Virus and Spyware Removal Guides, uninstall instructions

What is zfirst-news[.]com?

Zfirst-news[.]com is a rogue website, practically identical to redtext.biz, joophesh.com, dancewithlittleredpony.com and many others. It is designed to feed users unreliable content and generate redirects to untrustworthy and possibly malicious sites.

Most visitors to this website access it unwillingly, as they get redirected by intrusive adverts or by PUAs (potentially unwanted applications). It is pertinent to know, that these undesirable apps do not need explicit user permission to invade their devices. Once successfully infiltrated, PUAs cause redirects, deliver invasive advertisement campaigns and track data.

What is search.remakovell.com?

Similar to search.bannabell.com, search.pardessov.com, search.globalsearch.pw, and many others, search.remakovell.com is a fake search engine. At first glance, it may seem similar to Google, Bing, Yahoo and other legitimate search engines. Therefore, many users are tricked into believing that this site is also legitimate and useful.

In fact, developers promote it via the download/installation set-ups of browser hijacking applications. These rogue apps change browser settings and most have data tracking abilities. Note that search.remakovell.com records information relating to users' browsing habits.

What is genieonews.com?

genieonews.com is the address of a fake search engine that should not be trusted or used. Like most search engines of this type, genieonews.com is promoted through a browser hijacker, in this case, a potentially unwanted application (PUA) called Genieo News.

Generally, browser hijackers promote fake search engines by changing browser settings. Furthermore, PUAs are used to collect user information. People do not generally download and install browser hijackers intentionally and are, therefore, categorized as PUAs.

What is track.nuxues[.]com?

track.nuxues[.]com is designed to redirect visitors to other untrustworthy, potentially malicious sites or display dubious content. It is very similar to other websites of this type such as talkreply[.]com, news-jupiter[.]com, and videommm[.]pro. In most cases, browsers open these websites when potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) are installed.

Therefore, people do not generally visit them intentionally. Note that PUAs collect information relating to users' browsing habits and/or display intrusive ads. Furthermore, people usually download and install PUAs accidentally.

What is M3gac0rtx?

M3gac0rtx ransomware is a new variant of another ransomware infection called Megac0rtx. This variant was discovered by Raby.

Ransomware is software that encrypts files so that victims cannot access them without making payment. Like most programs of this type, M3gac0rtx adds an extension (".m3gac0rtx") to each encrypted file. For example, it renames "1.jpg" to "1.jpg.m3gac0rtx". It also places a ransom message on the desktop within a text file named "!-!_README_!-!.rtf".

What is Li?

Li is a piece of malicious software, belonging to the Scarab ransomware family. Once infiltrated, it encrypts data and demands a ransom for the decryption (i.e. payment for providing decryption software/tool). During the encryption process, it renames files with a random string of characters and adds the ".li" extension.

For example, "1.jpg" could be renamed to something like "07CaGB9Cq2nXlXb8.li" and so on. Additionally, while this process is active, the malicious program prevents Task Manager from being opened. After the encryption, Li creates a text file, titled "DECRYPT YOUR FILES.TXT" and drops it into all folders.

What is ApplicationEvents?

ApplicationEvents is an application designed to help users browse more efficiently by providing fast searches, accurate search results, and so on. In fact, this software is categorized as adware. Adware-type apps usually display unwanted, intrusive ads and often collect details relating to users. Generally, people download and install apps of this type unintentionally.

What is talkreply[.]com?

talkreply[.]com (also known as replyalert.net) is a dubious website that opens other sites of this kind or displays dubious content. In any case, people usually do not open websites such as talkreply[.]com intentionally - they are opened by potentially unwanted apps (PUAs) installed on the browser or operating system.

Furthermore, people do not generally download or install apps of this type intentionally. As well as opening untrustworthy websites, PUAs gather user information and feed people with intrusive, unwanted advertisements.

What is search.bannabell.com?

Search.bannabell.com is a fake search engine, supposedly capable of optimizing download/installation processes and generating improved search results. Judging by appearances alone, search.bannabell.com is very similar to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate search engines.

Therefore, it arouses no immediate suspicions and uses often believe it be legitimate and functional. However, developers of this website promote it through download/installation setups of browser-hijacking applications. These apps modify browser settings without users consent.

Additionally, search.bannabell.com spies on users' browsing activity, thereby gathering their personal information.

What is Qbit Mac Optimizer?

Qbit Mac Optimizer can be downloaded from a download website. Here, it is advertised as an application that supposedly enables Mac computers to run smoother, faster, and without errors. In fact, developers distribute this app by including it in the set-ups of other software.

Typically, people download and/or install these additional apps unintentionally. Therefore, Qbit Mac Optimizer is categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA). Do not trust or use applications classified as PUAs.