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Max AdBlock

Posted: June 25, 2015

Threat Metric

Threat Level: 8/10
Infected PCs: 2,536
First Seen: June 25, 2015
Last Seen: January 26, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

Max AdBlock, also known as Maximum AdBlock or Ads by Max AdBlock, is an advertisement blocker application that also may deliver advertising content of its own into your browser. Due to Max AdBlock's including components that may allow this extension to reinstall itself automatically, malware experts don't advise deleting Max AdBlock with normal uninstallation practices. Instead, you may remove Max AdBlock with a dedicated anti-adware product after shutting down your browser.

When Ad Blockers Provide Maximum Advertisements

Although previously known for its historical, relative safety in contrast to other browsers, Google's Chrome has been a favorite target of various branches of 2015 adware. Max AdBlock is one of the latest examples of adware to specialize in that browser, with its distribution via bundles and other, non-consensual techniques rising in March of this year. Despite its marketing claims as an advertisement blocker, malware experts found limited advertisement-blocking features within Max AdBlock, whose primary symptoms, ironically, are advertising deliveries.

While displaying its advertisements, Max AdBlock also may hijack your browser by forcibly redirecting it to other advertising sites automatically. These hijackings may trigger semi-randomly when unrelated Web pages load. Malware experts found some Max AdBlock installations also clearing the browser's Web history automatically, which may lead to other issues (such as being unable to use the 'Click to go back' button).

Some variants of Max AdBlock also may install themselves to the Firefox browser. Regardless of which browser is being modified, Max AdBlock fails to display any extension entries that would allow PC users to identify Max AdBlock by means other than its symptoms (such as its advertisements).

The Key to Blocking a Supposed Ad Blocker

Max AdBlock currently holds the classification of a Potentially Unwanted Program (or PUP), an application that isn't intentionally threatening, but may cause undesired side effects. Most importantly, from a security standpoint, malware experts have seen cases of Max AdBlock's advertisement network being compromised by third parties. These compromises may include fraudulent Java updates that request that you download a 'patch' containing one or more Trojans, as well as other attacks that may install threats that are beyond this article's subject matter. At this article's writing, samples of the last verified payload of threatening software still are being acquired.

Keeping either Firefox or Chrome safe from would-be malvertisements can be done through removing Max AdBlock with specialized anti-adware solutions. Restarting your PC in Safe Mode (accessed by the System Reboot Menu with the F8 key) and making sure your browser is closed can offer a stable environment for any anti-adware scans. After all scans fail to detect lingering components of Max AdBlock, you may wish to reset your browser, in the event of any other symptoms remaining intact.

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