Thug Tracker Adware

What is Thug Tracker?

Created by Western Web Applications LLC, the Thug Tracker browser extension claims to improve users' online safety by allowing people to track criminal records. Although this functionality may seem useful and legitimate, be aware that Thug Tracker is considered to be adware or a potentially unwanted application.

The developers of this rogue browser add-on employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs together with the chosen software) to install Thug Tracker on Internet browsers without users' consent.

After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, Thug Tracker generates intrusive online advertisements and tracks users' Internet browsing activity.

These intrusive advertisements include banner, pop-up, in-text, interstitial, and text-link ads. There is a high probability that clicking these advertisements will cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, this potentially unwanted application continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by collecting various software and hardware information, which may be personally identifiable.

For example: IP addresses, operating systems, unique identifier numbers, browser types, cookies, URLs visited, pages viewed, language settings, geographic locations, and other similar details. This behavior may lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft, and therefore, Internet users are strongly advised to remove Thug Tracker from their Internet browsers.

Thug Tracker is similar to other rogue browser add-ons (such as Zombie Alert, Theater Mode, and PC Doctor), which claim to improve users' Internet browsing experience by enabling useful functions.

Neither Thug Tracker, nor any of these other browser extensions, add any real value for the user - their purpose is to generate income by the display of intrusive online advertisements.

Commonly, users accidentally install adware during download of free software via small programs called 'download managers' on freeware download websites such as download.com, soft32.com, and softonic.com Download managers are used to monetize these websites' free services by offering installation of promoted 'virus-free' browser add-ons together with the chosen free software.

Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections. To prevent installation of Thug Tracker, or other similar adware, be attentive when downloading free software and always click 'Decline' when installation of any additional programs is offered.

Furthermore, if you are installing downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options - this will reveal any hidden applications and allow you to remove them from the installation list. Internet users who have already installed Thug Tracker should read the following guide to eliminate this adware from their Internet browsers.

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Quick menu:

• What is Thug Tracker?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Thug Tracker application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Thug Tracker add-on from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Thug Tracker plugin from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Thug Tracker extension from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove Thug Tracker extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Thug Tracker adware removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window, look for "Thug Tracker", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling Thug Tracker, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. Recommended malware removal software.

Remove Thug Tracker ads from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "Thug Tracker" and disable it.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by thug tracker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate: "Thug Tracker", select it and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by thug tracker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Thug Tracker".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with ads by thug tracker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....

In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by thug tracker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.

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