Virus and Spyware Removal Guides, uninstall instructions

What is the news-joruca[.]cc site?

News-joruca[.]cc is a rogue website sharing many similarities with flashymass.com, profitsurvey365.online, ndconsiderat.biz, and countless others. This page is designed to present visitors with questionable content and/or redirect them to different unreliable or possibly malicious sites.

Rogue webpages are usually accessed unintentionally. Most users get redirected to them by intrusive adverts or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications). This software can infiltrate systems without explicit permission; hence, users may be unaware of its presence. PUAs operate by causing redirects, running intrusive advertisement campaigns, and gathering browsing-related data.

What is My Note?

My Note is the name of a browser hijacker designed to promote the fxsmash.xyz address (a fake search engine). Like most apps of this type, My Note hijacks browsers by changing some of their settings. It is worth mentioning that most browser hijackers collect browsing data. Typically, users download and install apps like My Note unknowingly, for this reason they are called potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is Redeemer ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that blocks access to files by encrypting them, modifies their filenames by appending its extension, and generates a ransom demanding message.

Redeemer appends the ".redeem" extension, for example, it renames a file named "1.jpg" to "1.jpg.redeem", "2.jpg" to "2.jpg.redeem", and so on. As its ransom note, Redeemer creates the "Read Me.TXT" text file (it creates its ransom note in all folders containing encrypted files).

What is DigitalMusicSearch?

DigitalMusicSearch is a rogue browser extension designed to modify browser settings in order to promote the digitalmusicsearch.com fake search engine. Due to this behavior, it is classified as a browser hijacker.

It is noteworthy that software within this classification usually spies on users' browsing habits. Therefore, it is highly likely that DigitalMusicSearch has such data tracking abilities as well. Since most users unintentionally download/install browser hijackers, they are also categorized as PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

What is Covid ransomware?

Covid is a ransomware-type program. Following successful infiltration, it encrypts files and demands payment for the decryption. In other words, victims cannot use the content affected by Covid malware, and they are asked to pay - to recover access to their data.

During the encryption process, files are appended with the ".covid" extension. For example, a file originally named something like "1.jpg" would appear as "1.jpg.covid", "2.jpg" as "2.jpg.covid", "3.jpg" as "3.jpg.covid", and so forth. Once this process is complete, Covid ransomware creates a ransom note, titled "How_To_Recover.mht".

What is TypeInitiator?

TypeInitiator is a type of software that generates revenue for its developer by automatically displaying advertisements. It is important to mention that this app has characteristics of a browser hijacker - it changes certain browser's settings to promote a fake search engine. Typically, users download and install apps oft his type unknowingly. For this reason, they are called potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is StartEssentials?

StartEssentials is a rogue application classified as adware. It also has browser hijacker traits. Following successful infiltration, this app operates by running intrusive advertisement campaigns and promotes fake search engines (through modifications to browser settings).

Additionally, adware and browser hijackers usually have data tracking abilities, which are used to spy on browsing activity. Since most users download/install StartEssentials and similar software products inadvertently, they are categorized as PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

What is CharacterSearch?

Adware is a type of software that generates advertisements. It is uncommon for software of this type to be downloaded and installed knowingly. There are certain deceptive techniques to trick users into downloading or installing adware. It is known that CharacterSearch is distributed a fake Adobe Flash Player installer.

What is the Ouelezin Zebi ransomware?

Ouelezin Zebi is a ransomware-type program. It is designed to encrypt data and demand payment for the decryption. In other words, this malware renders files inaccessible and asks victims to pay - to recover access to their data.

During the encryption process, each of the affected files is appended with a different extension, which consists of four random characters. For example, files initially titled "1.jpg", "2.jpg", and "3.jpg" would appear as something similar to "1.jpg.kpbe", "2.jpeg.c3bx", and "3.jpg.ja9u" - following encryption. After the encryption process is complete, ransom-demanding messages - "read_it.txt" - are dropped into compromised folders.

What is the "SPIN FOR REWARD" scam?

"SPIN FOR REWARD" is a scam run on various untrustworthy sites. Deceptive websites are rarely accessed intentionally. Most users enter them via mistyped URLs, redirects caused by other unreliable pages, intrusive ads, or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

This scheme claims that users can win an exclusive prize by participating in it. However, none of the information provided by "SPIN FOR REWARD" is true; hence, users will not receive any of the promised prizes. This scam aims to promote phishing sites, which are designed to record data entered into them. At the time of research, "SPIN FOR REWARD" primarily pushed webpages targeting personal information.