How To Remove IMVU Toolbar Hijacker

Easy Steps To Delete IMVU Toolbar

IMVU Toolbar is presented as a useful application that allows users to create 3D animated avatars for entertainment purpose and also improve their overall browsing experience. However, it’s indeed a potentially unwanted program which usually gets installed on the PC systems secretly through deceptive methods. Instead of getting the advantage that it claims to provide, its victims often start receiving intrusive pop-up ads during the online sessions. These ads are in various formats such as deals, offers, banners, coupons, discounts etc. that might be filled with several links. The purpose of creators behind showing these eye-catching advertisements is to make people click on them to earn pay-per-click revenues.

Depth Analysis of IMVU Toolbar:

You should avoid clicking on IMVU Toolbar ads as they might cause redirects to unknown and even suspicious web domains. Moreover, this nasty PUP also hijacks your Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Explorer and other internet browsers by making certain changes in their default settings. You might notice your home page, and new tab addresses have been replaced with another domain that also includes a fake search engine. Victims are forced to surf through a fraudulent search tool which only delivers inorganic results, generally include commercial contents and sponsored links right at the top.

IMVU Toolbar is also able to collect users’ information, as it gathers technical details (browser, installed extensions or apps, timestamps, operating system versions, language,) and browsing data (links clicked, sites visited, search queries, etc.) using cookies or web beacons. These details might later be shared with service providers and other third parties who would feed you ads catered to your preferences, also known as targeted advertising. Moreover, your sensitive data relating to banking and credit card details could be misused by the scammers for fraudulent transactions or purchases that might lead to huge financial loss.

IMVU Toolbar can trigger redirects to questionable websites which is also a manner of concern. The analysis of this perilous browser hijacker reveals that clicks on ads and links might take people to highly infectious sites such as phishing, scam or domains that are used for spreading hazardous programs. One of them may display fake security alerts, update notifications, error messages etc. and attempt to deceive users into installing rogue software. And therefore, a quick IMVU Toolbar removal is strongly required from the infected PC systems.

Threat Summary

Name: IMVU Toolbar  

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Makes changes to default browser’s settings, Redirects users to third-party sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online profits for the developers. 

Symptoms: Modified home page, new tab settings, search engine, regular appearance of annoying commercial contents, fake pop-up messages, identity theft, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Web browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), exhibition of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your device with an effective anti-malware tool.

Ways To Spread IMVU Toolbar:

Most of the potentially unwanted programs arrive on users’ computer devices without asking for direct approval. This occurs through a cleverly executed distribution method known as bundling where multiple programs are added to a single package. When users download a freeware from third-party sites like cnet.com, download.com, soft32.com, softonic.com etc. and then install it without paying sufficient attention and using the pre-set configuration settings, they usually end up with installing PUPs in their systems. Additionally, you can also get infected with such unwanted threats due to clicking on malicious ads or hyperlinks s they might take you to malware-laden sites, hosting such infections.

Tips To Prevent Hijacker Intrusion:

To prevent IMVU Toolbar or other PUP from sneaking into your computer, you should follow the below given tips:

• Always select ‘Advanced’ or ‘Custom’ options to install any product or software.
• Avoid picking Recommended/Quick settings during the installation.
• De-select the unwanted components that you don’t want to be installed.
• Never click on suspicious ads or links that you often see while web surfing.

Thus, never rush through steps, as default settings might lead result in the installation of not only browser hijackers but also adware and malware such as ransomware. In case your system is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove IMVU Toolbar from the machine without wasting any time.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows Click Here For Mac

Important Note: This malware asks you to enable the web browser notifications. So, before you go the manual removal process, execute these steps.

Google Chrome (PC)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the Menu button
• Select “Settings”. Scroll the mouse downward to choose “Advanced” option
• Go to “Privacy and Security” section by scrolling downward and then select “Content settings” and then “Notification” option
• Find each suspicious URLs and click on three dots on the right side and choose “Block” or “Remove” option

Google Chrome (Android)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the menu button and then click on “Settings”
• Scroll down further to click on “site settings” and then press on “notifications” option
• In the newly opened window, choose each suspicious URLs one by one
• In the permission section, select “notification” and “Off” the toggle button

Mozilla Firefox

• On the right corner of the screen, you will notice three dots which is the “Menu” button
• Select “Options” and choose “Privacy and Security” in the toolbar present in the left side of the screen
• Slowly scroll down and go to “Permission” section then choose “Settings” option next to “Notifications”
• In the newly opened window, select all the suspicious URLs. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”

Internet Explorer

• In the Internet Explorer window, select the Gear button present on the right corner
• Choose “Internet Options”
• Select “Privacy” tab and then “Settings” under the “Pop-up Blocker” section
• Select all the suspicious URLs one by one and click on the “Remove” option

Microsoft Edge

• Open the Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots on the right corner of the screen to open the menu
• Scroll down and select “Settings”
• Scroll down further to choose “view advanced settings”
• In the “Website Permission” option, click on “Manage” option
• Click on switch under every suspicious URL

Safari (Mac):

• On the upper right side corner, click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences”
• Go to “website” tab and then choose “Notification” section on the left pane
• Search for the suspicious URLs and choose “Deny” option for each one of them

Manual Steps to Remove IMVU Toolbar:

Remove the related items of IMVU Toolbar using Control-Panel

Windows 7 Users

Click “Start” (the windows logo at the bottom left corner of the desktop screen), select “Control Panel”. Locate the “Programs” and then followed by clicking on “Uninstall Program”

Windows XP Users

Click “Start” and then choose “Settings” and then click “Control Panel”. Search and click on “Add or Remove Program’ option

Windows 10 and 8 Users:

Go to the lower left corner of the screen and right-click. In the “Quick Access” menu, choose “Control Panel”. In the newly opened window, choose “Program and Features”

Mac OSX Users

Click on “Finder” option. Choose “Application” in the newly opened screen. In the “Application” folder, drag the app to “Trash”. Right click on the Trash icon and then click on “Empty Trash”.

In the uninstall programs window, search for the PUAs. Choose all the unwanted and suspicious entries and click on “Uninstall” or “Remove”.

After you uninstall all the potentially unwanted program causing IMVU Toolbar issues, scan your computer with an anti-malware tool for any remaining PUPs and PUAs or possible malware infection. To scan the PC, use the recommended the anti-malware tool.

How to Remove Adware (IMVU Toolbar) from Internet Browsers

Delete malicious add-ons and extensions from IE

Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of Internet Explorer. Select “Manage Add-ons”. Search for any recently installed plug-ins or add-ons and click on “Remove”.

Additional Option

If you still face issues related to IMVU Toolbar removal, you can reset the Internet Explorer to its default setting.

Windows XP users: Press on “Start” and click “Run”. In the newly opened window, type “inetcpl.cpl” and click on the “Advanced” tab and then press on “Reset”.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 Users: Press the Windows logo, type inetcpl.cpl in the start search box and press enter.  In the newly opened window, click on the “Advanced Tab” followed by “Reset” button.

For Windows 8 Users: Open IE and click on the “gear” icon. Choose “Internet Options”

Select the “Advanced” tab in the newly opened window

Press on “Reset” option

You have to press on the “Reset” button again to confirm that you really want to reset the IE

Remove Doubtful and Harmful Extension from Google Chrome

Go to menu of Google Chrome by pressing on three vertical dots and select on “More tools” and then “Extensions”. You can search for all the recently installed add-ons and remove all of them.

Optional Method

If the problems related to IMVU Toolbar still persists or you face any issue in removing, then it is advised that your reset the Google Chrome browse settings. Go to three dotted points at the top right corner and choose “Settings”. Scroll down bottom and click on “Advanced”.

At the bottom, notice the “Reset” option and click on it.

In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button.

Remove IMVU Toolbar plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla

Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”.  Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins.

Optional Method

If you face problems in IMVU Toolbar removal then you have the option to rese the settings of Mozilla Firefox.

Open the browser (Mozilla Firefox) and click on the “menu” and then click on “Help”.

Choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the newly opened pop-up window, click “Refresh Firefox” button

The next step is to confirm that really want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to its default by clicking on “Refresh Firefox” button.

Remove Malicious Extension from Safari

Open the Safari and go to its “Menu” and select “Preferences”.

Click on the “Extension” and select all the recently installed “Extensions” and then click on “Uninstall”.

Optional Method

Open the “Safari” and go menu. In the drop-down menu, choose “Clear History and Website Data”.

In the newly opened window, select “All History” and then press on “Clear History” option.

Delete IMVU Toolbar (malicious add-ons) from Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and go to three horizontal dot icons at the top right corner of the browser. Select all the recently installed extensions and right click on the mouse to “uninstall”

Optional Method

Open the browser (Microsoft Edge) and select “Settings”

Next steps is to click on “Choose what to clear” button

Click on “show more” and then select everything and then press on “Clear” button.

Conclusion

In most cases, the PUPs and adware gets inside the marked PC through unsafe freeware downloads. It is advised that you should only choose developers website only while downloading any kind of free applications.  Choose custom or advanced installation process so that you can trace the additional PUPs listed for installation along with the main program.

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