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In this article we are going to try and help you remove “Traffic Media”. Our instructions cover all Windows versions as well as most browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer etc.

Dear reader,

More and more personal computers nowadays are getting infected with “Traffic Media”. Probably, this is the reason why you are now about to read our article. The removal guide, the prevention advice and the general information we are providing to you in the text below are especially designed for those who have been currently struggling with some possibly unwanted but numerous ads.

Probably what concerns you most is whether this is a malware infection

Or in other words is “Traffic media” a virus? Many people believe it is, even referring to it as Traffic Media “virus”. They are mistaken – “traffic media” is not a virus. I am going to start with a brief but thorough description of the program that has been irritating you lately. “Traffic Media” is a product based on Browser redirect. Browser redirect in general is what catalyzes the appearance of advertisements in various forms on your screen. As the name of this software is made up of the terms “advertisement” and “software”, you may expect that its primary goal will be to produce as many pop-ups, banners, boxes and other forms of ads as it is able to.

However, don’t rush into worrying! This ads-producing software doesn’t in any way resemble any known type of malware or computer virus, although it is frequently regarded as one. We are going to explain the difference between the two terms Browser redirect and malware using some examples.

On the one hand, the term malware is formed by the words “malice” and “software”. As you might expect, such programs do something EVIL to your system like copying important account and banking credentials, destroying certain private data, exploiting any program or/and system vulnerabilities or even spying on you physically through your own webcam. For example, any Ransomware program usually tends to lock up particular (most commonly used) files and then to blackmail you to pay a ransom, so as to regain control over them. Ransomware is currently the most dangerous and widely spread form of malware.

On the other hand, “Traffic Media” as an Browser redirect-based product is perfectly incapable of performing such malicious actions. Only rarely might this Browser redirect keep track of your activities while you’re browsing, in order to determine what potential ads to produce that you could like. Seldom does it sell this “research of your tastes” to 3rd parties.

Now that you know you don’t need to deal with a virus, you might be wondering in what way you have come across “Traffic Media”…

Most Browser redirect-like products use a vast number of distribution methods. In this article we are going to elaborate on the most usual ones.
№1 means of spreading Browser redirect – software bundles

A great number of all known Browser redirect-based programs in the digital world get spread as components of software bundles. If you are unaware of what a software bundle really represents, here is the answer. Most commonly this is a free program that you can download from the Internet without paying anything. Then you simply install it and you use it happily ever after. However, its developers still need some regular income in order to keep creating free-of-charge software. That’s why they often incorporate an Browser redirect app into their bundle. The ads that it keeps displaying are all very well-paid per every single click, view or opening.  This marketing strategy comprises the common pay per every single click technique and is absolutely legitimate.

If “Traffic Media” is totally legal, where is the trap?

It is important to remember that you may become a victim of such intrusively appearing ads not just by downloading and using any program from a software bundle, but by installing that program in an improper way.  The tendency among most of the users is just to complete the installation process by clicking OK /NEXT/BY DEFAULT and not reading what they are putting into their systems.
The best piece of advice as to really avoiding any Browser redirect and “Traffic Media” in particular consists of simply choosing the MANUAL/CUSTOM/ADVANCED step of the installation wizard. In this way you guarantee that your browsing will be ads-free.

Additional means of distribution

In addition to the vast usage of software bundles as means of transport for the Browser redirect programs, we can also count torrents, suspicious Internet pages, SPAM emails, accidental clicks on unfamiliar and strange boxes on different websites and many more of that sort.

There must be a way to get rid of those ads…

Of course, there is and we have assembled a guide with easy-to-perform steps to help you go all the way to the successful removal of “Traffic Media”. Make sure that you go through the guide below with attention and proceed with implementing it when you feel completely ready to do so.

Traffic Media Removal (Chrome/Firefox)

Many types of malware will restrict your access to their core files. It is highly recommended that you reboot your PC in safe mode before attempting to use this guide.

• To enable Safe Mode reboot you PC, then hit F8 repeatedly. When the corresponding menu opens please select Safe Mode with Networking.

WARNING! If you are using Windows 8,0 or later and/or your operating system is installed on a fast SSD drive this may fail to work. In this case click here to see how to start your PC in Safe Mode.

#1: Uninstall the malicious program from your control panel

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Enter control panel to look for any suspicious programs, which may have installed on your PC. To do that:

1. Navigate to your Desktop
2. Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
3. In the Run window that just opened type appwiz.cpl

4. Go through the list of programs and find “Traffic Media” or anything else that may seem suspicious. Right-click on it and choose the uninstallation option

WARNING! Carefully read any confirmation messages that may be created in the process. Sometimes you may get offers to download more Browser redirect applications and this can be linked to either the Yes or the No answer depending on the wording!

• Optional:

Go through the list of programs again and check online for any potentially unwanted programs. We have an article that covers this awesome free software that makes sure that your computer is free from bloatware and programs that you don’t need.

#2: Remove “Traffic Media” From Chrome

Now we’ll remove the extensions that the malware has attached to your browser.

1. Open your Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/  in the URL address bar and press Enter.
3. Click on “Developer Mode” on the top right and look for the extension installed by “Traffic Media” and anything that might be related to it. Copy their IDs (the string of letters), then remove them by clicking on the trash bin icon.

1. Type Regedit in the Windows Start Menu and press Enter. Go in : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions and delete the entries corresponding to the suspicious IDs you recorded.

#3: Remove “Traffic Media” From Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type “about:support” in the URL address bar and press Enter.
3. Click on the “Refresh Firefox” button on the right and confirm.

#4 Remove “Traffic Media” From Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet Explorer internet browser.
2. Click on the Gear icon on the up right, then on manage add-ons.
3. Go through the list disable any suspicious extensions.

#5 Remove any leftover parasitic processes

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From the task manager:

1. Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open the Task manager, then click on the Processes
2. Go through the list of processes and look for unknown or otherwise suspicious entries.
3. If you see anything suspicious right click on the process and shoes Open File Location, then terminate the process and delete any files you find in the directory.

WARNING! If the directory you open from this menu has no files inside of it it’s probably because the malware has hidden them. You need to reveal hidden files and folders in order to be able to see them. Click here if you don’t know how to do that.

From the start menu:

1. Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
2. In the Run window that just opened type msconfig
3. Click on the Startup tab.

This menu controls which programs are loaded when windows starts after a reboot. Disable anything that seems suspicious. Optionally you can also disable any program that you don’t need and also has a high impact on your startup time.

Feel free to write to us in the comment section with any questions that you may have. Also if we have been helpful to you please share this article to help us reach more people like you.