Fake ads in Google search results

What are the strange ads that appear in Google search results?

Our research team is seeing a rise in adware that uses a graphical layer over Google Internet search results to display advertisements.

Computer users experiencing this adware will observe various ads and links to dubious websites (that promote potentially unwanted programs [PUPs], dubious medicinal products, dating services, etc.) while searching the Internet using Google. These deceptive tactics are used by many adware (or potentially unwanted applications) developers.

If you experience unconventional Google search results, check any recently-installed browser add-ons - they are often the cause of rogue ads. These ads alone are not categorized as viruses or malware, however, clicking them can cause serious privacy breaches and computer security issues.

Commonly, these ads lead to dubious websites, and you are advised not to navigate to them. Many computer users report that they did not willingly install any browser plug-ins, however, still observe unwanted ads within Google search results. This situation may occur if computer users have recently downloaded and installed free software.

Many download websites employ 'download clients', which manage the process of freeware download and offer (some in a deceptive way) installation of additional (promoted) free browser extensions.

Internet users who do not pay close enough attention to the download or installation steps of free software risk inadvertently installing adware, which subsequently causes rogue ads when searching the Internet using Google.

Note that Google has its own advertising platform - all ads delivered by this Internet search engine are marked and are comprehensively checked. Google is the safest Internet search engine, and clicking ads in Google will not harm your computer.

Adware developers, however, are capable of imposing a virtual graphic layer over Google search results, and then displaying random ads linking to dubious websites. To avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications causing dubious ads in Google, be attentive when downloading free software.

If your download is managed by a download client, look for the 'decline' button and opt-out of installation of any promoted programs or browser add-ons. If you observe unusual ads when searching the Internet using Google, use the removal guide provided to eliminate adware causing them.

When trying to determine the cause of unusual ads within Google search results, look for ads that are 'marked'. For example, in the screenshot below you can see a hijacked Google search results page. It is clear in this case that the computer is infected by 'browsers+apps+' adware (an ad marked as being 'Powered by browsers+apps+').

Rogue ads that are inserted into Google search results are sometimes not marked - in this case, look for suspicious applications using Control Panel. At time of testing, the unmarked rogue ads appearing within Google search results were caused by Veba Search adware.

This adware is known to install on Internet browsers together with free software downloaded from the Internet. After successful infiltration, this adware displays rogue ads within Google search results that redirect Internet users to the following websites:

• vebasearch.com
• rapidsearch123.com
• search.beesq.net
• getmylistings.net
• google.aaclik.com

A sample of a hijacked Google search results page (by adware called "Browser Apps+"):

Another sample of a hijacked Google search results page (by adware called "Browser Warden"):

Appearance (.gif) of rogue ads in google.com (these ads are injected by adware):

Rogue ads injected on top of legitimate search results (GIF):

Fake Google Translate extension injecting rogue ads into search results:

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Quick menu:

• What are strange ads appearing in Google Internet search results?
• STEP 1. Uninstall potentially unwanted applications using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove rogue ads from Google in Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove strange ads in Google search results using Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Google search results hijackers from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove ads from Google search results in Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Strange ads in Google search results removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 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.

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.

macOS (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 recently-installed suspicious applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove". For example: "HQ-Video-Pro-2.1V27.10", "HC-PRO 1.2V27.10", "VebaSearch", and "videosMediaPlayerversion2.1".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs (that cause strange ads in Google search results), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove adware that hijacks Google search results from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

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 browser add-ons and remove them. Note that, by default, there should be no browser extensions.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the strange ads in google search results, 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.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed (potentially unwanted) browser add-ons and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the strange ads in google search results, 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 any recently-installed add-ons. Note that, by default, the extensions list in Firefox is empty.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with strange ads in google search results 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 strange ads in google search results, 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.

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.

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