovedRun32, value: MapsGalaxy EPM Support
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, value: MapsGalaxy EPM Support
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASMANCS
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASMANCS
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASAPI32
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareWow6432NodeMicrosoftTracingMapsGalaxy_RASAPI32
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerLowRegistryDOMStoragemapsgalaxy.dl.tb.ask.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftware[APPLICATION]MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall..Uninstallercbarsvc.exe 34,864 2114e46c4564da66ac9026e9c848504d
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39bar.binbarsvc.exe 87,264 6b0c56f3192873cddf2bda0c6615118d
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsmjkonbafhhjkakmgejhidcnkkidokinm
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionseejjfjgkdnjfeflpeeopjobjjldcmlfi
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsggjmakejeechofmkhjljemfepbhppbbh
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionslkfkgnbjmeminilhckfckamlbkdgeaik
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsijjnmdphpnlnelhbhefnfmimenjgbfcn
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEIPlug.dll 55,784 59a25ac6974b6c98bfd4d11d4b2653f8
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binEzSetp.DLL 739,816 8e7674f70d21bbc0703000ce5c72398a
%PROGRAMFILES%MapsGalaxy_39EIMapsGalaxy_39EIInstallr.binNP39EISb.DLL 31,216 fa7fbc48b84026c2a0dcb611e0e04bf9
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionsdcahllpkcnofkhpacpajmibjfjccajlj
%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataDefaultExtensionshfnlkbpoacofighnabkdomkfdbpjeomm
%LOCALAPPDATA%MapsGalaxy Installer(00ef2c80).exe

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The quick demise of the BRAVE browser

Brave browser has gained popularity very rapidly and many websites have gone into the territory of recommending it. Sadly although the browser kind of offered better performance, it seems that so much advertised privacy and security was a lie. Several months ago, Brave was involved in a “scandal”. Unfortunately, this incident did not get much media attention, and it’s hard to search for and discover as of today. There is an article on the Android police website explaining this issue in detail, you can check it here: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/07/brave-browser-caught-adding-its-own-referral-codes-to-some-cryptcurrency-trading-sites/ But to sum things up and keep them short if you do not want to go through the full article, Brave had been injecting their affiliate codes into popular crypto-currency websites. This means that they had been intercepting your traffic, which they promised was secure by the way, and modifying it. This means Brave Software has access to all of your information on those crypto-currency sites as well. They can see your payments/purchases, and your activity on the websites (through affiliate statistics). Now some people might point out that they are not interested in crypto or have been visiting some of the sites but the issue still remains and that is they did all of this, without telling the user. They intentionally didn’t tell the user because they knew it would cause backlash and disruption. They knew one hundred percent what they were doing, and they knew it was unethical. And the point remains if something like this was already done, who knows what will come up in the future. Personal recommendation is to avoid Brave and go back to other browsers.

Server certificate revoked ERR_CERT_REVOKED!

While browsing the internet, if you suddenly encounter a warning with an error message saying, “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” then it indicates that the SSL certificate used by the website has been revoked by its issuer. This kind of problem can only be fixed by the website owner but that does not mean that you can’t do anything about it. In fact, you have the option to bypass this error as well as contact the certificate issuer – all this and more. Just a reminder, if a website that accepts payment, its passwords don’t have SSL or has some certification issue, you should never trust it. For instance, if you are trying to purchase something online and you’re on the payment stage but you encounter the “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” error, you must not proceed. To resolve the “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” error, here are some things you can do.

Option 1 – Try contacting the Certificate Issuer

If you are the website owner, of course, the best thing you can is to get in touch with the Certificate Issuer in order to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Try fixing the Date and Time

You have to check your computer’s Date and Time. There are cases when this simple setting causes a connection problem. So if your computer Date and Time is set to date or time that this after the certificate expiration date, then you have to make sure that you set it to automatically configure time. To do so, just open Settings > Time and Language. From there, turn on the toggle for “Set time automatically” and “Set time zone automatically” options. After that, check if it fixes the error, if not, you need to check if the manual selection is correctly set or not.

Option 3 – Bypass the Certificate Revocation Check

As pointed out earlier, you have the option to bypass the Certificate Revocation check. All you have to do is follow the steps below.

In the search box of your browser, type “internet options” and open it once it appears.
After that, go to the Advanced tab and navigate to the Security subheading.
Next, uncheck the “Check for publisher’s certificate revocation” option as well as the “Check for server certificate revocation” option.
Now restart your computer. Upon the next startup, try opening the website again. This time, your browser will stop checking it for certificate issues. However, it’s not safe to leave those options unchecked so make sure that once the website’s SSL certificate is fixed or once you no longer have to visit that website, you recheck those options.

Windows Photo Viewer can’t display picture

There are instances when you open a picture or an image in the Windows Photo Viewer and instead of displaying the image, it displays nothing and you’ll see an error message instead that says, “Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture because there might not be enough memory available on your computer”. Although this may look like a clear-cut issue of less storage space or low RAM in your computer, that’s not always the case. Security experts noticed that even when your computer has enough resources and disk space, this kind of problem could still occur. So if you experience the same thing, you need to check the Color Profile of your screen. For more information, refer to the detailed instructions provided below but before you proceed, make sure that you close some processes in the Task Manager or restart your computer and see if it helps in fixing the problem. You can also try using the Disk Cleanup tool. To use it, refer to these steps:

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “cleanmgr” in the field and hit Enter to open the Disk Cleanup window.
After that, select the drive you want to clean.
Now click OK to clean the disk and restart your computer.

If the Disk Cleanup tool didn’t help in resolving the issue, refer to the instructions below. Step 1: In the search box, type “color management” and then select the “Change advanced color management settings for display” option from the search results. Or you could simply go to Settings > System > Display, Advanced display settings, and from there, select display and click on the Display adapter properties of Display. Step 2: Next, switch to the Color Management tab and click on the Color Management button. Step 3: Select the monitor where you’re getting the “Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture because there might not be enough memory available on your computer” error in the next window. And if you have two displays, make sure that you select the primary display. You also have an option to identify the monitor. Step 4: Once confirmed, select the “Use my settings for this device” checkbox. Step 5: After that, select the Profile listed under the “Profiles associated with this device” option and then click on Remove. Step 6: Next, go to the Advanced tab and make sure that all settings are set to System default which includes a device profile, perceptual images, rendering intent, Relative Colorimetric, and many more. Step 7: Once you’re done, you have to restart your computer and then try to open the same image you were trying to open earlier and then check if you can now open it instead of seeing the error.

Overwatch lost connection to the game server

Overwatch has taken the world by the storm, it introduced new mechanics in gameplay, colorful characters, various game modes and it is constantly updated with new content for free. If you have friends to play with this game is even better but sometimes errors occur and the game loses connection to the game server making it unplayable since it requires a constant internet connection to the server to function. Keep reading and try provided solutions as they are presented to fix this issue and continue gaming.

Battle net fix
Check to see if Battle net or overwatch are fully updated to the latest version, if not, update them and try playing
Antivirus Scan
Run the antivirus scan on your system, the virus can interfere with the network and can cause this issue
Restart your Wi-Fi/Network
Wifi router or network adapter can sometimes experience errors and delays due to lost packets and other hardware issues. Resetting the router or network adapter can solve this issue since on reboot it will fetch new addresses.
Update Network Driver
It is very important to keep all of your drivers updated. Go to device manager and update your network driver to the latest version.
Change the DNS Server
This works most of time, go to your network properties and open settings for IPv4, change DNS to 8.8.8.8 and put 8.8.4.4 as an alternate. Try running the game now.
Reset Winsock Data
Winsock is a program which describes how the Windows network software contact network services. So, in this case, resetting Winsock data may work for you. Run Command Prompt as administrator. Next, type the command netsh winsock reset > Enter. Restart your PC > launch Overwatch, and check if the error message “Overwatch lost connection to game server” is fixed.
Flush your DNS & Renew your IP
Press Win + R key > in the Run dialog box type CMD > and run Command Prompt as admin. And in the command prompt > type ipconfig /flushdns > hit Enter. Now type the given commands in the command prompt > hit Enter after each
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /renew And Exit the command
Disable the Proxy Server
Press Win + R key and in the Run dialog > type inetcpl.cpl > Enter. Connections tab > choose Never dial a connection > and click on LAN settings. Then uncheck the box Use a proxy server for your LAN. But if it is already unchecked then check the box next to Automatically detect settings. > hit OK.
Stop Bandwidth Hogging Applications
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc > open Task Manager > and right click on the application > choose End task

Happy New Year from ErrorTools.com!!!

As we are on the last day of 2021, our team here at errortools.com would like to express their great gratitude to you all for being with us all this time and would also want to wish you error-free 2022!!! Thank you for being part of this community, we wish you all the best in the upcoming 2022 and hope that we will see you again From all members of errotools, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! new year christmass tree

Something went Wrong. Try to reopen later

Windows update issue may come up when the configuration for windows update service is not properly configured or this error can also come up when there is corrupt windows installation. Before trying any of the given solutions to this error try first to clean boot your Windows and turn off any 3rd party utility application. If this method fails move to the provided solutions.

Change startup type of UOS service to automatic
UOS or The Update Orchestrator Service is essential for proper Windows updates. If this service is by any means turned on manual it could be the reason for error since it can create incompatibility between OS modules, if this is the case, setting it to automatic will solve the issue. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC on your keyboard to bring the task manager up and click on the services tab. In the services find orchestrator service, right-click on it, and from the list of startup types choose automatic. Click on APPLY and reboot your computer.
Try to fix it in the command prompt
If the above method failed, try fixing the issue via command prompt. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to bring up the secret menu and start command prompt (administrator) In the command prompt write these lines one after another as they are finished: net stop bits net stop wuauserv net stop appidsvc net stop cryptsvc Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak Net Start bits Net Start wuauserv Net Start appidsvc Net Start cryptsvc After all this, reboot your system and check if updates are working properly.
Try to fix it via registry editor
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to bring run and type in it RegEdit, press ENTER find Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsoSvc in the right part, find key START and change its value to 2 Reboot your system
Try with a new user account
If by any chance user account data is corrupted this may be the reason why we have this error. Create a new administrator user account Shut down your computer Turn in back ON and log in with the new account
Perform SFC scan
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X and choose command prompt (administrator) type in: sfc /scannow This may take a while, sit back, let it finish, and try again windows update

That is all considering this particular error, we certainly hope that you have managed to fix it using any of provided solutions!

Cannot find a system image on this computer

If you are trying to restore your computer using a System Image that has been created by the Windows Backup and Restore tool but encountered an error message instead that says, “Windows cannot find a system image on this computer”, you’ve come to the right place as this post will walk you through in fixing this error. Here’s the complete context of the error message:

“Windows cannot find a system image on this computer, Attach the backup hard disk or insert the final DVD from a backup set and click Retry. Alternatively, close this dialog for more options.”

In the error message, you are offered two choices – to either Retry or Cancel the operation. You can try to select Retry to try again but you will most likely get the same error if you do so. This kind of error can occur if the name of the WindowsImageBackup folder or any of its sub-folders has been modified. On the other hand, this error can also pop up if this folder or any of its sub-folders have gone missing or have become corrupted. To resolve the error, you can try to move the WindowsImageBackup folder or check its sub-folders. You can also try to isolate the System Image file or rename the System Image folder or remove all the unwanted sub-folders as well as use Command Prompt in Repair mode.

Option 1 – Try to move the WindowsImageBackup folder

The WindowsImageBackup folder must be stored in the root of the volume where it is stored, in line with the functioning of the System Restore utility. For example, if the WindowsImageBackup folder is stored in the “C:/Backups/System Restore Backups/New” location, then you have to move it to the C: drive as well.

Option 2 – Try to check the subfolders of the WindowsImageBackup folder

The classification of folders and files plays an important part to restore in restoring a computer from a System Restore point. Thus, if have modified the names of any files or folders inside the WindowsImageBackup folder, then you need to set the defaults. After that, run System Restore again and check if it fixes the error.

Option 3 – Try to isolate the System Image file

If the System Image file is stored in a USB storage device along with various System Restore images, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting this error. To set things right, you have to make sure that the System Restore image you wish to restore your computer from, is the only one that’s present at the root of the USB storage device.

Option 4 – Try renaming the System Image folder

If you have renamed the System Image folder prior to running System Restore, then it is most likely the reason why you’re getting the “Windows cannot find a system image on this computer” error. This error pops up because the System Restore utility in Windows 10 looks out for the WindowsImageBackup folder so if you have renamed it, you need to change its name back to what it originally was to fix the error.

Option 5 – Try to remove all the sub-folders of the WindowsImageBackup folder

If you have stored some foreign files inside the WindowsImageBackup folder, you need to get rid of them right away and return the folder to its default state as this folder must be left alone and should not be meddled with if you want to run System Restore smoothly.

Option 6 – Try to use Command Prompt in Repair Mode

Open Command Prompt while your computer is in the Repair Mode.
Next, type and enter this command where you need to replace “<Partition Letter>” with your drive’s letter: dir <Partition Letter>
After you’ve found the WindowsImageBackup folder in any of the partitions, type and enter this command: dir <Parition Letter>WindowsImageBackup /s
The command you entered will display all the contents of the folder exceeding 10 GB in total size. You can check and confirm the integrity of the folder and if you find that the integrity is violated, then it is the reason why you’re getting the error.

USB Keeps Connecting and Disconnecting

External hard drives have become essential these days as they tend to be very useful to many users. They are usually used for storing system images like system backups, Windows installation media, or for personal use. However, if you are not able to utilize your external drivers for some reason then that could be a huge problem. One of the common issues with hard drives is when your USB device or external hard drive just keeps connecting and disconnecting. This kind of issue could be caused by a faulty USB port, some issues with the USB drivers, your computer’s Power Options, corrupted or damaged system files, and many other factors. The connecting and disconnecting issue with USB devices and external hard drives isn’t really new and has been experienced by many users for years now. Although this issue has somewhat decreased in Windows 10, there are still some users who encounter it every now and then. Worry not though for there are fixes that you can try to resolve the problem. Refer to the following straightforward solutions to resolve the issue with your USB device or external hard drive.

Option 1 – Plug your external device on a different port

If your USB device keeps on connecting and disconnecting then the first thing you can do is to try connecting it to a different port. This will help you isolate the problem. In some cases, the port where the USB is connected can be malfunctioning or obsolete so you need to check that possibility by plugging your USB device into a different USB port.

Option 2 – Update or reinstall your USB drivers

As mentioned earlier, the problem could be due to some issues with the USB drivers. It could be that it has to be updated or you need to reinstall it. To do that, follow these steps:

First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 3 – Try turning on the USB External drive

There are times when your system turns off some drives in order to conserve your computer’s power, etc. as a result, the driver that’s required to run your external hard drive properly ends up getting disabled. To fix this, you can prevent your system from turning off your external USB drive by following these steps:

You need to make sure that the external drive is connected to your system first.
Next, go to the Start Menu and type “device manager” in the field, and click on the appropriate result to open the Device Manager.
After opening the Device Manager, expand the category of the Universal Serial Bus controllers.
Then double click on your USB Mass Storage device and take note that the name might be different on your system.
Now go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the checkbox for the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option and click OK to save the changes made.

Option 4 – Turn off USB Selective Suspend

Another thing you can try is to turn off USB Selective Suspend especially when the issue has something to do with the Power Options. There are certain systems that are configured to disable USB devices after some time which could be the root cause of the problem. Thus, you need to turn off USB Selective Suspend. Here’s how you can do it:

In the Start Menu, search for “control panel” and open the related search result.
Then go to Power Options and click on the “Change plan settings” option.
Next, select “Change advanced power settings” and look for the USB settings and then expand it.
From there, you will see the USB Selective Suspend setting. Disable it and click OK.
Now restart your computer and check if it resolves the problem or not.

Option 5 – Format your drive

To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.

How to Fix the Blue Screen Locale ID 1033 Error Code

What is the Blue Screen Locale ID 1033 Error?

Blue screen locale id 1033 error as the name suggests, is a type of BSoD error. This error may occur during Windows startup, program load, or while the program is running. The error indicates poor PC maintenance and occurs without any warning. The error message is prompted in the following format:

Problem signature: Problem Event Name: BlueScreen OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.16.7 Locale ID: 1033

When the error occurs, the computer screen turns blue and the user is unable to view or access the program. It is advisable to fix the error right away, virtually because BSoD is a critical PC error, it can pose serious threats to your system.

Error Causes

The two most common causes of the occurrence of the Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code are:

Registry issues
Viral infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

You don’t need to hire a technician or be a computer whiz to resolve Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code. Here are some methods that you can try to resolve this error on your PC. These methods are easy to perform and result-driven.

Method 1: Perform a PC Scan by Downloading an Anti-Virus

Since this error is indicative of a viral infection, it is suggested you perform a PC scan by installing an antivirus on your system. Make sure you download an antivirus that is powerful and has the ability to scan all kinds of viruses.

Method 2: Clean and Repair the Registry

Another alternative method is to clean and repair the registry. The Registry is a component of the PC that stores all information and activities performed on the PC. This includes both important and unnecessary files like junk files, cookies, internet history, temporary files, invalid entries, bad registry keys, and more. These files not only accumulate in the registry but also damage and corrupt it thereby generating error codes like the Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code.

What Is Phishing And How Can You Protect Yourself From It?

Ever gotten an e-mail offer that seemed just a little bit too good to be true? Might’ve been a phishing attempt! These are everywhere and can come in many different forms.

So what’s phishing exactly, how can you detect it and how can you keep safe?

What is phishing?

Phishing (pronounced like fishing) is a type of cyberattack that tricks the user into trusting the source and revealing sensitive information. Fishing being the perfect analogy, the bait is a legitimate-looking site, e-mail or file and when you take a bite, your identity, banking information and much more can be revealed and stolen.

Phishing Illustration — Credit: Anne Nygård on Unsplash

Some phishing attempts are incredibly obvious, others are super elaborate. Like with most types of malware, cybercriminals have become extremely well-versed in phishing and anyone can fall for it. To help you recognize and avoid it, we’ll take you through a couple of phishing types and give you tips on what to do if faced with them.

Phishing techniques

E-mail phishing

This is actually the most common type of phishing. A cybercriminal creates an e-mail containing stuff like attractive offers, legitimate-looking attachments or links and makes it appear as though it’s coming from a trusted source.

For example, it looks like it’s coming from your bank or your favorite retailer. The logo looks legit and the structure of the e-mail seems familiar, so you might get tricked into clicking on whatever clickable content is in it.

Unfortunately this exposes your device to malware that hands your data off to the hacker, who can decide what to do with it further.

SMS and social media phishing

Like the above example, you could be approached with lucrative offers or links via text messages or social media messages. Typically, the messages seem relevant to the user as they will be made to look like they’re related to apps or services you’re using.

Voice phishing

Voice phishing attacks are schemes that appear as though they’re coming from a credible number. Normally, you’ll get a call about something related to credit cards or taxes to get you into a state of worry, leading you to disclose personal information on the phone.

Spear phishing, whaling and BEC

Spear phishing normally targets specific individuals within a company who are likely to have access to sensitive data. Spear phishers spend time collecting information they can use to reach out to the individual looking as trustworthy as possible. They’ll typically lead with something relevant, for example mentioning an upcoming company event, and make a seemingly legitimate request.

Whaling is a more elaborate form of spear phishing, which targets people in even stronger positions such as executives or high-value individuals. The ultimate goal is to get them to transfer financial or other sensitive information that can be used to compromise the entire business.

Spear Phishing Illustration — Credit: Azamat E on Unsplash

BEC, or Business e-mail compromise, is a specific spear phishing technique carried out via e-mail. While there are many ways this is done, most commonly you’ll see instances where the phisher poses as a CEO or similar executive, or as a lower-level employee in specific positions (e.g. sales managers or financial controllers).

In the first situation, the impersonator reaches out to employees requesting them to transfer certain files or pay invoices. In the second situation, the phisher takes control of the employee’s e-mail account and sends false instructions to other employees in order to obtain data and information from them.

What can you do?

There are many ways you can be aware and spot a phishing attempt. Here are some tips:

Always check the sender’s address in your e-mails, even when they seem to come from a familiar source.
In any instance where payment information is requested, be very, very careful.
If you are receiving attachments you never asked for and definitely didn’t expect, better not click on them.
Beware of content that transmits a sense of urgency (sales deals, urgent updates to login credentials, etc.).
Bad spelling and grammar are usually a telltale sign of phishing.
Links that look shortened (e.g. Bit.ly) or just suspicious in general - if you have a bad feeling, do not click on them.
If you are receiving threats, you probably shouldn’t be clicking on anything in that message.
Always examine first-time senders in detail.
Block suspicious e-mail addresses, numbers and social media accounts.
If you are receiving a coupon for free stuff… You aren’t.
If you’re being asked to update your payment details by a service you use, such as Netflix, chances are it’s an impersonator.

Those are some of the ways to identify and prevent phishing attacks. However, sometimes phishers disguise themselves a little too well or a misclick happens and there you go - you’ve been exposed to malware.

Illustration of a Lock on Keyboard Keys — Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash

This won’t happen if you invest in powerful protection software from the get-go, though. A good antivirus program like Bitdefender will keep you safe from becoming a victim of phishing scams. In fact, it will protect you from malicious attacks overall.

Be it your household or your business you’re concerned about, there are a bunch of different packages and options available, providing different kinds of cybersecurity services. That’s the only way you can ever really be sure you aren’t at risk of a digital attack.

Summary

Have you ever been targeted by phishers and didn’t know that’s what it was until you read this article? Many can relate. Protect yourself before it’s too late!

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