Browser Shield Adware

What is Browser Shield?

Created by Intriguing Apps, Browser Shield is a rogue browser plug-in claiming to enhance user-browsing protection by preventing malware and spyware infections. Although this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that Browser Shield is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or adware.

The developers of this PUP employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' to stealthily install Browser Shield on Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome) without users' permission.

After successful infiltration, Browser Shield generates numerous intrusive online advertisements including pop-up, banner, interstitial, targeted video, coupon ads, and download offers of other rogue browser extensions considered to be adware. Clicking these advertisements is likely to cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

In addition, Browser Shield continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by collecting information such as IP addresses, unique identifier numbers, search terms entered into search engines (Google, Bing, etc.), geo-locations, and other details that may be personally identifiable.

There are many PUPs similar to Browser Shield, for example, Protect Surf, Clean Browse, Browser Hero, and Web Security App. None of these browser plug-ins add any real value, since their purpose is to generate income by the display of intrusive online advertisements.

This behavior may lead to serious privacy issues or identity theft, and therefore, you are strongly advised to eliminate Browser Shield from your Internet browsers.

At time of research, Browser Shield was distributed via fake downloads (Browser updates, Java updates, etc.) as well as other PUPs such as Browser Guardian, Solid Savings, and other savings and coupon related ads.

Browser Shield is also distributed via small download programs called 'download managers' employed by freeware download websites including download.com, softonic.com, and soft32.com Download managers 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 risks computer infection with adware or malware. To avoid installation of Browser Shield, or other similar adware, closely inspect each step of the free software download process and click 'Decline' when installation of any additional programs is offered.

If you are installing downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options - this will reveal any hidden applications bundled for installation and allow you to decline them. If you have already installed Browser Shield, follow this removal guide to eliminate it from your Internet browsers.

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Quick menu:

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

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

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

Remove Browser Shield adware 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 "Browser Shield", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that Browser Shield 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 ads by browser shield, 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: "Browser Shield", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that Browser Shield ads can be caused by other adware. In the "extensions" window of Google Chrome, remove all suspicious browser extensions.

If you are unable to remove Browser Shield (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"?

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by browser shield, 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", in the opened window remove "Browser Shield". Note that Browser Shield 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 ads by browser shield 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 browser shield, 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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