How to stop browsers from opening viralnewsobserver.com and similar web pages

What is viralnewsobserver[.]com?

viralnewsobserver[.]com is used to promote untrusted websites, however, it can also load dubious content. Usually, these rogue pages are opened through other untrusted web pages, deceptive advertisements, or potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

People often visit these bogus sites unintentionally. More examples of similar websites include vossulekuk[.]com, messages-email[.]com, and netflowgroup[.]com.

Depending on the geolocations of visitors, viralnewsobserver[.]com opens about two or three other bogus websites or displays dubious content. In most cases, viralnewsobserver[.]com and similar sites open download websites for adware, browser hijackers, and other PUAs, various scam websites, and other pages that cannot be trusted.

These sites often employ 'clickbait' techniques to trick their visitors into allowing them to show notifications (into clicking the "Allow" button) - viralnewsobserver[.]com shows a message encouraging people to click the "Allow" button to continue watching.

Untrusted websites should never be allowed to show notifications. Generally, their notifications contain dubious ads, links to bogus pages, etc. If a browser opens websites such as viralnewsobserver[.]com regularly, it is likely that a PUA is installed on it. These apps generate advertisements (for example, coupons, banners, surveys, etc.), which often conceal underlying content of visited pages and, if clicked, can open untrusted websites. These ads can be capable of executing scripts designed to cause unwanted downloads and installations.

PUAs also gather data. For example, Internet Protocol addresses, URLs of visited websites, entered search queries, geolocations, and other information relating to internet browsing activities. Some PUAs can also record personal details. The information is misused for marketing purposes, sold to third parties (potentially cyber criminals), or misused to generate revenue in other ways.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by viralnewsobserver.com
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names	Emsisoft (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	188.42.224.10
Observed Domains	a.viralnewsobserver[.]com
Symptoms	Seeing advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing. Intrusive pop-up ads. Decreased Internet browsing speed.
Distribution Methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications (adware)
Damage	Decreased computer performance, browser tracking - privacy issues, possible additional malware infections.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

To summarize, viralnewsobserver[.]com is an untrusted web page - browsers that open these pages often have PUAs installed on them. Generally, PUAs are useless to regular users and designed only to generate revenue for the developers: they open dubious pages, gather browsing data, and serve annoying and bogus advertisements.

Note that PUAs are often downloaded and installed unintentionally.

How did adware install on my computer?

People often download and install unwanted apps inadvertently via deceptive advertisements - they click ads that cause unwanted download/installations by executing certain scripts.

Unwanted downloads and installations also occur during download/installation of other programs. I.e., when PUAs are included into the set-ups as 'extra offers'. This PUA distribution method of PUAs is called "bundling".

Typically, offers to download and install these additional apps can be declined via "Custom", "Advanced" or other settings, or by unticking certain checkboxes within the set-ups. When users download and install programs without making these checks and changes, they often allow PUAs to infiltrate.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to research all software before download/installation. Use only official and verified download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule), and other third party downloaders commonly offer harmful and bundled content, and are therefore untrusted and should be avoided.

When downloading/installing, read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features, and so on.

Intrusive advertisements typically seem legitimate, however, they can redirect to dubious and malicious sites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and many others). If you encounter ads or redirects of this kind, inspect the system and remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately.

Installed programs must be activated and updated with tools or implemented functions that are provided by the official developers. No other third party, unofficial tools should be used.

Note that it is illegal to activate licensed software with ‘cracking’ tools. Files and programs should be downloaded from official websites and via direct download links. Avoid third party installers and the tools/sources mentioned above.

Do not open website links or files in irrelevant emails that are received from unknown, suspicious addresses. These bogus emails are often disguised as official and important. Regularly, scan your computer with reputable, up-to-date antivirus or anti-spyware software.

If your computer is already infected with rogue applications, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Appearance of viralnewsobserver[.]com website (GIF):

Notification from viralnewsobserver[.]com website:

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Quick menu:

• What is Ads by viralnewsobserver.com?
• STEP 1. Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome
• STEP 2. Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome (Android)
• STEP 3. Remove spam notifications from Mozilla Firefox
• STEP 4. Remove spam notifications from Microsoft Edge
• STEP 5. Remove spam notifications from Safari (macOS)

Disable unwanted browser notifications:

Video showing how to disable web browser notifications:

Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome:

Click the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and select "Settings". In the opened window select "Privacy and security", then click on "Site Settings" and choose "Notifications".

In the "Allowed to send notifications" list search for websites that you want to stop receiving notifications from. Click on the three dots icon near the website URL and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome (Android):

Tap the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and select "Settings". Scroll down, tap on "Site settings" and then "Notifications".

In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and tap on them one-by-one. Once the pop-up shows up, select either "Block" or "Remove" (if you tap "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Menu button (three bars) on the right upper corner of the screen. Select "Settings" and click on "Privacy & Security" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen. Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and click the "Settings" button next to "Notifications".

In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and block them using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove Website" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove Website" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Microsoft Edge:

Click the menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the Edge window and select "Settings". Click on "Cookies and site permissions" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen and select "Notifications".

Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL under "Allow" section and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Safari (macOS):

Click "Safari" button on the left upper corner of the screen and select "Preferences...". Select the "Websites" tab and then select "Notifications" section on the left pane.

Check for suspicious URLs and apply the "Deny" option using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)

How to avoid browser notification spam?

Internet users should be very skeptical when being asked to allow notifications. While this is a useful feature that allows you to receive timely news from websites you like, deceptive marketers frequently abuse it.

Only allow notifications from websites that you fully trust. For added security - use an anti-malware application with a real-time web browsing monitor to block shady websites that tries to trick you into allowing spam notifications. We recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

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