WalletFriends extension virus - How to remove

WalletFriends browser extension was transmitted via Chrome Web store but recently, researchers discovered that this add-on was not up to the standards of Google. The version called 1.15 was described with a single sentence, meaning that its main purpose is to pursue services of e-commerce. If you are not entirely familiar with this concept, it refers to selling/purchasing of material, services and good via the Internet. Sociallet.download website was indicated as the supplier of this extension, but our attempts to launch it gave clear results: the domain does not exist.

Research about this rogue extension

The authors of this WalletFriends extension cunningly remain unseen as we found no contact information that could lead us to them. From the looks of it, users that noticed this extension inside their browsers used harsh words to describe the application. One of them indicated that people cannot uninstall the add-on: it keeps coming back after their operating system is re-started. Also, some offended surfers stressed out that they received not only competitive prices to improve their shopping, but pornographic content.

3,334 Google Chrome users are indicated to have downloaded the application, but we highly-doubt that most of these people were informed that this unwanted application was being installed. The last update for the add-on was submitted on 26th of June: clearly, it has not been long since it was removed from the Chrome store. While implementing our usual investigation, we figured out that this extension could display small banners, forcing people to download the application. In the banner, the surfers will be urged to “Add walletfriends” into the list of active extensions.

In the Chrome Web store, we found no information, regarding the privacy, security or usage terms. The only thing that we managed to find was that the tool will “read and change all your data on the websites you visit”. Without further explanations, it could be presumed that the add-on will have the rights to learn your confidential information when you are typing in certain domains. For instance, if you happen to regularly check your online backing account, make transactions, a malware parasite could record your keystrokes.

If you notice sponsored banners and other promotional material, labeled as Ads by WalletFriends, make sure to check your actively-running extensions. If advertisements are being displayed, there is almost no doubt that your browsers have become infected with an ad-based (adware) application. The feature that the extension is advertised in a banner, preventing users from fully using browsing applications, clearly shows that no respectable developing-companies would initiate such aggravating and sneaky strategies.

Eliminate this extension as soon as possible

To protect yourself from further damages that a malware parasite can do, you should run a full security scan with Spyhunter or Malwarebytes. It will detect all unwanted files that the examined extension have appended in C:\ disc. In a folder called Rogue.ForcedExtension you can find a lot of executables that belong to the objectionable application. It can clearly be classified as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) which enters devices without permission. Manual removal is also a possibility that you can consider: all you have to do is follow the guidelines we have enumerated below.

It is clear where people might have received this add-on. It could be that they were introduced to a banner, asking them to install it. If they were not careful, the extension might have been automatically installed, or some people could have agreed to receive it themselves. In addition, since the add-on was available in Chrome Web store, which means that some people might have mistook it for an application, worthy of being downloaded. Try to install only respectable applications to avoid any dangerous content.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manual removal of WalletFriends extension virus

How to remove WalletFriends extension virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like WalletFriends extension virus install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to WalletFriends extension virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make WalletFriends extension virus easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove WalletFriends extension virus from macOS

Delete WalletFriends extension virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the WalletFriends extension virus app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopHow To remove WalletFriends extension virus from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to WalletFriends extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove WalletFriends extension virus from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything WalletFriends extension virus related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to WalletFriends extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.

How to remove WalletFriends extension virus from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to WalletFriends extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove WalletFriends extension virus from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall WalletFriends extension virus and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to WalletFriends extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.