Experts have detected a new virus whose risks for web users are very high: here’s what it does and how to remove it.
In recent days, HP’s IT security team has identified a new cyber threat called Shampoo which forces the installation of extensions in Google Chrome.
Although the name does not seem threatening, the effects of the Shampoo virus are significant. This is a threat that risks becoming harmful to millions of people in the future. The most worrying thing for experts is that the malware uses Google Chrome on both smartphones and desktops.
Virus Shampoo: how it works and how to remove it
Discovered by experts from HP’s security team, the Shampoo virus is the protagonist of the ChromeLoader antivirus campaign. The spread of malware occurs through a series of malicious websites which promise users to download files for free of music, films, video games.
The file download opens the way to Shampoo that infects your PC or other devices. The virus forces the installation of malicious extensions in Google Chrome and proceeds to the actual cyber attack which also causes the impossibility of uninstalling it with traditional methods because the malware reactivates every 50 minutes.
Once you inadvertently activate Shampoo, you realize that the malware:
- Turn off search bar suggestions;
- Redirects search results to malicious websites;
- Block access to the Google Chrome extension management panel.
The best way to protect yourself from Shampoo is not to install malicious files, maintaining high security of PCs and smartphones. In practice, you should not trust sites that promise free files. In case there has been a violation of the system it is necessary to proceed with the removing all Chrome tasks and then delete the “HKCU\Software\Mirage Utilities\” section from the registry. Also pay attention to some apps on your smartphone that should be deleted immediately.
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