Surf Safer Ads

What is Surf Safer?

Created by a company named Intriguing Apps, Surf Safer is a potentially unwanted application claiming to improve users' Internet browsing protection by preventing installation of malware and spyware.

This may seem legitimate and useful functionality, however, be aware that Surf Safer is categorized as adware since it employs a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional applications together with the chosen software) to install on browsers without users' permission.

After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, Surf Safer generates numerous intrusive online advertisements including banner, interstitial, pop-up, sponsored link, targeted video, and download offers of other rogue browser plug-ins (which are also considered to be adware). Clicking these advertisements is likely to cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

In addition, Surf Safer monitors users' Internet browsing activity by collecting various information, which might be personally identifiable. For example: operating systems, browser types, URLs visited, search queries entered, pages viewed, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, unique identifier numbers, geographic locations, and other details.

This behavior may lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft, and therefore, users are strongly advised to remove Surf Safer from their Internet browsers.

At time of research, Surf Safer was distributed via fake downloads (including Java updates and browser updates) and other rogue browser extensions (such as: Wifi Protector, ProtectedBrowsing, and other Savings and Coupon related adware), which generate promoted application download offers.

There are many rogue browser plug-ins similar to Surf Safer (for example, Browser Guardian, Browser Keeper, and Coupon Server). None of these add any real value for the user - their purpose is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online advertisements.

Commonly, users infect their computers with adware during the download of free software via small programs called 'download clients' on freeware download websites such as soft32.com, softonic.com, and download.com These are used to monetize these websites' free services by offering installation of promoted 'legitimate' browser add-ons together with the chosen free software.

Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections. To avoid installation of Surf Safer, or other similar adware, closely inspect each step of the freeware download process and never accept installation of any additional programs offered.

When installing downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options - this will reveal any hidden applications listed for installation and allow you to decline them. Internet users who have already installed Surf Safer should follow this removal guide to eliminate it from their Internet browsers.

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Quick menu:

• What is Surf Safer?
• STEP 1. Uninstall potentially unwanted applications using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Surf Safer ads from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Surf Safer advertisements from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Ads by Surf Safer from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove Surf Safer extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Surf Safer 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 "Surf Safer" (or other potentially unwanted applications - at time of testing, Surf Safer ads were generated by various coupon ads showing adware), select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program (which causes Surf Safer ads), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove Surf Safer 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 "Surf Safer", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that Surf Safer ads can be caused by other adware. In the Manage Add-ons window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the surf safer adware, 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: "Surf Safer", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that Surf Safer ads can be caused by other adware. In the "extensions" window of Google Chrome, remove all suspicious browser extensions.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the surf safer adware, 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.

If you are unable to remove Surf Safer (or any other add-on) and it is greyed-out ("Installed by enterprise policy"), follow this removal guide - how to remove a Google Chrome extension that is "Installed by enterprise policy"?

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", in the opened window remove "Surf Safer". Note that Surf Safer ads can be generated by other adware. In the "Add-ons Manager" window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with surf safer adware 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 surf safer adware, 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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