About Robotcaptcha2.info
The Robotcaptcha2.info “Virus” is a program that supposedly improves the web browsing experience with the best search results it generates. Judging only by its appearance, the program seems reliable and useful and resembles a regular browser add-on which can easily integrate with popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Explorer. However, a number of web users have been reporting that the Robotcaptcha2.info “Virus” aggressively promotes some third-party websites by initiating automatic page-redirects to them and by spamming the screen with various pay-per-click ads, pop-ups, banners, and promotional messages. On top of that, the program typically sets a new search engine or a homepage inside the main browser or installs some additional toolbars and shortcut buttons. Based on this, the reported application could be considered as a Browser Hijacker.
How dangerous is Robotcaptcha2.info?
Browser Hijackers are usually introduced into systems without the users’ direct approval (typically through the installation of free software bundles or spam) and tend to modify the options in the browsers, found on the computer. In addition, those applications may have the ability to continuously record the activity in the hijacked browsers and to redirect the users’ searches to some sponsored third-party web locations. These changes may not be so disturbing for the people if they have the chance to remove them. However, most Browser Hijackers usually don’t provide an option to uninstall their modifications and imposed components without uninstalling the entire software permanently.
Therefore, users who end up with a program like Robotcaptcha2.info on their computer are not able to restore their browsers to a previous state until the application is completely uninstalled. And for the entire period, while the hijacker is operating in the system, they are typically forced to visit different pre-defined web pages, ads, banners, and pop-ups every time when they search through the address bar or simply when they open a new browser tab.
This activity, not only may significantly slow down the browser and disturb the general web browsing experience but it may also expose the users to potential security hazards. For instance, clicking on a misleading ad or an infected link which may hide a real virus, a Ransomware or a Trojan Horse. Of course, infecting you with viruses is not the purpose of the Browser Hijackers. These pieces of software are just tools of the online marketing industry which are used to promote different products, services, and their websites on the users’ screen during their web browsing. They cannot encrypt your files like a Ransomware or damage your system like a real Trojan Horse, but their aggressive online-advertising may still be a good reason to uninstall them.
Another important drawback of having a piece like Robotcaptcha2.info, www2.savemax.store or www1.ecleneue.com on your system is the traffic data collection. The creators of such applications usually design them to gather information about the browsing activity of the users. The data collected usually does not contain private information but only some “traffic data” that the developers sell to third parties (usually online advertisers and marketers) who use it to force even more intrusive advertisements on your screen based on your latest searches and other metrics. Therefore, this monitoring of the data can cause even more ads disturbance. That’s why we strongly recommend that you remove Robotcaptcha2.info with the help of the instructions in the removal guide below.
SUMMARY:
| Name | Robotcaptcha2.info |
| Type | Browser Hijacker |
| Danger Level | Medium (nowhere near threats like Ransomware, but still a security risk) |
| Symptoms | A change in the browser’s homepage or the default search engine, intrusive ads generation. |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, ads, spam messages, free downloads from the web, torrents, shareware sites. |
| IP Adress | 185.50.248.83 |
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Remove Robotcaptcha2.info “Virus”
Robotcaptcha2.info Android Removal guide
Robotcaptcha2.info Mac Removal guide.
The following guide is only for windows users, it will help our readers get rid of the unpleasant Robotcaptcha2.info software. Follow the instructions and complete each step for best results. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them using our comment section down below.
Preparation: Entering Safe Mode and Revealing Hidden Files and Folders
Before you proceed with the actual removal instructions, you will need to take two extra steps in order to ensure that the guide has maximum effect.
For best results, we advise our readers to boot into Safe Mode prior to attempting to remove Robotcaptcha2.info. If you do not know how to do that, here is a separate How to Enter Safe Mode guide.
Also, in order to be able to see any potentially undesirable files, you should reveal any hidden files and folders on your PC – here is how to do that.
Removing Robotcaptcha2.info From Windows
Step 1: Checking the Task Manager
Before we start deleting files related to Robotcaptcha2.info we want to make sure that all services related to the viruses are killed before we proceed.
Open your Task Manager by using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys and go to the Processes tab. Look for any suspicious processes. For example, any unfamiliar process that uses high amounts of RAM and/or CPU. If you aren’t sure if a certain process comes from malware, tell us in the comments.
Right-click on any process that you consider shady and select Open File Location. Delete anything from the file location of the process.
Step 2: Disabling Startup programs
Use the Winkey + R keyboard combination to open the Run search bar and type msconfig. Hit Enter and in the newly opened window, go to the Startup tab. There, look for suspicious entries with unknown manufacturer or ones that have the name Robotcaptcha2.info on them. Right-click on those, and select disable.
Step 3: Uninstalling unwanted programs
Go to Start Menu > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program. Click on Installed On to sort the entries by date from most recent to oldest and look through the programs that come at the top of the list. Right-click on any entries that appear shady and unwanted and then select Uninstall to remove them from your PC. If you see the name Robotcaptcha2.info in the list of programs, be sure to remove the software without hesitation.
Step 4: Checking for shady IP’s
Open your Start Menu and copy-paste notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts in the search bar. In the notepad file, look below Localhost and see if there are any IP addresses there. If there are some, send them to us in the comments and we will tell you if you should take any action. [add_forth_banner]
Step 5: Cleaning-up the browsers
You will also have to uninstall any undesirable browser extensions from your browser programs. Here’s how to do that for some of the more popular browsers:
Getting rid of Robotcaptcha2.info from Chrome
Open Chrome and open its main menu. Go to More Tools > Extensions. Look through the list of extensions and uninstall any that you think could be suspicious. To remove them – click on the trash can icon next to each extension.
You can also use a specialized Chrome CleanUp tool if you cannot manually remove a certain extension. Here is an article where you can learn more about the CleanUp tool.
Removing Robotcaptcha2.info From Firefox
Open Firefox and go to its Menu. Select the Add-ons button.From the left panel, select Extensions and take a look at the different entries. Remove any of the that might be unwanted.
Removing Robotcaptcha2.info From Windows Internet Explorer
Once you open your IE browser, click on the Tools button at the top-right corner of the program and from the drop-down menu select Manage Add-ons. Check each one of the four different groups of add-ons and search for anything that seems undesirable. If you find anything, click on it and them select Remove.
Removing Robotcaptcha2.info From Windows Edge
Open the main menu of Microsoft Edge and go to Extensions. Find the extensions that you believe could be unwanted and right-click on them. Then, select Uninstall.
Step 6: Checking the Registry Editor
Open the Run search bar again and type regedit in it. Hit Enter and once the Registry Editor opens press Ctrl + F. In the search field type Robotcaptcha2.info and click on Find Next. Tell us in the comments if any results came up when you searched for Robotcaptcha2.info in your PC’s Registry.
Step 7: Deleting recent entries
For this step, you will have to open your Start Menu and copy-paste the following lines, one by one:
- %AppData%
- %LocalAppData%
- %ProgramData%
- %WinDir%
- %Temp%
Hit Enter after each one to open a file directory. In the directories, delete the most recent entries that you find there. In the Temp folder, delete all files.
Step 8: System Restore
In order to be fully sure that the unwanted software has been removed from your machine, you can also try using a Restore Point to roll back your system its last stable configuration. However, in order to do that, you would have to previously had had a restore point created. On most systems, such points get created automatically but this isn’t always the case.
- If you want to learn how to configure System Restore and how to manually create Restore Points, follow this link.
- Open your Start Menu and type System Restore.
- Click on the first result – a setup wizard should open.
- Read the brief description of the process and select Next.
- Now, choose a restore from the presented list. You can also check the Show more restore points option in order to reveal any other restore points that might be saved on your PC.
- Click on Scan for affected programs to see what programs will get deleted or restored after you use the Restore Point. (optional)
- Click on next and take and then select Finish.
- A warning window will appear telling you that once the process starts, it shouldn’t be interrupted. Select Yes and be patient as this might take some time. Do not do anything on your PC throughout the duration of the process.
Step 9: Windows Refresh/Reset
Use this method only if nothing else has worked so far as it is a last resort option. If you do not know how to do it, this separate guide will give you the information that you need.
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