How Harmful is PUA/Linkury.Gen2
Generally speaking, PUA/Linkury.Gen2 is just another adware that should be removed for security concerns. It’s not very damaging on its own, but rather it uses its influence to manipulate you into installing other viruses of its kind, which eventually could become a real problem. From that logic, basically it is more harmful the more you allow it to remain on your PC. The label “PUA” means “Potentially Unwanted Application” and although the first word doesn’t quite paint this software in a supremely negative light, trust me – you don’t want it on your PC. The whole debate with these things is that sometimes they can actually be useful. The counterpoint on the other hand is that the bad points far outweigh the good ones. With that in mind, I urge you to come back and read the rest here, because it can help save you from a lot of trouble in the future. I’ll outline the general factors that most concern users when they are infected with malware.
The first and foremost you should know – do not update any programs. These are most likely the virus, posing as a real software (Flash Player or Java typically). This is the oldest trick in the book for malware. As soon as you’ve made the mistake of allowing the “program” to update, it will instead download additional malicious software. The key here is that malware have no options whatsoever to infiltrate you if you do not let them. If you simply do not update or install anything until you remove Linkury.Gen2, then you should have no troubles.
Now, this needs to be said: I hope you started reading this as soon as you detected the infection. The real big problem with such viruses is that you can’t know what type of “colleagues” it may bring aboard if you’re not careful. One mistake and you can end up with a virus that collects your personal browsing activities, files, and the most frightening – passwords. Yes, I’m serious. Some malware (not Linkury.Gen2 , but some it may download) are known to collect passwords and send them to whoever created the virus. This may be really bad news especially if you have active online baking accounts.
How Linkury.Gen2 Works
First of all, it does what the rest of its type – poisoning your browsers with hyperlinks, banners, pop-ups and advertisements. Its general goal is to limit your options and make you click the advertisements, because they are made to either promote affiliate websites of the people who created Linkury.Gen2, or to monetize through pay-per-click means. Another thing this virus does is to slow down CPUs through its activities. So if you are experiencing lagginess, system shutdowns (blue screen) and browser crashing, then you should be glad to know these will stop once you remove the virus.
How Linkury.Gen2 Entered My Computer
The first way is via spam email – many users get confused and open the letters when they see a seemingly legitimate institution’s name. These are all fakes, easily discernible by bad grammar and misspelling. And whatever you do, do NOT open any attachments. That’s the precise way the virus infiltrates your system. The other way it comes through is by being installed on your system with another program, probably a free one. Freeware are quite known publicly to harbor malware. When you install utilities, toolbars and so on, some useful extension, there’s a chance it will contain a threat inside. To avoid installing it you need to pay attention during the steps of the setup; it 100% has to inform you about the installation. Most people however either do not pay attention, or simply choose Express Install, which includes the virus in the package.
How to Remove Linkury.Gen2
STEP 1:
(Works for all versions of windows including Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1)
Click Windows and R simultaneously. Type appwiz.cpl inside the search field, then OK.
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You are now inside the Control Panel.
Here, keep an eye out for ScreenGlaze plus any and all programs that look like a virus to you. Occasionally they may go with other names – so definitely be wary. Highlight them, then Uninstall.
STEP 2:
The virus has infected ALL of the browsers you use. Removing it from just one will not help you.
For Internet Explorer Users:
Start the browser, then click —–> Manage Add-ons.
When the new menu appears, you should be be able to locate the malware. Also look around for other extensions you’re not sure of. Hit Disable to get rid of them.
In case your Home page was moved, click —–> Internet Options>edit the URL box, put in the page you want, then click Apply.
For Mozilla Firefox Users:
Open the browser, click on at the top, go to Add-ons.
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Then select Extensions.
The malware should be somewhere around here – Remove it.
For Google Chrome Users:
Start Chrome, click —–>More Tools —–> Extensions.
When you’ve reached Extensions, the virus should be lurking around with its buddies ——-> select .
Now click again, and proceed to Settings —> Search (the fourth tab), select Manage Search Enginesand leave only the search engines you use.
For Safari Users:
Open Safari, and click Safari —–>Preferences —–> Extensions
Find the spyware then Uninstall.
STEP 3 (Optional)
This step to remove the virus is completely optional. You need to do this only in the case when the steps up until now were not enough to make your troubles go away. If they WERE enough:
- You are now clear of the virus. Please consider following us on our channels on Google+, Twitter and Facebook. It will be immensely appreciated, because it will help us grow and in turn – that way we will help more people.
- If you were not successful, then continue reading.
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