Removal instructions for notifications/ads delivered by protectlab.xyz website

What kind of page is protectlab[.]xyz?

Our research team found protectlab[.]xyz while inspecting untrustworthy websites. This rogue page is designed to load deceptive content, push browser notification spam, and redirect visitors to different (likely unreliable/malicious) websites. Most users enter sites like protectlab[.]xyz via webpages using rogue advertising networks.

Protectlab[.]xyz overview

The behavior of rogue sites (i.e., what they host/endorse) may depend on the visiting user's IP address/ geolocation. When we accessed protectlab[.]xyz, it ran the "McAfee - Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!" scam. It must be stressed that this scam is in no way associated with McAfee Corp.

It attempts to trick users into downloading/installing software by claiming that their device is infected. Scams of this kind usually promote fake anti-viruses, browser hijackers, adware, and various PUAs. More information on this scam can be found in our article on it.

Additionally, protectlab[.]xyz requests visitors to enable its browser notifications. The displayed notifications/adverts endorse untrustworthy/harmful websites and software, online scams, and even malware.

To summarize, through sites like protectlab[.]xyz - users can experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by protectlab.xyz
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (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, false claims within visited websites, 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.

Browser notification spam in general

We have inspected thousands of rogue webpages; desktopnotificationsnews[.]com, toftheussi[.]xyz, and funksolutions[.]org are just a couple of examples.

The browser notifications delivered by these websites typically push deceptive and malicious content. While legitimate products may be encountered via these ads, they are unlikely to be advertised in this manner by their actual developers. Instead, this promotion is primarily undertaken by scammers who abuse affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions.

How did protectlab[.]xyz gain permission to deliver spam notifications?

Websites cannot deliver browser notifications without user permission. Therefore, you have likely visited the protectlab[.]xyz page and allowed it to display them. Note that rogue webpages commonly employ clickbait, fake CAPTCHA, or other deception - to bait visitors into enabling the notifications.

How to prevent deceptive sites from delivering spam notifications?

To avoid seeing undesirable browser notifications, we advise against permitting questionable sites to display them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or similar. Instead, we recommend ignoring notification delivery or denying it (i.e., pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Should your browser keep randomly force-opening suspicious webpages, it might be due to advertising-supported software (adware) installed onto it or the system. 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 the protectlab[.]xyz 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 Ads by protectlab.xyz?
• 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 protectlab[.]xyz in the right lower corner of my desktop?

You've likely visited protectlab[.]xyz and permitted it to deliver browser notifications. In other words, you had entered this page and clicked "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or a similar option.

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

No, clicking on a notification will not trigger any system infection process - since these ads are not used in malvertising directly. However, this does not mean that these advertisements are harmless. They commonly endorse dubious and malicious content, which can cause severe issues (including system infections).

Is protectlab[.]xyz a virus?

While protectlab[.]xyz is not classified as a virus, it can promote virulent content. Websites of this kind usually push scams, unreliable/harmful software, and even malware.

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

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and undo the permissions granted for the protectlab[.]xyz website. It is also capable of blocking all further access to this and other rogue/malicious pages. Therefore, no additional steps will be necessary.

▼ Show Discussion