Health Alert Adware

What is Health Alert?

Developed by Rational Thought Solutions, Health Alert is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) claiming to inform users about the latest diseases and other health-related news.

While this browser extension may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that Health Alert is considered to be adware, since it employs a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional applications together with the chosen software) to install on Internet browsers without users' consent.

After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, Health Alert delivers various intrusive online advertisements including banner, pop-up, text, pop-under, interstitial, and in-text ads. It is highly probably that clicking advertisements generated by Health Alert will lead to high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, Health Alert continually tracks users' Internet browsing activity by collecting various software and hardware information that may be personally identifiable.

For example: Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, device identifiers, geographic locations, operating system and browser type (as well as browser data such as cookies, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries entered into search engines, browsing history), and other similar details.

This behavior can lead to serious privacy issues or identity theft. Health Alert is similar to other rogue applications that use bundling as an installation method. Web Guard, GameHug, VeriBrowse, and Coupon Marvel are just some examples among many others.

None of these applications (including Health Alert) provide any real value for the user - their purpose is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online ads and sharing collected data with third parties. For these reasons, you are strongly advised to eliminate Health Alert from your Internet browsers.

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

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

To prevent installation of Health Alert, or other similar adware, be attentive 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 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any hidden applications listed for installation and allow you to opt-out.

If you have installed Health Alert, and you experience intrusive online ads when browsing the Internet, follow the removal instructions provided to eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installers used in Health Alert adware distribution:

Health alert adware installer setup:

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Quick menu:

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

Health Alert 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 "Health Alert", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Health Alert 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 "Health Alert", select this entry and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by health alert, 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: "Health Alert", select this entry and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by health alert, 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 "Health Alert".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with ads by health alert 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 health alert, 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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