Virus and Spyware Removal Guides, uninstall instructions

What is YourIncognitoSearch?

The YourIncognitoSearch browser hijacker promotes yourincognitosearch.com, a fake search engine. Like most apps of this type, YourIncognitoSearch changes the browser settings to promote its associated fake search engine.

Browser hijackers continually collect information relating to internet browsing activities and other data. Most users download and install these rogue apps unintentionally and, therefore, they are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is cpa-optimizer[.]best?

cpa-optimizer[.]best loads dubious content or opens bogus web pages that cannot be trusted.

Note that users do not often visit addresses such as cpa-optimizer[.]best intentionally - they are opened through installed potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), deceptive advertisements, and other dubious websites.

More examples of pages similar to cpa-optimizer[.]best are cncode[.]pw, destinynewyorks[.]co, and very-important[.]online.

What is SocialSearchConverter?

SocialSearchConvertern is a browser hijacker promoting the socialsearchconverter.com bogus search engine. This piece of software promotes its fake search engine by making modifications to browser settings.

Additionally, most browser hijackers monitor users' browsing habits, and SocialSearchConvertern is likely to have these data tracking capabilities as well.

Due to the dubious tactics employed in browser hijacker proliferation, they are also classified as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs).

What is Restore19?

Restore19 ransomware prevents victims from accessing their files by encryption and creates a ransom message (a text file named "HOW TO RECOVER ENCRYPTED FILES.TXT").

It also renames all encrypted files by replacing filenames with a string of random characters and the restore19@cock.li email address. For example, "1.jpg" is renamed to "2g000000001QgxMXggDC0FcKJtNaKjlH.restore19@cock.li", "2.jpg" to "2g000000002JloPEetIR9DgSRbleQpvX.restore19@cock.li", and so on.

Note that Restore19 belongs to the Amnesia ransomware family.

What is EliteStealer?

EliteStealer is malicious software that extracts and exfiltrates information and content from infected systems. This malware targets various data, thereby increasing the range of potential risks it poses.

Therefore, you are strongly advised to eliminate EliteStealer malware immediately upon detection.

What is Stay Web?

The Stay Web app supposedly provides various features, however, this browser hijacker promotes a fake search engine (tailsearch.com) by changing certain browser settings.

Stay Web can read browsing histories, however, it is likely that it will also read other data.

People often download and install browser hijackers onto browsers or computers inadvertently. Therefore, Stay Web and other apps of this type are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is VPNrecommended?

VPNrecommended is suspicious software, endorsed as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tool. Since most users download/install this app inadvertently, it is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

While VPNrecommended may seem to be a legitimate tool, it is bundled with adware and/or browser hijackers. Therefore, with VPNrecommended infiltrated into systems, users might encounter misleading/malicious advertisements and redirects to similarly dangerous sites.

Additionally, adware-type apps and browser hijackers are a serious privacy concern, as they typically have data tracking capabilities.

What is "Your ANTIVIRUS subscription has expired"?

Scammers use various techniques to trick unsuspecting users into providing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, installing unnecessary (or even malicious) software, and so on. Usually, they employ email, deceptive websites, text messages, and other channels for this purpose.

In this particular case, scammers try to monetize a deceptive website claiming to be a legitimate, official Norton security product page. In fact, this page has nothing to do with any official Norton website.

These deceptive pages are generally promoted through deceptive advertisements, other untrustworthy pages, and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is GARMIN ransomware?

Belonging to the WastedLocker ransomware family, GARMIN is a malicious program. Systems infected with this malware have their data encrypted and users receive ransom demands for decryption. Files affected by this ransomware are rendered inaccessible and victims are asked to pay to recover access to their data.

During the encryption process, files are appended with the ".garminwasted" extension. For example, a file originally named something like "1.jpg" would appear as "1.jpg.garminwasted", "2.jpg" as "2.jpg.garminwasted", etc.

Once this process is complete, ransom messages containing identical messages are issued. Messages are created for each encrypted file and are named accordingly. For example, "1.jpg.garminwasted_info" for "1.jpg.garminwasted", and so on.

This ransomware has been used in a mass-scale attack against Garmin, an American multinational technology company specializing in GPS technology for automotive, aviation, marine, outdoor, and sports activities.

The attack caused a worldwide outage in Garmin's services, including its websites, applications, and call centers. This malware has targeted various other corporations as well.

What is JDPR ransomware?

JDPR is a type of malware that encrypts files (makes them inaccessible to victims) and creates a ransom message (the "JDPR_README.rtf" file) in each folder that contains affected/encrypted data.

Ransomware often renames files as well. JDPR replaces filenames with the jack76duran@aol.com email address, a string of random characters, and the ".JDPR" extension. For example, "1.jpg" is renamed to "[Jack76Duran@aol.com].471hln2E-gaZmGtJA.JDPR", "2.jpg" to "[Jack76Duran@aol.com].JMMjkl4D-loPbWgyC.JDPR", and so on.

JDPR is a ransomware variant that belongs to the Matrix family.