Home Malware Programs Adware Adware.BrowserProtect

Adware.BrowserProtect

Posted: June 6, 2013

Threat Metric

Ranking: 6,914
Threat Level: 2/10
Infected PCs: 20,116
First Seen: June 6, 2013
Last Seen: October 3, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

BrowserProtect Screenshot 1BrowserProtect is a Potentially Unwanted Program that usually is installed as a fraudulent version of the BrowserProtect add-on and is related to adware attacks that display advertisements through your browser. While BrowserProtect may easily be confused with the legitimate BrowserProtect add-on (which provides anti-hijacking security features), BrowserProtect actually is unrelated to that program and typically is installed without your permission. SpywareRemove.com malware experts advise removing BrowserProtect from your PC as a point of maintaining your online security and recommend anti-malware tools as needed to remove all of BrowserProtect's unnecessary system changes.

BrowserProtect: the PUP that Sneaks in Without Your Permission

BrowserProtect is a questionably-useful browser add-on that borrows the name – but not the browser-protecting functions – of a separate add-on that also is called BrowserProtect. While there may understandably be some confusion between the two, the legitimate version of BrowserProtect only is installed with your permission and provides various Web-browsing security features. Most importantly, the real version of BrowserProtect may be uninstalled at will, whereas BrowserProtect typically will resist being removed by exploiting your admin account permissions. Attempting to remove BrowserProtect without disabling BrowserProtect and all malware related to BrowserProtect generally will fail.

BrowserProtect primarily is related to in-browser advertisements, such as pop-ups and link-injected content. These attacks may promote potentially hazardous content or worsen your browser's performance, and BrowserProtect ultimately does not appear to have any benefits that SpywareRemove.com malware experts would rate as being worthy of keeping the program installed. However, all due care should be taken to distinguish BrowserProtect from the legitimate browser add-on that also uses the name BrowserProtect.

SpywareRemove.com malware experts also have seen a number of more worrying side effects related to BrowserProtect, which generally are sufficiently severe that they normally would not be caused by a Potentially Unwanted Program. Hence, BrowserProtect's distribution methods are suspected to involve other PC threats that are responsible for enacting these attacks. The effects may include being blocked from using various programs, including the Registry Editor, Task Manager and other Windows security-oriented utilities.

Banishing the PUP You Never Wanted in the First Place

Alone, BrowserProtect is a minor danger to your PC, but, as noted earlier, BrowserProtect usually will be accompanied by other types of PC threats that are more dangerous than itself. Given BrowserProtect's history of resisting deletion, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers recommend booting in Safe Mode to disable basic malware and using anti-malware software as required to remove BrowserProtect and the Trojans that may be associated with BrowserProtect.

BrowserProtect has been found to be compatible with at least Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox. Switching browsers, updating your browser or using your browser's normal add-on managers should not be considered alternatives to disinfecting your PC with appropriate anti-malware tools, as should be done as soon as BrowserProtect is detected.

Technical Details

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

CLSID{38E7331D-8350-4ECF-8498-4C53E81DEAB0}{5BD10F8C-03AB-4295-ADDD-FE9E0C4963EF}{8895BD83-6818-429F-A43D-B52C8EA427C7}{ACAD016E-438C-4950-BEBF-1484FDF48291}{ACB80168-4368-49B4-8509-538445F4C391}{DE20D457-A861-447F-B689-D07FB7FB397B}{DE4DD492-A84F-44C7-9E0A-627F75FB077B}HKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}SOFTWARE\Browser ProtectSOFTWARE\BrowserProtectSoftware\Proxy\installations\Browser ProtectSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser ProtectSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\BrowserProtectHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..{Uninstaller}38992_Browser Protect

Additional Information

The following directories were created:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Browser Protect%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\BrowserProtect%COMMONPROGRAMFILES(x86)%\BrowserProtect%PROGRAMFILES%\Browser Protect%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Browser Protect
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