GamesGoFree

Posted: August 19, 2013

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	74

First Seen:	August 19, 2013
Last Seen:	December 8, 2021
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

GamesGoFree is a Potentially Unwanted Program that redirects your browser to GamesGoFree.com, a gaming and search site. In addition to GamesGoFree's games including bundled installers for GamesGoFree, GamesGoFree's searches provide preset results instead of legitimate search query-relevant links. Currently it's recommended that you uninstall GamesGoFree with suitable anti-malware tools, although GamesGoFree does not pose a major threat to your computer's security and is unlikely to do more than just annoy you with its unwanted browser redirects.

Why GamesGoFree Doesn't Want Your Browser to Be Free to Go

GamesGoFree is a browser add-on specific to the GamesGoFree.com website that usually is installed after the victim tries to install a game from that site, although GamesGoFree sometimes is installed by other PC threats (usually along with programs like RegClean). Decrying the very freedom brandished in its brand name, GamesGoFree takes away your freedom to determine which sites your browser loads by hijacking your homepage and default search engine, locking them both to GamesGoFree.com. Other than these unnecessary browser changes, SpywareRemove.com malware experts haven't found any other ill effects from installing games from the GamesGoFree.com website and don't classify the games, themselves, as malware.

GamesGoFree's efforts at promoting its own website appear to be for gaining revenue from the redirected traffic to its searches. However, GamesGoFree's searches aren't organic and pull lists of results that have a good chance of lacking any relevance to your queries (for example, pulling links of random retailers such as 'target.com' during a search for 'fish'). Nonetheless, SpywareRemove.com malware experts can, at least, allow you to rest easy by confirming the lack of malicious content (drive-by-downloads, phishing attacks, etc) in GamesGoFree's searches.

Real Freedom from GamesGoFree's Browser Bondage

Although GamesGoFree does include visible symptom changes rather than hidden ones, GamesGoFree may not be uninstalled through your browser's add-on controls and will attempt to avoid being removed from your computer. All types of software that change your browser's settings without any reasonable justification or without your permission usually should be removed on sight, simply to keep your browser's security at the highest level possible. Due to the issues noted above, anti-malware software may be required to be certain of removing GamesGoFree entirely, along with the browser changes that cause your browser to load GamesGoFree's website automatically.

By itself, a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) like GamesGoFree usually is not extremely dangerous for your computer. However, in unusual cases, GamesGoFree may be installed with other software that does constitute a significant security hazard. Fake Registry cleaners, rogue anti-malware scanners and malicious browser add-ons, in particular, are linked to previous GamesGoFree installations. The most common side effects of such infections include being blocked from using real security programs, having unusual browser redirects and/or poor browser responsiveness, all of which can be removed by deleting GamesGoFree and its fellows with appropriate anti-malware tools.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

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