Rav Safer Web

RAV Safer Web

RAV Safer Web is an app that lets you disconnect from dangerous websites, block ads, and trackers that collect information about you online and block explicit content that kids shouldn’t see.

The program is not a virus, but a legitimate piece of software that operates like a filter and has a separate URL. However, a lot of people don’t know what RAV Safer Web is and why and how it got installed on their system.

The developers of RAV Safer Web claim that this is a program designed to ensure a safe browsing experience while blocking unwanted ads and suspicious URLs. The app is preloaded with a configuration that is recommended for most users, but it may be changed through the app interface.

Often, apps like RAV Safer Web may be distributed in different free software packages, where a hacked version of the program or some other malware may be inserted. That’s why, sometimes, what users may see on their PCs may not necessarily be the actual RAV Safer Web. The app may also be installed alongside malware programs without user consent. If you have any suspicions that you might be dealing with a spoofed version of this software or some other malware that might have been introduced with it, we suggest removing it together with any other questionable apps that may have been installed along.

As a matter of fact, a lot of Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) are distributed through file-bundling so that they may be installed on more computers. This is not illegal per se, but the method has gained a reputation for being used by hackers to propagate viruses and other subpar programs. That’s why there is a growing concern that malware may be installed secretly on users’ computers when they download and set up free programs like RAV Safer Web, especially if the download file does not originate from the official website or a reputed developer. If you’ve detected strange behavior on your computer recently, a malicious application may already be operating in the background, in which case you need to remove it and any related PUPs.

As you probably know, hackers use a wide range of tactics to install malware on the PCs of unsuspecting users, and software bundling isn’t the only one. They often use attractive-looking apps to encourage users to download their harmful attachments. The danger to a computer considerably increases when the harmful attachment comes as a part of a package that contains legitimate software, such as RAV Safer Web. The virus is typically introduced to the system during the installation process.

Attackers may bundle other dangerous software with the main installation, including cryptocurrency miners and keyloggers. If you install the whole package without paying close attention to its content, your computer may soon start to become unresponsive, overheat, crash or cause interruptions in your work. All these may serve as indicators that malware is present on the system.

Should you remove RAV Safer Web?

Although RAV Safer Web is not a virus or malware that is intended to harm your system, you may want to remove it if you find that it is interfering with your ability to use your computer normally. What is more important, however, is to uninstall any other potentially unwanted or dangerous programs that may have been installed at the same time. The removal guide below will take you through several steps that will help you search for and remove other suspicious applications, processes, files, or settings that may be related to malware on the system.


SUMMARY:

NameRav Safer Web
Type PUP

How to Remove Rav Safer Web

You may take these steps to get rid of any malware that may have been installed on your computer with RAV Safer Web:

  1.  First, go to the Control Panel > Uninstall a Program menu and delete any suspicious apps you see there.
  2. The next step is to look for suspicious processes that could be related to PUPs, end them, and then delete any related files and folders.
  3. Thirdly, after removing any malware, you should reset any system preferences that might have been changed by PUPs. This includes checking the Registry, the Startup Items list, the Hosts file, and the DNS settings of network adapters.
  4. The next step is to clear your browser’s cache and disable any add-ons that might be harmful or intrusive.

Please read the following for a comprehensive breakdown of the process:


Step1

Please restart the machine in Safe Mode before proceeding. Only critical system processes are permitted to start automatically in Safe Mode, preventing the potentially unwanted software from re-launching its operations.

Then, go to the Uninstall a Program section of the Control Panel through the Start menu and check it for suspicious software. The most recent entries to the list may be found quickly by sorting them by the installation date.

It’s as simple as right-clicking the questionable program, selecting “Uninstall”, and then following the on-screen prompts (if any). If an uninstallation wizard is present, use the deletion choices that will ensure the total elimination of all traces of the program.

If you’re having trouble carrying out the uninstallation at the moment, try again once you’ve finished the other steps in the instructions.

Step2

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

The Task Manager may be accessed by using Ctrl+Shift+Esc at the same time. Select Processes once you get there. If you see an oddly named process in the Task Manager, you may inspect its associated files by right-clicking the process’s name and selecting Open File Location from the context menu.

malware-start-taskbar

Check the files in the process’s location folder for malicious code using the free scanner provided below. If danger is found, delete the flagged files and end the process running in the Task Manager’s Processes tab.

If there are more suspicious processes, check them online to see if they have been reported as harmful by security experts. Then scan them if you must, and repeat the action from above.

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    Step3

    The next step is to go to several system locations, look for modifications made by potentially unwanted applications, and undo any changes. The items listed below should be located using the Start Menu’s search bar:

    Type Msconfig in the Start Menu’s search bar, and then go to Startup and click on Open Task Manager in the System Configuration box that appears (or skip this step if you’re using Windows 7).

    Remove the checkmarks from the checkboxes of the startup items you don’t trust or recognize, and then click OK. This will prevent them from automatically loading when the computer starts up.

    msconfig_opt

    Step4

    To remove parasite on your own, you may have to meddle with system files and registries. If you were to do this, you need to be extremely careful, because you may damage your system.

    If you want to avoid the risk, we recommend downloading SpyHunter
    a professional malware removal tool.

    More information on SpyHunter, steps to uninstallEULAThreat Assessment Criteria, and Privacy Policy.

    Press the Start button and the letter R at the same time. Paste the following in the Run box and hit OK:

    notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts

    Search for any IP addresses that seem odd under the “Localhost” line in the Hosts notepad file, and if you find any, share them in the comments section below. A member of our team will notify you as soon as possible if any of the IP addresses you provide are linked to a potentially undesired or harmful application, giving you the opportunity to delete them from the file.

    hosts_opt (1)

    After you are done with the Hosts file, search for Network Connections in the Start Menu search bar and press Enter.

    1. Find the Network Adapter that is currently in use and right-click on it. After that, you need to go to Properties —> Internet Protocol Version 4 (ICP/IP), and click the Properties.
    2. Take a look at DNS line and see if it is set to Obtain DNS server automatically. If not, select it.
    3. Next, click on Advanced —> and select the DNS tab. Make sure that you remove any rogue DNS in the field and click  —> OK.
    DNS
    Step5

    In the Start menu’s search box, type Regedit and hit Enter. Click Find in the Edit menu of the Registry Editor that has just opened. Simply enter the name of the program in question that you want to remove in Find, click “Find Next“, and carefully delete the results.

    If no more results are found, use the left side of the Registry Editor to double-check that any traces of possibly undesirable or dangerous software have been eliminated, and then go to the following three Registry locations:

    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Random Directory
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Main

    Next, search for anything that doesn’t seem legitimate in any of the three locations, such as files with unusually long or randomly created names. Please let us know in the comments if you come across anything like that, but don’t remove it from the Registry just yet.

    Step6

    Finally, it’s important to remove any traces of potentially unwanted or possibly dangerous apps from your web browsers. Your default browser’s menu should be in the upper-right or upper-left corner; click it and then go to Extensions or Add-ons. Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers need you to choose the More Tools menu before revealing the Extensions menu.

    When you’re in the Extensions menu, make sure you disable any suspicious add-ons and extensions that you don’t know or trust.

    Click the browser’s menu button once more, and then choose the Privacy and Security submenu. If you can’t find Privacy and Security in the menu, click the Advanced tab first.

    The Clear Data/Choose what to clear option may be found in the Privacy and Security submenu of your browser’s settings.

    Click on the Advanced button, uncheck the box labeled “Passwords“, and then click the Delete/Clear button.

    Make sure you do this for each browser on your computer.

    If the instructions don’t work, and you still have malicious software installed, we suggest using a professional removal application or scanning your computer with our free online virus scanner. Of course, if you need any assistance, just let us know in the comments, and we’ll do our best to help!

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    About the author

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    Lidia Howler

    Lidia is a web content creator with years of experience in the cyber-security sector. She helps readers with articles on malware removal and online security. Her strive for simplicity and well-researched information provides users with easy-to-follow It-related tips and step-by-step tutorials.

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