Astro Arcade Adware

What is Astro Arcade?

Created by Interesting Solutions, Astro Arcade is a rogue browser extension claiming to allow users to play an addictive game called Asteroids. This may seem to be a legitimate and useful browser plug-in, however, be aware that Astro Arcade is actually considered as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or adware.

These associations are made due to a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' employed by Astro Arcade to install on Internet browser without users' consent.

Bundling is a way to stealthily distribute applications together with other software, and therefore, most users inadvertently install Astro Arcade during download of free software from freeware download websites.

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

The list of advertisements generated by this PUP includes in-text, pop-up/under, interstitial, and banner ads. It is highly probable that clicking these advertisements will cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, Astro Arcade continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by tracking various software and hardware information such as operating system and browser types, search queries entered into search engines, website URLs visited, pages viewed, geographic locations, system language, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, unique identifier numbers, and other details that are likely to be personally identifiable.

Such information tracking may result in serious privacy issues or identity theft, and for this reason, you are strongly advised to eliminate Astro Arcade from your Internet browsers.

There are many rogue browser extensions that are similar or even identical to Astro Arcade.

Some examples include Meteoroids, Jumpy Bird, Disasteroids, and Blasteroids among many others. None of these applications are useful to the user - their purpose is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online ads, enforcing unwanted browser redirects, and sharing collected information with third parties.

Research shows that most adware such as Astro Arcade is distributed via small programs called 'download managers' on freeware download websites such as download.com, softonic.com, and soft32.com.

Download managers are used by these websites as free service monetization tools, since they offer installation of promoted '100% legitimate and virus-free' browser extensions together with the chosen free software. Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware risks computer infection with adware or malware.

This situation can be prevented by closely inspecting each step of the free software download procedure and clicking 'Decline' if installation of any additional programs is offered.

Furthermore, if you are installing already downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, rather than 'Typical' or 'Quick' - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to decline them.

If you have already installed Astro Arcade, and you experience intrusive online ads while surfing the Internet, read the following removal guide and eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installers used in AstroArcade adware distribution:

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Quick menu:

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

Astro Arcade 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 "AstroArcade", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Astro Arcade 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 "Astro Arcade", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that Astro Arcade 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 astro arcade, 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: "Astro Arcade", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that Astro Arcade 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 ads by astro arcade, 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 "Astro Arcade". Note that Astro Arcade 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 astro arcade 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 astro arcade, 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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