SmartShop Adware

What is SmartShop?

SmartShop is a deceptive application created by SuperWeb LLC. According to the developers, this app helps to save time and money while shopping online.

SmartShop delivers coupons, displays special deals/discounts available on various online stores, enables comparison shopping, and other similar features - "We're passionate about improving web by providing the best tools to enhance the browsing experience, from searching the web to comparing online deals to find the best prices. We've combined all of our great ideas into the SmartShop product suite, a FREE set of tools that work to make your browsing experience... better!" 

By falsely claiming to enhance the Internet browsing experience, SmartShop often tricks users to install, however, due to its rogue behavior, SmartShop is categorized as adware and a potentially unwanted program (PUP). Following successful infiltration without users' consent, SmartShop modifies browser settings, generates intrusive online advertisements, and monitors users' Internet browsing activity.

SmartShop gathers IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, unique identifier numbers, and other similar browsing-related data. This information might contain personally identifiable information that SuperWeb LLC shares with cooperating third party companies. There is a high probability that personal data will be misused to generate revenue.

Therefore, SmartShopSave poses a direct threat to Internet browsing activities. SmartShop modifies the Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL browser settings by assigning them to smartshopsave.com or searchinterneat-a.akamaihd.net. 

Furthermore, the installed browser extensions operate as 'helper objects' - preventing users from rolling back these changes. In addition, SmartShopSave generates pop-up, interstitial, transitional, full-page, banner, search, and other similar intrusive advertisements not originating from users' visited websites.

Some redirect to malicious sites and, thus, clicking them risks further adware or malware infections. By generating content-overlaying advertisements and continually causing unwanted browser redirects, SmartShop significantly diminishes the Internet browsing experience and, therefore, should be uninstalled immediately.

SmartShop Privacy Policy statement regarding data collection:

We only share or sell your non-public personal information with non-affiliated third parties when we believe doing so is permitted by you or authorized by this Privacy Policy. In addition, the Company may share your personal information with our parent, subsidiary or affiliate companies without restriction.

There are many applications developed by SuperWeb LLC (for example, Sharp Angle, Bronze Aid, and SearchGenius). All are identical. This company aims to generate as much revenue as possible by intentionally releasing identical applications under different names (thus, preventing detection by legitimate anti-spyware and anti-virus suites).

Applications such as SmartShop are designed only to generate advertisements, cause unwanted browser redirects, and track Internet browsing activity. They provide no real value for the user.

How did SmartShop install on my computer?

This PUP is proliferated using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' - stealth installation of potentially unwanted programs with regular software/apps. Many users do not pay enough attention when downloading and installing software.

For this reason, developers conceal installation of rogue programs within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings (often skipped by users). Lack of attention during the download/installation processes often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue software such as SmartShopSave.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

This situation can be prevented by taking two simple steps. Firstly, be attentive when downloading and installing software - analyze these processes using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings, since there is a high probability that additionally-included apps will be concealed. Furthermore, bundled software is likely to be infectious and should never be installed.

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Quick menu:

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

SmartShop 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 "SmartShopSave", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove SmartShop 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 any recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://smartshopsave.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.

Change your default search engine:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "smartshopsave.com".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the smartshopsave.com browser hijacker, 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 all recently-installed suspicious add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://smartshopsave.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Change your default search engine:

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "smartshopsave.com" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the smartshopsave.com browser hijacker, 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 on "Extensions" and remove all recently-installed browser plug-ins.

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://smartshopsave.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "smartshopsave.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with smartshopsave.com browser hijacker 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 and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

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 top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the smartshopsave.com browser hijacker, 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:

A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.

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