Hidden Adware in Chrome. How I removed it.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This is for the Android version of Chrome, but also applies to pc’s running Chrome.

I routinely use Chrome, settings, privacy, clear browsing data. Rids it of cookies and clears the cache. A dialogue box states, This Will Clear Data for All Sites Including:, then it gives a long list of web sites. They’re like fleas on a dog.

I always run it twice. Just to be sure. I double flea dip my dog too. :wink: The second time the only site listed will be Google.com.

A couple days ago two suspicious sites besides Google in the list. They looked like Adware sites. I cleared cache four more times. Google disappeared but the Adware stood firm mocking me.

I ran multiple scans of my antivirus and Malwarebytes. I wanted to use my old friend ADWCleaner but it isn’t available in the Google App Store.

After hours of research, I discovered a hidden place in Chrome. Adware hiding and none of the scanners detected it.

Go under Settings, Site Settings, Notifications. I had 11 Adware sites listed! The two that refused to delete earlier were in that list.

Long Press on each one and you’re given a chance to clear it. I still have to check my PC because Google Syncs my Account.

I ALWAYS click Block whenever a Web Site asks to send me notifications. Somehow those 11 got through anyway. I have Chrome blocked from sending me notifications. That’s in Androids settings under Notifications. Yelp, Photos, and Chrome are blocked on my phone.

Hope this helps and saves you the hours of grief I experienced.

2

Btw, I would prefer using CcCleaner.

But Marshmallow took away it’s power to clear the App Caches. It became useless and I reverted to using Chrome’s clear cache feature.

I haven’t tried it on Nougat. But I doubt they got around droids new security restrictions.

Some App’s freak out if you clear the cache under Androids App settings. Tapatalk completely died. I had to remove and reinstall it.

3

CCleaner will clear the app cache for Marshmallow. You just have to turn on permission in the settings.

4

It’s been over a year since I removed CCleaner from my phone. The Marshmallow update crippled that App.

CCleaner listed Apps and how much space the cache used. I had to manually go into Android Settings, Storage, Apps and clear the caches.

Glad to hear they found a work around. I’ll reinstall the App and give CCleaner another chance.

5

Adwcleaner/Malwarebytesis my go-to software. They have a version for Android.

6

Works for me. I just ran an analysis. You have to give it permission every time you run the app, but you can do that straight from the app, then touch the back arrow to go back into CCleaner.

7

ADWCleaner merged with Malwarebytes?

I’m pretty sure it used to be a separate program. There was a web site that gave step by step instructions for cleaning a infected PC. There were links for at least six programs that were installed and run in a certain order. The procedure usually worked. I thought ADwcleaner was one of them.

I have Malwarebytes installed and run it regularly.

8

I haven’t used that procedure in a two or three years.

The last time was for my parents pc. I was up past midnight cleaning all the malware and adware from that pc.