“MS WINDOWS DEFENDER – Warning Alert System” Tech Support Scam

Step 2: Remove suspicious browser extensions

Now that the pop-up alerts have been removed, our attention will turn to removing any malware that may have been installed on the computer while the pop-ups were active.

The MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts can also lead to the installation of malicious extensions in the browser. Cybercriminals tend to use these extensions to deploy malicious advertisements to unsuspecting users. It may also act as a sort of spyware through which web data can be tracked, such as history, cookies, and saved passwords.

So, to be short, these harmful extensions can lead to browser exploits and data leaks if not prevented and removed as soon as possible. This is why we'll be investigating the browser extensions that are currently installed on your computer.

If you have a dozen or more plugins installed, it could be challenging to figure out which ones are malicious, but there are certain ways and approaches to figure it out.

Malware actors frequently exploit the names of utility programs to mask their dangerous plugins; examples include Volume Booster, YouTube Downloader, Text Reader, and similar names.

More hidden browser spyware will impersonate widely used and reliable plugins like Google Drive. Users won't suspect the extension because of this trojan-like trait unless they investigate thoroughly and see if it genuinely comes from the same developer.

To know more about which extension should be deleted, we have made a guide stating ways to find the browser culprit.

Please follow the steps below to remove malicious browser extensions from your web browser and stop the MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts, redirects, and other suspicious behaviors that may endanger the user’s data and privacy.

The browser may be controlled by an organization, making it impossible to remove the browser extension when you try to do so. It indicates that the virus has set up a specific configuration to prevent removal. If that's the case, please use the steps in this article to fix the problem.

Note: The extension used in this step is not malicious and is simply being used as a demonstration of how to get rid of browser extensions.

1. Open the browser and click on the three horizontal lines at the upper-right corner of the window screen. Once the drop-down menu opens, hover over Extensions and select Manage Extensions on the submenu. On the other hand, you may also type chrome://extensions on the URL bar to directly access the browser extension page.2. The extensions page will then open in a new tab, showing all installed plugins on the browser. Once you have found it, deactivate the browser extension by toggling the blue switch below its name and description (We will be using AdBlock as an example). After that, you may now click the remove button to get rid of the extension virus from the Chrome browser.3. If the switch is disabled, then you will need to remove it directly from the extensions folder of the browser. To do this, first, you have to select the plugin and look at its ID as shown in the URL bar. (See the image below for an example.)4. Open File Explorer and go to the folder where Chrome stores the browser extension you have downloaded and installed. The default location would be at:

C:\Users\YOUR NAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions

5. You will see a list of folders, each with different hashes. Find the folder matching the ID of the malicious extension, then right-click and delete it. Make sure the browser is closed before proceeding to delete the folder.

The next time you open the Google Chrome browser, you will see that the extension has been removed.

1. Launch the Firefox browser and open the menu by clicking the three horizontal lines, which can be located in the upper-right corner of the program. Once the drop-down menu opens, click on Add-ons and Themes. On the other hand, you may also type about:addons on the browser URL bar to enter the Add-ons Manager.2. From the left-side menu, go to the Extensions page and view all of your browser extensions installed on Firefox. Toggle the blue switch to deactivate the plugin, then click the three horizontal dots beside the toggle and select Remove to get rid of it from the browser (We will be using Adblock Plus as an example).3. If the toggle is locked or unable to be removed, then you will have to manually remove the extension from the browser's extension file directory. Open File Explorer and go to the following directory where Mozilla Firefox keeps its browser extensions; this will be located:

C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

4. You will see Mozilla Firefox profiles, and depending on how many browser profiles you have, go to the default ones you have, such as default-release in some cases, and click on the extensions folder inside the profile.5. It will be difficult to determine the extensions of the folders you see because they have generated IDs. To make things simple, you should delete every .xpi extension file and make sure the Microsoft Edge browser is closed when doing so.When you open the browser, every extension you have will have been removed. After the virus has been wiped out, install the extensions that you frequently use again.

1. Open Microsoft Edge and enter the following URL to enter the extensions manager page of the browser: edge://extensions on the other hand, you may click the horizontal three-dot menu and click Extensions from the multiple options shown. Then a small window of extensions will show; click on the Manage extensions to enter the same page.2. The page will then show all of your installed extensions within the Microsoft Edge browser. Find the one you think may be infected with a virus or is a malicious plugin and disable it by toggling the blue switch (We will be using the AdBlock extension as an example). Then proceed to uninstall it by clicking the remove button right next to Details.3. If you were unable to remove the malware plugin, then you will have to head over to the browser's extension files via File Explorer to remove it manually. To do so, please head over to the extensions tab first, and now click the details next to the remove option.4. Open File Explorer and head over to the following directory where all browser plugins within Microsoft Edge are stored:

C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Extensions

5. Now find the folder with the same extension ID as the plugin we want to remove. It indicates that the following folder contains the files for the particular virus extension: Right-click it and delete it.

The next time you open the browser, the malware-infected extension has now been completely removed.

1. Open the Safari browser application, hover over Safari in the top menu bar near the Apple icon, and click it to open the drop-down menu of Safari settings. From the drop-down menu, click on Preferences from the options provided on the menu.2. Once the Safari settings window opens up, you will be on the General tab of the settings. Head over to the Extensions tab, which can be seen in the upper menu of the settings.3. Choose the suspicious extension that you may think is infected with malware and disable it by unchecking the box next to the plugin's name. Now, to delete the extension completely, select the plugin you wish to remove and click the Uninstall button. (We will be using AdBlock Engine as an example.)4. The extension you wanted to delete would now be removed; however, if it was unable to be removed due to being a part of an application, click on Show in Finder. Find the unwanted application, right-click it, and from the drop-down menu, click Move to Trash. You may be prompted to enter your password to confirm the app's removal.5. To finish off, click the trash bin application and find the application you have moved to trash. Right-click it and select Delete Immediately to get rid of it from the virus application on the Mac OS.After doing the steps and removing the malware-infected extension from the web browser, you can now browse the internet without having to worry whether someone is tracking your activities.

Step 3: Uninstall unwanted programs from the computer

The advertisements that were previously displayed before we removed the MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System pop-ups may have also led to the installation of adware, also known as advertisement-supported software. Adware will probably be the culprit if pop-up alerts start to appear again.

Many users may not know this, but adware can automatically configure the browser to show pop-ups and redirect web pages. When it detects that users have removed the current configuration, it will immediately replace it again without requesting the users' consent.

Additionally, malware can also be installed through such instances, which is why it's crucial to verify the applications that are already installed on your computer to determine whether any malware has possibly been installed.

How will I know what to uninstall?

Giving the exact name of the malicious program may be complicated, but there are ways to make it easier to detect it. One of which is to simply remove all unknown programs you do not recognize or think you have not installed. You may have applications that you don't even know the use for; that is a sign that they can be malware.

Unless it is a system process, which you can see by checking the developer of the application, some trojan viruses also use recognized and legitimate names to obfuscate their programs. If the publisher name or source of the program is unknown to you, it is best to uninstall it.

Another thing to do is to look at the version number; the majority of adware and dangerous programs will have version 1.0 because they don't need to be updated and are merely running as background applications.

To remove malicious programs from your computer, we have provided two ways to do so: one is through normal uninstallation, and if that does not work, we also provide an advanced uninstall method to make sure it will be removed without issues.

Remove software via the Control Panel

The most common way to remove malware from your computer is to uninstall the program through the Control Panel. You may view all of your installed apps as well as the developer's name in the list of applications.

You can eventually remove the cause of MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts and other adware-related browser troubles by uninstalling the programs you do not recognize.

1. From the Windows search bar at the bottom of your screen, search for Control Panel and click the result that matches the same application.

2. You will see different options, such as System and Security, as well as User Accounts. But what you want to click is the Uninstall a program under the Programs section. Depending on your Windows version, hovering over the uninstall section will be relatively the same.

3. Now that you are on the Programs and Features page, it will show you all the installed programs. There will be filters you may want to use, such as viewing them in lists with details such as the publisher, version number, and when they were installed.4. Right-click the suspected virus program and click Uninstall to get rid of it (We will be using Adaware as an example). It will then proceed to remove the application, or you will be presented with an uninstaller that will guide you to remove it; either way, it will be removed.There is a chance that the program may not be uninstalled successfully, and when that happens, it is important to use the power of an uninstaller program such as Revo Uninstaller.

It is widely known to be enough to remove malicious programs that are evading uninstallation. If you encounter such an issue when proceeding to uninstall the app, you may utilize the uninstaller to do the job for you.

Remove malicious programs via Revo Uninstaller

For computer users who are not sure of what to do. You may resort to using Revo Uninstaller since it is much more effective and easy to use. Revo Uninstaller is a handy tool for Windows users.

This uninstaller not only removes programs from the computer but also deletes their changes from the Windows Registry, Host File, etc. The steps below will guide you on how to install and use Revo Uninstaller to get rid of the source of MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System web alerts.

1. Click the button below to proceed with installing Revo Uninstaller on your computer since we have made an in-depth guide on how to use it on the following page. On the other hand, you can also head over to Revouninstaller.com and download it from there.

Download Revo Uninstaller

2. After the setup file (revosetup.exe) has finished downloading, run the installation wizard, read the license agreement, and click agree to proceed to the next step of the installation. Follow the procedure and wait until the installation of the software is complete.

3. Once the software has launched, find the unwanted application that needs to be removed and double-click the program to uninstall it. (We will be using the Mozilla Firefox browser as a demonstration.)

4. Click on the Continue button and follow the procedure to start uninstalling the program. It is also advised to make sure that a System Restore Point is made before the uninstallation, just in case.

5. You will be prompted to choose a scanning mode. From the three options available, select Advanced mode, then click Scan.6. A window will pop up and show all of the leftovers and changes made by the uninstalled program. Click the Select All button and hit Delete to remove the leftovers found in the Windows Registry.

Once the window closes, you have successfully removed the malware threat from your system. We believe with absolute certainty that once the malicious program has been removed, the malicious programs brought upon by the MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts will now be removed.

Step 4: Scan with powerful malware removal software

Malware often hides entirely within the system files and registry, making it impossible to detect it by merely looking at the programs or browser extensions.

The MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts are generated by the web browser's notifications, but because they display pop-ups and redirect the browser, such dangerous malware may have already been installed on the system without the user being aware of it.

The pop-ups might have already installed system-exploiting viruses and possibly time-triggered malware infections if they weren't immediately removed.

Running a complete system virus scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is advised to remove these malware threats.

When it comes to getting rid of viruses from the system, this software is well-known and respected by security professionals.

Doing this step will be the final nail in the coffin for the malware that has infected your computer.

Remove MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System alerts with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common browser threats as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove the malware brought upon by MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System pop-up alerts.

Not to mention, it is free to use and does not come at any cost to remove the viruses it finds on your computer.

To use Malwarebytes and remove malicious threats from the computer, follow the steps below:

1. Download Malwarebytes by clicking the button below, as we have made an additional and in-depth tutorial on how to use it. Otherwise, you may go to their official website via Malwarebytes.com (Avoid misspelling as it may lead to scams).

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

2. Visit their download section and start a Free Download to begin installing the software on your computer.3. Once the Malwarebytes setup file (MBsetup.exe) has finished downloading, open the executable file in File Explorer, then right-click the setup and select run as administrator to give the highest system authority and make sure Malwarebytes is installed correctly.4. Make sure to carefully follow the installation setup wizard's instructions and provide the relevant information it requires. You will be prompted with questions such as Personal or Business Use, Email Address, and others.5. From the application's home screen, go to the scan tab and begin running a system scan. This will scan the whole computer, including memory, startup items, the registry, and the file system. Ensuring that malware has been inspected for and detected in all of the places where it frequently hides.6. Since it can take a while, you should either relax and wait for it to finish or find something else to do. The length of the scan depends on the size of the files you have and the hardware capabilities of your computer. Here are some ways to make scanning faster.

7. Once the scan is finished, Malwarebytes will show the malicious viruses and threats it found on your PC. The program will show the detection results, and the malware it found will be given a threat name such as Generic.Trojan.Injector.DDS, and many more.8. Select all the detected files from the report and click the quarantine button to remove the malicious items from the computer into the protected safe quarantine zone of the anti-malware program so that they would not affect and do malicious actions on the PC again.9. After placing the virus files in the program’s quarantine, it may prompt you to restart the computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. Please restart your computer if prompted, as it is essential. After the restart, Malwarebytes will open and display a message that the scan was complete.

Note: Don't forget to delete the quarantined files afterward.

Simply quarantining the malware files is not enough to make sure they are completely removed. This is a very common misconception: once you click the quarantine button, it is all good and gone.

But, while its effects and harmful activities are halted, the malware is still in the system, only placed in the anti-malware program's quarantine folders. To completely remove it from the computer, go to Detection History from the home screen, select all Quarantined items, and click Delete.

You have successfully removed the MS WINDOWS DEFENDER - Warning Alert System pop-up alerts as well as the hidden threats on your computer. Rest assured they would not resurface again since Malwarebytes offers a premium trial for 14 days, so you could take advantage of it for free and prevent malware from infecting your system.

Malwarebytes offers free malware detection and cleanup, but its premium version also comes with real-time protection to keep your computer secure at all times. Although we advise using the premium trial, if you find it beneficial, you are encouraged to buy the full version.

The software is an anti-malware solution that eliminates malicious threats including trojan horses, worms, stealers, miners, keyloggers, and several other types of malware and computer viruses.