Ads by Steel Cut

What is Steel Cut?

Steel Cut is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) created by SuperWeb LLC. This application claims to improve the Internet browsing experience by enabling coupons, comparison shopping, and other similar features. This functionality may seem legitimate and useful, however, Steel Cut is considered to be adware.

The developers of Steel Cut employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs with the chosen software) to install this PUP on Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) without users' permission.

Following successful infiltration, Steel Cut generates intrusive online ads such as banner, search, interstitial, transitional, and pop-up ads. These may lead to high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, information such as IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, unique identifier numbers, etc. is tracked by Steel Cut. This information may be personally identifiable and result in serious privacy issues or identity theft. The developers of this PUP have released several hundred rogue applications identical to Steel Cut.

Examples include Lite Web, Positive Finds, and Follow Rules among many others. None provide any real value to the user - this company intentionally releases identical browser add-ons under different names to avoid detection by legitimate anti-spyware and anti-virus software.

The purpose of these applications is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online ads and sharing collected data with third parties.

Today, most adware-type applications are distributed via small programs called 'download clients' on freeware download websites such as download.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, and many others.

These websites employ download clients to monetize their traffic and free services by offering installation of advertised (according to the developers, '100% legitimate') applications or browser plug-ins together with the chosen software. Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections.

To prevent installation of Steel Cut, closely inspect each step of the free software download procedure and click 'Decline' if installation of any additional programs is offered together with the chosen software.

Furthermore, all software downloaded from the Internet should be installed using the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to uncheck them.

If you have installed Steel Cut, and you observe 'Ads by Steel Cut', 'Steel Cut Deals', and 'Powered by Steel Cut' advertisements while surfing the Internet, follow the instructions below to eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installers used in Steel Cut adware distribution:

Steel Cut adware generating intrusive online ads (marked as 'Ads by Steel Cut'):

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Quick menu:

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

Steel Cut 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 "Steel Cut", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes Steel Cut ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove Steel Cut 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 "Steel Cut", select this entry and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the steelcut 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 "Extensions". Locate "Steel Cut", select this entry and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the steelcut 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 plug-ins 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 "Steel Cut".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with steelcut 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 steelcut 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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