How to remove applications causing redirects to itscythera.com

What is itscythera[.]com?

The internet is full of dubious and harmful sites, including itscythera[.]com.

Load00.biz, captcha-sourcecenter.com, and yourcommonfeed.com are some examples of similar websites. Visitors to these web pages are presented with dubious content and are often redirected to other untrusted/malicious sites.

Typically, users enter these web pages inadvertently - most are redirected to them by intrusive advertisements or installed Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs). This software does not need explicit permission to infiltrate systems, and thus users may be unaware of its presence.

PUAs have dangerous capabilities, including causing redirects, running intrusive ad campaigns, and collecting browsing-related information.

When accessed, itscythera[.]com first checks visitors' IP (Internet Protocol) addresses to learn their geolocations. This data is crucial to determining the website's further course of action. I.e., whether visitors are redirected elsewhere or are presented with dubious material depends on their geolocations.

Additionally, most rogue sites such as itscythera[.]com use deceptive tactics (e.g., clickbait, fake CAPTCHA verification, etc.) to trick users into enabling their browser notifications. Should users allow the itscythera[.]com site's notifications, it starts running intrusive advertisement campaigns.

The delivered ads are more than just a nuisance, they pose a threat to device and user safety. Once clicked, intrusive ads can redirect to various misleading, deceptive/scam, compromised, and even malicious web pages. Furthermore, some of these ads can be triggered (when clicked) to execute scripts designed to stealthily download/install software (e.g., PUAs).

PUAs can have different functionality, and these functions can be in varied combinations. For example, these applications can force-open dangerous sites and deliver intrusive ad campaigns.

Furthermore, most PUAs have data tracking capabilities. They can record browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather vulnerable information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations, and even personally identifiable details). PUA developers monetize this sensitive information by sharing it with and/or selling it to third-parties, likewise intent on misusing it for profit.

In summary, unwanted apps can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, financial loss, and identity theft. To protect device integrity and user privacy, it is crucial to remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	itscythera.com pop-up
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Serving IP Address	172.67.184.12
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.

PUAs may seem legitimate and innocuous, and users are often lured into download/installation with offers of various "useful" features, however, this functionality seldom works as advertised and, in most cases, is nonoperational. The only purpose of this unwanted software is to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs cause redirects, run intrusive advertisement campaigns, and collect private data.

How did adware install on my computer?

PUAs are often downloaded/installed together with other products. This deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

By rushing through download/installation of software (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using "Quick/Express" settings, etc.) many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled content into their devices. Intrusive advertisements proliferate PUAs as well. When clicked, the ads can execute scripts to download/install these applications without users' permission.

Some PUAs have "official" download web pages from which they can be downloaded.

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.

Screenshot of an advertisement delivered by the itscythera[.]com website:

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

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. 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.

Quick menu:

• What is itscythera.com pop-up?
• 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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