Online Weather Adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Online Weather?
Created by Somoto Ltd, Online Weather is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) claiming to enhance users' Internet browsing experience by enabling them to check the weather forecast directly from their desktops. Although this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that Online Weather is categorized as adware.
The developers of this potentially unwanted browser add-on employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs together with the chosen software) to install Online Weather on Internet browsers without users' consent.
After successfully infiltration on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, Online Weather generates various intrusive online advertisements including pop-up/under, coupon alerts, drop-down adverts, and most importantly - download offers of other PUPs also considered to be adware. There is a high probability that clicking these advertisements will cause high-risk adware or malware infections.
Furthermore, Online Weather continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by recording various software and hardware information that is likely to be personally identifiable.
For example: Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, geographic locations, language settings, unique identifier numbers, browser data (cookies, website URLs visited, pages viewed, etc.), and other details. This behavior can result in serious privacy issues or identity theft, and for this reason, you are strongly advised to eliminate Online Weather from your Internet browsers.
There are many potentially unwanted programs similar to Online Weather. Examples include Deaal Virus, PricePeep, Coupon Caddy, among many others. None of these browser add-ons provide any real value for the user - their purpose is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online advertisements.
Users often install Online Weather together with free software downloaded via small programs called 'download clients' on freeware download websites such as download.com, soft32.com, and softonic.com Download clients are used to monetize these websites' free services by offering installation of additional programs together with the chosen free software.
Thus, careless download and installation of freeware risks computer infection with adware or malware. During research, four additional applications installed together with Online Weather. This situation can be prevented by closely inspecting each step of the free software download process and never accepting installation of any additional programs offered.
Furthermore, all software downloaded from the Internet should be installed using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, rather than 'Regular' or 'Quick' - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to decline them. If you have already installed Online Weather, follow this removal guide to eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.
PUPs that installed along with Online Weather:
Deceptive free software installer used in Online Weather adware distribution:
Online Weather application:
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Quick menu:
- What is Online Weather?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Online Weather application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Online Weather ads from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Online Weather advertisements from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove Ads by Online Weather from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove Online Weather extension from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Online Weather 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 "Online Weather" (or other potentially unwanted applications - at time of testing, Online Weather 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 Online Weather ads), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove Online Weather 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 "Online Weather", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that Online Weather 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 online weather ads, 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: "Online Weather", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that Online Weather 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 online weather ads, 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 "Online Weather". Note that Online Weather 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 online weather ads 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 online weather ads, 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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