Do you receive many pop-up ads by CloudScout when you are browsing online shopping websites? Want to remove all those pop-ups completely but have no ideas how to do that? You just need to remove CloudScout, the root cause of the annoying ads, from your computer. This post provides basic information about CloudScout and the detailed guide to get rid of it from your machine.
What Is CloudScout?
CloudScout is an adware program used to display advertisements on users’ PCs in order to generate advertising revenue. It is also considered as a potentially unwanted program, since it often gets into users’ computer without asking for any approval. This adware program consists of two parts: one part is the Windows program that manages all the adware processes, and other part is the web browser extension which gets installed onto users’ Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. As long as this adware stays in users’ computers, it keeps showing all sorts of pop-up ads, discounts, deals, coupon, etc. If users accidentally click on those pop-up ads, they may be redirected to some malicious websites and more malicious programs might be downloaded onto their PCs. Moreover, CloudScout adware could monitor and record users’ online activities, and then transfer the data to its creators. That information may conclude IP address, email address, search preferences, and even website log-in details. If users’ personal information is collected and exposed to unknown people, they would get more and more pop-up ads based on their interests and may even end up being victims of identity theft or money loss.
Why Need to Remove CloudScout?
CloudScout can generate various problems to users if not removed timely. It can affect the overall performance of users’ computer system by consuming the precious system resources as it is running in the background. Besides, this toolbar can interfere users’ normal browsing activities by displaying excessive undesirable pop ups on the web pages they are viewing. If users accidentally click on those pop-up ads, they may be redirected to some malicious websites and more malicious programs might be downloaded onto their PCs. Moreover, this adware could monitor and record users’ online activities, and then transfer the data to its creators. That information may conclude IP address, email address, search preferences, and even website log-in details. If users’ personal information is collected and exposed to unknown people, they would get more and more pop-up ads based on their interests and may even end up being victims of identity theft or money loss. Therefore, a timely removal of the adware is necessary.
Guide to Remove CloudScout Completely
Method 1: Manually Remove the Adware by Following the Guide.
Method 2: Automatically Remove the Adware by Using SpyHunter.
Method 3: Automatically Remove the Adware with Malwarebytes.
Note: To manually remove the adware, you should acquire certain level of computer knowledge and skills. If you are a novice user, we highly recommend that you download and use a powerful removal tool to automatically get rid of the adware.
Method 1: Manually Remove the Adware by Following the Guide.
Step 1: Remove CloudScout adware from Control Panel.
Windows 8:
Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Uninstall a program. Remove the adware and other unknown programs from your computer.
Windows XP:
Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs -> Programs and Features. Remove the adware and other unknown programs.
Windows 7/Vista:
Click Start -> Control Panel -> Uninstall a program/ Programs and Features. Remove CloudScout and other unknown programs.
Step 2: Disable/remove the adds-ons related to CloudScout.
Internet Explorer:
Tools (gear icon for Windows XP users) -> Manage add-ons -> Toolbars and Extensions. Disable the extensions related to the adware and any other unknown add-ons.
Google Chrome:
Click menu -> Tools -> Extensions. Disable the extensions related to this adware.
Mozilla Firefox:
Firefox (tools) -> add-ons -> Extensions. Disable or remove the extensions related to this adware.
Step 3: Search for and delete the files created by CloudScout.
%Temp%\[random Name].dll
%System32%\[random Name].dll
%Program Files%\Movie Maker\[random Name].dll
%Program Files%\Internet Explorer\[random Name].dll
%AllUsersProfile%\[random].exe
%AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\[random].exe
%Temp%\[random].exe
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\[random].exe
Step 4: Remove the adware related registry entries via Registry Editor.
1. Press Windows + R keys together, input “regedit” into the Run box and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
2. When the Registry Editor is opened, find out and remove all the adware related registry entries.
640px-Registry_Editor_Vista
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\[radom characters].exe
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ‘random’
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\random
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “CertificateRevocation” =random
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\run\random.exe
Method 2: Automatically Remove the Adware by Using SpyHunter.
SpyHunter is a useful malware removal tool that detects and removes many malicious threats that several of the major brands can’t detect. This tool will be able to find out and delete CloudScout and other related threats from your PC without much trouble. Now follow the steps below to automatically remove the adware:
Step 1: Download and install SpyHunter on your PC.
Step 2: Upon the installation, launch SpyHunter and perform a full system scan by clicking “Scan Computer Now”.
Step 3: Wait for the scan to complete. Then, you will be shown all detected threats on your PC.
Step 4: To clean up all threats completely, click “Fix Threats” and restart your PC.
Method 3: Automatically Remove the Adware with Malwarebytes.
Malwarebytes (Full Name: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware) is a professional malware removal tool using advanced technology to detect and remove various malware including adware, redirect viruses, Trojan horses, worms, rootkits, spyware, ransomware, etc. It is a trustworthy removal tool and you can download and use it to automatically get rid of CloudScout from your infected PC.
Step 1: Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your computer.
Step 2: Once the installation finishes, run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and scan your system by clicking the “Scan” tab, selecting “Threat Scan” and then click on “Scan Now”.
Step 3: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware now will start scan your system for CloudScout as well as other potential threats on your computer.
Step 4: Once the scan is done, quarantine all detected threats by clicking on “Quarantine All” and clicking the “Apply Actions” button. Then, restart your PC to complete the removal.
Useful Tips to Protect Your PC
Use caution when downloading and installing software on your PC. Do not download freeware from unreliable sources. Pay attention to marked check boxes in setup wizards for free software, and set on “custom” installation option instead of “typical” because the last might hide bundled adware.
Ignore spam emails, especially their attachments and links. Email attachments and links have been a popular way to spread CloudScout and other malware. Sometimes, your curiosity will cause your system to crash down or your confidential information to be stolen. So, do not open the unexpected attachments or click on the attractive links in spam emails.
Keep away from unsafe websites. Some websites usually attract visitors by providing some illegal content like pornographic videos; however, such websites tend to hide various malware and you may get such malware downloaded onto your computer at anytime.
Make sure that your computer is safeguarded by reliable antivirus program and firewall. Though antivirus programs cannot ensure a 100% protection against all types of malware, they do help block some identified malware to a certain degree.
Attention: The manual removal may be a difficult task for novice PC users. If you are not experienced in computer operation and afraid of making any mistakes when performing the manual removal, then you can download and use a professional malware removal tool to deal with the nasty adware.
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