Hostify Ads

What is Hostify?

Hostify is a dubious application claiming to allow users to share their wireless network (WiFi). This functionality might seem legitimate, however, Hostify is categorized as adware and a potentially unwanted program (PUP).

One of the main reasons for these negative associations is stealth installation - Hostify often infiltrates systems without users’ permission. Furthermore, this app generates intrusive online advertisements and continually tracks Internet browsing activity.

This app generates banner, coupon, pop-up, and other similar intrusive online advertisements. None originate from the visited websites and conceal underlying content, thereby significantly diminishing the Internet browsing experience.

In addition, displayed advertisements can lead to malicious websites - clicking them is risky and could result in further adware or malware infections. Another downside of Hostify is data tracking. This PUP continually collects IP addresses, websites visited by users, search queries, and other similar information that might be personally identifiable.

This data is shared with cooperating third parties and misused to generate revenue. Therefore, having an information-tracking app installed on your system can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. For these reasons, you should uninstall Hostify adware immediately.

Hostify has similar characteristics to hundreds of other potentially unwanted adware-type programs including Friv Launcher, WindowPolicies, and Sale Planet - these are just some examples. All adware is designed only to generate revenue for the developers.

These apps provide no significant value for users, continually generate intrusive online advertisements (via the 'Pay Per Click' advertising model), collect personally identifiable information (which is later sold to third parties), and often cause unwanted browser redirects (thereby generating traffic for certain websites).

How did Hostify install on my computer?

Hostify is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, many users install this application inadvertently, since they do not pay enough attention during the download and installation processes (by rushing and skipping steps).

Aware of this, developers intentionally conceal potentially unwanted programs within the 'Custom/Advanced' settings. By skipping this section, users expose their systems to risk of various infections.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

The key to computer is safety. Never rush the download or installation processes. Closely analyze each step using the 'Custom/Advanced' settings. Furthermore, decline all offers to download or install third party programs and opt-out of those already included. Bundled software is often dubious and, thus, should never be installed.

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Quick menu:

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

Hostify 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 "Hostify version 1.1", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Hostify adware from Internet browsers:

At time of research, Hostify did not install its browser plug-ins on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, however, it was bundled with other adware. Therefore, you are advised to remove all potentially unwanted browser add-ons from your 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 browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Optional method:

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

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the hostify 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 all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with hostify 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 hostify 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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