How to uninstall apps causing redirects to the ctivetothe.online site?

What is the ctivetothe[.]online website?

Ctivetothe[.]online is a rogue site akin to christianivory.pro, android-system.live, flymedia, eyourcom.fun, and thousands of others. Visitors to this webpage are presented with dubious content and/or redirected to untrustworthy and malicious sites.

Users seldom access such websites intentionally; most get redirected to them by intrusive advertisements or have them force-opened by installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

These apps do not need explicit user consent to be installed onto devices. PUAs can have varied heinous functionalities, including - causing redirects, running intrusive advertisement campaigns, and gathering browsing-related data.

The first thing ctivetothe[.]online does is check the visitor's IP address in order to learn their geolocation. This information determines the page's further course of action.

In other words, whether visitors to ctivetothe[.]online get redirected elsewhere and/or are presented with questionable material - depends on their geolocations. Furthermore, most rogue sites use deceptive content/statements (e.g., clickbait, fake CAPTCHA verification, etc.) to trick users into allowing their browser notifications.

This applies to ctivetothe[.]online as well; should its notifications be enabled - the webpage will start running intrusive advert campaigns. The delivered ads are more than a minor annoyance, they also pose a threat to device/user safety.

Once clicked on, intrusive adverts redirect to unreliable/malicious websites, and some can stealthily download/install software (e.g., PUAs). PUAs can have harmful functionalities, and these functions can be in different combinations.

For example, unwanted apps can force-open various sites and/or deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns. Most PUAs have data tracking abilities. Targeted information includes: URLs visited, webpages viewed, search queries typed, IP addresses, geolocations, personally identifiable details, etc.

The gathered data is then shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals). In summary, the presence of unwanted software on devices - can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Therefore, it is crucial to remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	ctivetothe.online pop-up
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
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 typically appear legitimate and harmless. This software entices users into download/installation and/or purchase with offers of various features.

However, the advertised functions are rarely operational. The sole purpose of unwanted applications is to generate revenue for the developers; hence, functionality and user privacy are irrelevant.

PUAs operate by causing redirects, delivering intrusive advertisement campaigns, and collecting private information.

How did adware install on my computer?

PUAs can be downloaded/installed together with other programs. "Bundling" is the name of this deceptive marketing technique - packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions.

Rushed downloads/installations (e.g., ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, used "Easy/Express" settings, etc.) increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the device.

Intrusive ads proliferate PUAs as well; once clicked on, they can execute scripts to download/install these applications without user permission. Some PUAs also have "official" download webpages.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is advised to research software products before download/installation and/or purchase. Additionally, all downloads must be done from official and trustworthy sources.

Dubious download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (Torrent clients, eMule, Gnutella, etc.), and other third-party downloaders - often offer harmful and bundled content.

When downloading/installing, it is recommended to read terms, explore possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, and so forth. Intrusive advertisements appear ordinary and innocuous; however, they redirect to unreliable and questionable websites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

In case of encounters with such adverts and/or redirects, the system must be checked and all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay. If your computer is already infected with rogue applications, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Screenshots of ads delivered by the ctivetothe[.]online website:

Appearance of the ctivetothe[.]online website (GIF):

Another appearance variant of the ctivetothe[.]online 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 ctivetothe.online 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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