Ads by Web Guard

What is Web Guard?

Created by Interesting Solutions, Web Guard is a rogue browwse plug-in that claims to allow users to detect any websites tracking their personal information. Although this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that it is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or adware.

These associations are made due to a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' employed by Web Guard to install on Internet browsers without users' consent. Following successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, Web Guard generates intrusive online advertisements and monitors users' Internet browsing activity.

The advertisements generated by Web Guard include banner, in-text, interstitial, transitional, pop-up, pop-under, and text ads. There is a high probability that clicking these advertisements will lead to high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, Web Guard continually tracks users' Internet browsing activity by recording various software and hardware information such as operating systems and browser types, cookies, IP addresses, unique identifier numbers, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries entered, and other similar details that may be personally identifiable.

This information tracking can result in serious privacy issues or identity theft. Web Guard is similar to other potentially unwanted programs that use bundling as an installation method. Some examples are Insta Share, Astro Arcade, and DesktopDock among many others.

Neither Web Guard, nor any other of these other browser plug-ins are useful to the user - their aim is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online ads. For these reasons, you are strongly advised to eliminate Web Guard from your Internet browsers.

Close examination of Web Guard reveals that it is mostly distributed via small programs called 'download managers' on freeware download websites such as download.com, soft32.com, and softonic.com.

Download managers are used by these websites as free service monetization tools since they offer installation of advertised (according to the developers, '100% legitimate') browser plug-ins together with the chosen free software. Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections.

To avoid installation of Web Guard, or other similar PUPs, pay close attention when downloading free software and never accept installation of any additional applications offered.

Furthermore, all software downloaded from the Internet should be installed using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, since this will reveal any additional applications listed for installation and enable you to opt-out.

If you have installed Web Guard and observe intrusive online ads when browsing the Internet, follow the removal instructions provided to uninstall this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installers used in Web Guard adware distribution:

Web Guard installation setup:

Web Guard adware generating intrusive online ads ('Ad by Web Guard'):

Web Guard adware generating deals ads ('by web guard'):

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Quick menu:

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

Web Guard 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 "Web Guard", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Web Guard adware from Internet browsers:

At time of research, Web Guard installed no browser plug-ins on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, however, it was bundled with other adware. Therefore, you are advised to remove all potentially unwanted browser add-ons from your Internet browsers.

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

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gears" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the web guard 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 any recently-installed suspicious add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the web guard 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.

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 any recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with web guard 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 web guard 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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