What is WinSnare “Virus”? (Removal Instructions)

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In this article we are going to help you answer an important question, namely What is WinSnare “Virus”? Our removal instructions cover all Windows versions as well as most browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer etc.

Apart from being a helpful utility for most aspects of our life, the Internet is also a way for many people to earn a living. One of the most common and rapidly expanding online industries that people use to make money is that of online marketing. You’ve probably noticed the increasing number of ads throughout most popular sites such as YouTube, Facebook, etc. While sometimes advertising materials within the sites you use might be annoying, remember that this is what keeps the sites running while remaining free. However, there is another type of online adverts – such that are forced onto your browser, regardless of what site you are visiting, and do not go away if you change to another page. We are referring to adware-generated ads. Those intrusive banners, box messages and pop-ups tend to stick to all your browsers, so changing from Chrome to Firefox or vice versa won’t remove them. In the following article we will introduce you to WinSnare – a newly released program that has recently been reported to show such obstructive behavior, typical for the Adware type.

What is WinSnare “Virus”?

As we already said, if the adverts within your browser are coming from Adware such as WinSnare, then it won’t matter what site you are on and what browser you are using. This is because the ads are generated within your PC and not from the site itself. This means that as long as the Adware remains installed onto your machine, the intrusive ads will keep on spamming your screen, no matter how hard you try to remove them. For that reason, the best way to stop the annoyance is to get rid of the unwanted software. However, since a simple uninstall might oftentimes not do the job, you may need to undertake several additional steps to eliminate the Adware. At the bottom of the article, you can find a detailed manual that will guide you through the different stages of removing WinSnare. Make sure you give it a try after you finish reading the rest of the article.

Should you be concerned with Adware programs?

Many users have been asking this question and the answer to it is normally negative. After all, Adware is not a virus like Ransomware or Trojans. However, even though WinSnare is not some sort of a noxious Ransomware that can lock your files and blackmail you for ransom, it may still hold some potential hazards that you need to be aware of.

• One of the things you must know about Adware programs is that on rare occasions, the ads they display might serve the purpose of a hyperlink, redirecting the user to some shady and potentially harmful website. Despite this being rather uncommon, staying away from those pop-ups and banners might be a good idea. Keep in mind that if you are not careful online, WinSnare might be the least of your worries when it comes to your system’s safety and security, as you could end up facing an actual virus.
• Another potential negative effect apart from the endless barrage of adverts invading your browser is the ability of some Adware programs to look through your browser search queries. This privacy invasion is done by the unwanted software so that it can customize its ads according to your personal interests. This increases the chance of you clicking on them and every click any of them receives earns money for the creator of the Adware. This is widely known as the Pay-Per-Click scheme.
• Last, but not least, WinSnare might cause a significant decrease of your computer’s productivity. This is because Adware programs often require high amounts of PC resources in order to support the constant display of the invasive ads.

How to make sure your computer stays clear of any unwanted programs?

You need to bear in mind the importance of knowing how to prevent any future Adware installation. Take into consideration that it is much easier and simpler to keep your machine clean and safe than it is to actually deal with the nagging piece of programming. Therefore, remember the following tips that will help you avoid new encounters with Adware and other unwanted programs.

• Do not visit shady and illegal sites and do not open any spam e-mails or suspicious links (even if they are sent to you by somebody from your contacts list).
• A good anti-virus program that is frequently updated could spot incoming Adware before it invades your system. Getting one such program is a must!
• Be careful with the sources you download software from. Use only trusted and reputable ones!
• When installing new programs and/or program packages, make sure that you make use of the custom settings. In many cases WinSnare gets distributed via file-bundles and if you install one such bundle using the default installation, you’re likely to get all added content. On the other hand, using the custom installation option allows you to see everything added and leave out whatever seems potentially unwanted and intrusive.

WinSnare “Virus” Removal

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 WinSnare 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 Adware 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 WinSnare 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 WinSnare 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 WinSnare 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 WinSnare 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.