How to stop websites from the sec-tl group delivering notifications (ads)

What kind of websites are sec-tl?

While browsing dubious sites, our researchers discovered a family of rogue webpages sharing the "sec-tl" domain. Pages belonging to this group differ by the number in their domain – sec-tl-129-b[.]buzz is an example.

The purpose of these webpages is to trick visitors into enabling browser notification delivery. Additionally, rogue pages can redirect users to other (likely untrustworthy/hazardous) websites.

Most visitors access sites like those from the sec-tl group via redirects caused by websites that employ rogue advertising networks.

Sec-tl website group overview

The content encountered on and through rogue sites might differ depending on the visitor's IP address (geolocation). As mentioned in the introduction, webpages belonging to the sec-tl family aim to deceive users into consenting to their browser notification delivery.

Various lures are utilized for this purpose, such as fake CAPTCHA verification tests, clickbait, adult-oriented content, etc. Some rogue pages even host scams like "WARNING: Antivirus Protection EXPIRED!", "McAfee - Subscription Payment Failed", "TotalAV - Card Payment Has Failed!", "McAfee Safety Warning", and countless others.

Rogue websites use their notifications to run intrusive advert campaigns. These ads can endorse online scams, unreliable/harmful software, and malware.

In summary, through pages like sec-tl – users may experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by sec-tl
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names (sec-tl-129-b[.]buzz)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (sec-tl-129-b[.]buzz)	23.213.53.5
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 investigated numerous rogue webpages; uponminunan[.]com, videov-click[.]com, topimg[.]click, ajuce[.]com, and news-xhovico[.]cc are merely a few of our latest articles. Websites of this kind display browser notifications promoting online scams and malicious content.

While genuine products and services can be encountered through these ads – they are unlikely to be endorsed in this manner by any official parties. It is most probable that this endorsement is undertaken by scammers who abuse the promoted content's affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions.

How did a website from the sec-tl group gain permission to deliver spam notifications?

Websites require user consent to deliver browser notifications. Therefore, you have likely entered sec-tl at some point and permitted the advert delivery by clicking "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or an analogous option.

How to prevent deceptive sites from delivering spam notifications?

If you happen upon a suspect webpage – do not permit it to deliver browser notifications. In other words, do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or any similar options on such pages. We advise denying notification delivery (i.e., pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.) or ignoring these requests altogether.

Should your browser continuously force-open dubious sites unprompted, it could be due to adware installed on 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.

Screenshot of a notification displayed by a sec-tl group website (sec-tl-129-b[.]buzz):

Appearance of sec-tl-129-b[.]buzz – a website from the sec-tl group (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 sec-tl?
• 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 a website from the sec-tl group in the right lower corner of my desktop?

User permission is necessary for any website to display browser notifications (ads). Hence, you've likely accessed sec-tl and clicked "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or an analogous option.

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

No, clicking on a browser notification is harmless. However, these ads can promote content that may cause severe issues (including system infections).

Are the websites belonging to the sec-tl group viruses?

No, websites like sec-tl are not classed as viruses, but they can endorse virulent content. Rogue sites often push online scams, untrustworthy/hazardous software, and even malware.

Will Combo Cleaner remove sec-tl ads automatically or manual steps are still required?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and revoke the permissions granted to this page. Combo Cleaner can also deny further access to it and other rogue/malicious websites. Therefore, no additional actions will be required.

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