GrabRez Adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is GrabRez?
GrabRez is a deceptive browser add-on that claims to enhance the Internet browsing experience by enabling features such as coupons and comparison shopping. Although this functionality may seem useful and legitimate, GrabRez is considered to be adware or a potentially unwanted program (PUP).
GrabRez and other plug-ins developed by SuperWeb LLC are distributed using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling'.
Bundling is a way to infiltrate browsers during installation of other software. Following successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, GrabRez generates intrusive online advertisements such as banner, coupon, interstitial, search, transitional, pop-up, and other similar ads that may lead to dubious websites.
Furthermore, this potentially unwanted application collects various software and hardware information including IP addresses, unique identifier numbers, visited URLs, search queries, pages viewed, etc. This recorded data might be personally identifiable and result in serious privacy issues or even identity theft.
The developers of GrabRez have released several hundred identical PUPs under different names to avoid detection by legitimate anti-spyware and anti-virus suites. Rather than providing the promised features, GrabRez displays intrusive online ads and shares collected data with third parties to generate revenue. You are strongly advised to eliminate this PUP from your system.
Today, popular freeware download websites such as download.com, soft32.com, softonic.com, and many others, employ small programs called 'download clients' (also called 'installers', download managers, etc.) as monetization tools for the free services and traffic provided.
Download clients offer installation of additional applications (including GrabRez) together with the chosen free software. Although the advertised applications are stated as being '100% legitimate and virus-free', careless download and installation of freeware risks computer infection with adware or malware.
This situation can be avoided by closely inspecting each step of the free software download procedure and never accepting offers to install additional software.
In addition, downloaded software should be installed using the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any concealed applications listed for installation and allow you to cancel them. The following removal guide will help you to eliminate GrabRez adware from your system.
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Quick menu:
- What is GrabRez?
- STEP 1. Uninstall GrabRez application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove GrabRez adware from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove GrabRez ads from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove 'Ads by GrabRez' from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove GrabRez extension from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
GrabRez 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 "GrabRez", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes GrabRez ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove GrabRez 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 "GrabRez", select this entry and click "Remove".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by grabrez, 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 "GrabRez", select this entry and click the trash can icon.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by grabrez, 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 "GrabRez".
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with ads by grabrez 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 grabrez, 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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