How to remove apps that open chat-message.live and other similar sites?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
Chat-message[.]live redirect removal instructions
What is chat-message[.]live?
In most cases web pages like chat-message[.]live are promoted via potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that most users download and/or install inadvertently. In other words, sites like chat-message[.]live are not visited by users intentionally. It is worthwhile to mention that most PUAs are designed to generate ads and/or collect browsing-related information as well. A couple of examples of pages that are similar to chat-message[.]live are tlouslyrevor[.]top, etrolhidde[.]fun and yourfreshposts[.]com.
Typically, browsers that have some PUA installed on them occasionally open pages like chat-message[.]live in a new window or tab. Once visited, they either load shady content or open about two or three other pages of this kind - it depends on the geolocation of their visitors. Also, chat-message[.]live and many other similar pages are designed to use some clickbait technique to trick visitors into giving them a permission to show notifications. Chat-message[.]live suggests that will be loaded only if users will click the "Allow" button (a button that allows pages to show notifications). If allowed, such pages show notifications with dubious advertisements, links to untrustworthy pages, and so on.
Furthermore, it is common that PUAs are designed to collect browsing data (e.g., addresses of visited websites, entered search queries, IP addresses, geolocations), and/or even sensitive, personal data. The problem with it is that collected information could be monetized by selling it to third parties (potentially cyber criminals), or misused to generate revenue in other ways. Moreover, it is common for PUAs to be designed to generate intrusive advertisements. For example, coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups and/or ads of other types. Their ads, if clicked, could open untrustworthy websites or even execute scripts that would download and/or install unwanted software.
Name | Ads by chat-message.live |
Threat Type | Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads |
Serving IP Address | 213.227.149.216 |
Symptoms | Seeing advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing. Intrusive pop-up ads. Decreased Internet browsing speed. |
Distribution Methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications (adware) |
Damage | Decreased computer performance, browser tracking - privacy issues, possible additional malware infections. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Malwarebytes. |
To summarize, it is common for pages like chat-message[.]live to be promoted via PUAs that can be designed to gather various data and/or feed users with ads. They are called potentially unwanted applications because most of the times users download and/or install unknowingly. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, such apps can be designed to gather sensitive data. Therefore, their users could become victims of identity theft, encounter issues related to online privacy, browsing safety, etc.
How did adware install on my computer?
Typically, users download and/or install potentially unwanted apps alongside with other programs - when PUAs are included in their download and/or installation setups as additional offers. This distribution method for unwanted apps is called "bundling". As a rule, offers to download and/or install PUAs can be declined by unticking certain checkboxes or via "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings of download and/or installation setups. Users allow for included apps to be downloaded and/or installed when they leave the aforementioned settings unchanged. In some cases users download and/or install PUA through deceptive ads by clicking them, although, it applies only to ads that are designed to execute certain scripts.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Download and/or installation setups that have settings (like "Advanced", "Custom"), checkboxes, etc., should be checked for offers to download and/or install unwanted apps. Software should be downloaded from official websites and via direct download links. It is not advised to use unofficial sites, third party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks (like torrent clients, eMule), etc., or any third party installers. Ads on unreliable pages should not be clicked as well. It is because in most cases those ads are designed to open shady pages, in some cases they can cause unwanted downloads, or even installations by running certain scripts. Any unwanted, suspicious applications (browser extensions, add-ons or plug-ins) that are already installed on a browser should be removed from it. Software of this kind that is installed on a computer should be uninstalled from it too. If your computer is already infected with rogue applications, we recommend running a scan with Malwarebytes for Windows to automatically eliminate them.
Appearance of chat-message[.]live website (GIF):
Notifications from chat-message[.]live:
IMPORTANT NOTE! This deceptive site asks to enable web browser notifications.
Therefore, before commencing, perform these steps:
Google Chrome (PC):
- Click the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen
- Select "Settings", scroll down to the bottom and click "Advanced"
- Scroll down to the "Privacy and security" section, select "Content settings" and then "Notifications"
- Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Google Chrome (Android):
- Click on the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and click "Settings"
- Scroll down, click on "Site settings" and then "Notifications"
- In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and click on them one-by-one
- Select "Notifications" in the "Permissions" section and set the toggle button to "OFF"
Mozilla Firefox:
- Click the Menu button (three bars) on the right upper corner of the screen
- Select "Options" and click on "Privacy & Security" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen
- Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and click the "Settings" button next to "Notifications"
- In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs, click the drop-down menu and select "Block"
Internet Explorer:
- Click the Gear button on the right upper corner of the IE window
- Select "Internet options"
- Select the "Privacy" tab and click "Settings" under "Pop-up Blocker" section
- Select suspicious URLs under and remove them one by one by clicking the "Remove" button
Microsoft Edge:
- Click the menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the Edge window
- Scroll down, find and click "Settings"
- Scroll down again and click "View advanced settings"
- Click "Manage" under "Website permissions"
- Click the switch under each suspicious website
Safari (Mac):
- Click "Safari" button on the left upper corner of the screen and select "Preferences..."
- Select the "Websites" tab and then select "Notifications" section on the left pane
- Check for suspicious URLs and apply the "Deny" option for each
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. Malwarebytes is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is chat-message[.]live?
- STEP 1. Uninstall adware applications using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue plug-ins from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove adware-type extensions from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove malicious extensions from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
- STEP 6. Remove adware from Internet Explorer.
Adware removal:
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
Windows XP users:
Click Start, choose Settings and click Control Panel. Locate and click Add or Remove Programs.
Windows 10 and Windows 8 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Mac OSX users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window, look for any potentially unwanted applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted application that causes chat-message[.]live redirects, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove adware from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and remove them.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by chat-message.live, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with ads by chat-message.live removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....
In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by chat-message.live, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by chat-message.live, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Summary:
Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.
Removal assistance:
If you are experiencing problems while trying to remove ads by chat-message.live from your computer, please ask for assistance in our malware support forum.
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