How to remove the notifications/ads displayed by the protectwatch.xyz site

What kind of page is protectwatch[.]xyz?

While examining untrustworthy websites, our research team discovered the protectwatch[.]xyz page. It operates by promoting scams, pushing browser notification spam, and redirecting users to different (likely dubious or malicious) sites.

Most visitors to protectwatch[.]xyz and webpages akin to it - enter them via redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks.

Protectwatch[.]xyz overview

It is pertinent to mention that the operation of rogue websites (i.e., what they host/endorse) might be determined by the visitor's IP address/ geolocation.

When we inspected protectwatch[.]xyz, it ran the "You've visited illegal infected website" scam. While it is presented as the McAfee anti-virus performing a system scan that detects various threats - it is in no way associated with McAfee. It must be emphasized that no site can detect threats or issues present on visitors' devices - hence, any that claim such are scams. Deceptive content of this kind usually promotes fake, harmful, and malicious apps.

Additionally, protectwatch[.]xyz requested browser notification delivery to be allowed. If enabled, the webpage will display notifications/adverts endorsing online scams, untrustworthy/dangerous sites and software, and even malware.

In summary, through pages like protectwatch[.]xyz - users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by protectwatch.xyz
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.67.186.42
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 countless rogue websites; fsmevh[.]com, cleanyourpcnow[.]com, antivirus-here[.]com, and updates-center[.]com are just a few examples.

These sites display browser notifications that push deceptive and malicious content. It is noteworthy that any genuine products encountered via these advertisements are unlikely to be promoted by their developers. Instead, this endorsement is undertaken by scammers abusing the products' affiliate programs to acquire illegitimate commissions.

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

Sites cannot display browser notifications without user consent. Therefore, if you are receiving these ads from protectwatch[.]xyz - you have likely entered it and clicked "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or an analogous option presented on this webpage.

How to prevent deceptive sites from delivering spam notifications?

To avoid seeing undesirable browser notifications, do not enable dubious websites to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification delivery requests (i.e., select "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Should your browser keep randomly force-opening suspicious sites without prompt, it could be caused by the presence of advertising-supported software (adware). 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 protectwatch[.]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 protectwatch.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 protectwatch[.]xyz in the right lower corner of my desktop?

Websites can only deliver browser notifications if users allow them to do so. Hence, you've likely visited protectwatch[.]xyz and permitted it to display these advertisements (i.e., pressed "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.).

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

While clicking on a browser notification will not initiate any malware download/installation processes, the content encountered through these ads can be malicious and cause serious issues (including system infections).

Is protectwatch[.]xyz a virus?

Protectwatch[.]xyz and similar sites are not categorized as viruses, but they can promote virulent content. These webpages usually endorse online scams, untrustworthy/harmful apps, and malware.

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

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan computers and undo the permissions given to this website. It can also block all further access to protectwatch[.]xyz and other rogue/malicious sites. Therefore, no additional steps will be necessary.

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