Virus and Spyware Removal Guides, uninstall instructions

What is ProgressHelper?

ProgressHelper is an adware-type application with browser hijacker traits. It operates by running intrusive advertisement campaigns, making modifications to browser settings and promoting fake search engines. ProgressHelper promotes 0yrvtrh.com on Safari browsers and search.adjustablesample.com on Google Chrome browsers.

Most adware-type apps and browser hijackers also monitor users' browsing activity. Due to the dubious techniques used to proliferate ProgressHelper, it is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

What is GamerSearch?

GamerSearch promotes gamer-search.com (a fake search engine) by changing certain browser settings. Commonly, apps of this type also collect browsing-related information. Generally, users download and install browser hijackers inadvertently and, for this reason, they are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is ThunderX?

ThunderX is a malicious program categorized as ransomware. It is designed to encrypt data and demand payment for decryption. During the encryption process, all affected files are appended with the ".tx_locked" extension. For example, a file originally named something like "1.jpg" would appear as "1.jpg.tx_locked", "2.jpg" as "2.jpg.tx_locked", and so on.

After this process is complete, text files containing ransom-demand messages called "readme.txt" are dropped into compromised files.

What is Zphs ransomware?

Zphs part of the Dharma ransomware family. It encrypts files, modifies their filenames, displays a ransom message in a pop-up window, and creates the text file named "FILES ENCRYPTED.txt" (another ransom message). Zphs renames encrypted files by adding the victim's ID, zphc@cock.li email address, and appending the ".zphs" extension to filenames.

For example, it would rename a file called "1.jpg" to "1.jpg.id-C279F237.[zphc@cock.li].zphs", "2.jpg" to "2.jpg.id-C279F237.[zphc@cock.li].zphs", and so on.

What is SkilledSystem?

SkilledSystem is designed to function as adware and a browser hijacker: it serves advertisements and promotes the address of a fake search engine by changing browser settings. It can also access and collect private, sensitive information.

In most cases, users download and install apps such as SkilledSystem unintentionally and, therefore, they are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

What is AllConvertersSearches?

AllConvertersSearches hijacks browsers by changing certain settings to allconverterssearches.com (the address of a fake search engine). It also collects information relating to users' browsing activities. Browser hijackers are also classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), since users often download and install them inadvertently.

What is "$1000 Venmo Gift Card"?

"$1000 Venmo Gift Card" is a scam promoted on various deceptive websites. The scheme is presented as a gift raffle in appreciation of users' loyalty to Venmo, a mobile payment service owned by PayPal Holdings, Inc. In fact, the "$1000 Venmo Gift Card" giveaway is a blatant scam and is in no way associated with the legitimate Venmo service.

These types of schemes are typically used to gather victims' personal information (phishing) and/or trick them into paying bogus fees. Users rarely access these deceptive web pages intentionally - most enter them via mistyped URLs or are redirected to them by intrusive advertisements or by Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs).

This software does not need express user permission to be installed onto devices. Following successful infiltration, these apps cause redirects, run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers and collect browsing-related information.

What is Bella?

Bella is a rogue program, which is used for malicious purposes. For example, to steal passwords, execute various commands, transfer malicious files, and perform other dubious actions. This malware functions as a Remote Administration Trojan (RAT), and thus cyber criminals can perform certain actions on infected computers remotely.

If a Mac computer is infected with Bella, the malware should be uninstalled immediately.

What is ConvertMySearch?

ConvertMySearch is rogue software classified as a browser hijacker. It operates by making modifications to browser settings to promote a fake search engine. ConvertMySearch promotes convertmysearch.com in this way. Additionally, this browser hijacker has data tracking capabilities, which are employed to monitor users' browsing activity.

Due to the dubious techniques used to proliferate ConvertMySearch, it is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

What is dheje[.]xyz?

dheje[.]xyz is one of many deceptive websites designed to trick users into downloading and installing a potentially unwanted application (PUA).

Like most pages of this type, dheje[.]xyz claims that the device is infected with viruses and encourages users to remove them with a specific application (at the time of research, one dheje[.]xyz variant promoted a download page for the Protect Master x Express VPN app).

Generally, users do not visit these deceptive web pages intentionally - they are opened through other dubious websites, untrusted ads, or by PUAs that are already installed on the browser and/or device.