Optical Surf Adware

What is Optical Surf?

Developed by SuperWeb LLC, Optical Surf is a rogue browser plug-in claiming to improve the Internet browsing experience by enabling comparison shopping, coupons, and other similar functions. While this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that Optical Surf is categorized as adware or a potentially unwanted program (PUP).

The developers of this rogue application employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs together with the chosen software) to install Optical Surf on Internet browsers without users' permission.

After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, Optical Surf delivers numerous intrusive online advertisements including (but not limited to) banner, interstitial, transitional, search, pop-up, and full-page ads. There is a high probability that clicking advertisements generated by this PUP will cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

Optical Surf continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by collecting various software and hardware information such as unique identifier numbers, search queries entered into search engines, website URLs visited, pages viewed, IP addresses (to determine users' geographical locations), and other similar information that may be personally identifiable.

This behavior may lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. SuperWeb LLC has released over one hundred potentially unwanted programs that are completely identical to Optical Surf. For example, Byte Label, Neon Great, and Deja Data. Neither Optical Surf, nor any of these other applications, are useful to the user.

This company releases identical browser plug-ins under different names to avoid detection by legitimate anti-virus and anti-spyware suites. The purpose of these plug-ins is to generate revenue by sharing collected data with third parties and displaying intrusive online ads, and therefore, you are strongly advised to uninstall Optical Surf from your Internet browsers.

Close examination of Optical Surf reveals that it is mostly distributed via small programs called 'download clients' on freeware download websites such as soft32.com, download.com, softonic.com and many others.

Download clients are used to monetize these websites' free services by offering installation of advertised (according to the developers, '100% legitimate and virus-free') browser add-ons together with the chosen free software.

Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections. Installation of Optical Surf, or other similar adware, can be prevented by closely observing each step of the free software download process and clicking 'Decline' if installation of any additional programs is offered.

Additionally, if you are installing downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any hidden applications listed for installation and allow you to opt-out.

If your system is infected with Optical Surf, and you see 'Ads by Optical Surf', 'Optical Surf Deals', or 'Powered by Optical Surf' advertisements while browsing the Internet, read the following removal guide and uninstall this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installer used in Optical Surf adware distribution:

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Quick menu:

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

Optical Surf 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 "Optical Surf", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Optical Surf 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 "Optical Surf", select this entry and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the optical surf 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 "Extensions". Locate: "Optical Surf", select this entry and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the optical surf 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 "Extensions", in the opened window, remove "Optical Surf".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with optical surf 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 optical surf 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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