How to eliminate the ads delivered by positivestar.org website?

What is positivestar[.]org?

Positivestar[.]org is a rogue site that hosts dubious content and redirects visitors to other (likely untrustworthy or malicious) websites. The Internet is full of such webpages; news-gemara.cc, get-positive.net, apel.top, news-themes.com - are just some examples.

Rogue sites are typically accessed via redirects caused by suspect pages, intrusive ads, or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

Positivestar[.]org in detail

The behavior of rogue websites is determined by their visitors' IP addresses/ geolocations. In other words, this information dictates whether visitors are presented with questionable material and/or redirected elsewhere. Additionally, these sites typically use deceptive content to lure visitors into allowing their browser notifications.

In the case of positivestar[.]org - it employs fake CAPTCHA verification for this purpose. Should this webpage's notifications be enabled, it will begin delivering intrusive advertisement campaigns.

The displayed ads are more than just a minor annoyance, they also endanger device/user safety. Once clicked on, intrusive adverts redirect to various untrustworthy/malicious websites, and some can download/install software (e.g., PUAs) without user permission.

Threat Summary:

Name	positivestar.org pop-up
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names	N/A (VirusTotal)
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.

Potentially unwanted application overview

PUAs appear legitimate and offer "handy" functionalities that rarely work. Furthermore, unwanted apps can force-open dubious/dangerous sites, run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers, and collect private data. The presence of PUAs on devices can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

How did adware install on my computer?

PUAs are spread using the "bundling" technique - packing regular programs with unwanted/malicious supplements. Users risk allowing bundled software into their devices by rushing through download/installation processes (e.g., ignoring terms, using pre-set options, etc.).

Upon being clicked, intrusive advertisements can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user consent. Some PUAs may also have "official" download pages.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is recommended to research software and download it from official/verified sources. Untrustworthy download channels, e.g., unofficial and freeware websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc. - often offer bundled content.

When downloading/installing, it is advised to read terms, study possible options, and use "Custom/Advanced" settings to opt-out from all additions. Intrusive ads appear legitimate, yet they redirect to various questionable sites (e.g., pornography, adult-dating, gambling, 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 - immediately removed from it. 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 advertisements delivered by the positivestar[.]org website:

Appearance of the positivestar[.]org 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 positivestar.org 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why am I seeing ads (browser notifications) delivered by positivestar[.]org in the right lower corner of my desktop?

You have likely visited positivestar[.]org and permitted it to display its browser notifications. It is noteworthy that sites of this type are usually accessed inadvertently, and they attempt to deceive visitors (e.g., with fake CAPTCHA verification, clickbait, etc.) into enabling their notifications.

I have clicked on notification ads, is my computer infected?

Clicking on a browser notification will not initiate any infection processes. However, the websites and apps promoted through these adverts can be malicious and cause system infections.

Is positivestar[.]org a virus?

Positivestar[.]org and sites akin to it - are not considered to be viruses, yet they can endorse virulent content. These websites are commonly used to promote various scams, questionable/harmful webpages and applications, and even malware.

Will Combo Cleaner remove positivestar[.]org ads automatically or manual steps are still required?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and remove the permissions given to the positivestar[.]org website. It will also block further access to this site. Hence, no extra steps will be required.

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