PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A Keeps Popping up and Sticking to Machine [Expertise]

be aware of PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A

OUTLINE

• Why anti-virus program detect PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A but not remove it?
• What PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A does?
• Something should be noted about PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A
• Learn how to remove PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A
• Final

PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A Is Detectable but Not Removable?

PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is categorized as PUP, a category specially created to group this kind of items. Generally speaking, PUP refers to web applications, but sometimes, it also refers to programs that keep popping up to annoying experience and possess potential dangers. In other word, PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is detected by installed anti-virus programs but not be removed by them. The warning alert of PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is to tell you that this thing can be potentially dangerous and it is up to you whether to leave it or not.

What Does PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A Do?

Some part of the PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A indicates relationship with Optimizer Pro. This is the very item that helps the program to direct PC users to registration web page and pop up the promotional ads about Optimizer Pro.

PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is compiled with BHO and JS techniques that are normally seen in building web applications. Yet, with slight modifications (which can be easily achieved), PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A will be able to hook API and track down online whereabouts so as to inform its maker where to put Optimizer Pro for higher exposure rate and more potential businesses.


Knowledge supplement: nowadays, PUP and adware becomes the major ones for online operators and marketers to help with product promotion as they are sticky to frequently brainwash PC users and will not be stopped by any security utilities. Only some people with certain level of computer knowledge and skills will be able to get rid of the ads triggered by PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A. 

Watch out for PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A

PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is a piece of freeware, to support its operation, it would be bundled with other software, freeware and shareware particularly that need promotion. In other word, seeing PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A can imply to some extent to get additional items without knowledge. Actually, bundling with web sites and other ads is the major way it makes money to sustain life. Whenever a PC user visits a web page cooperating with PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A, the PUP will get money from PPC.


The more such website is visited, the more money will be generated. It can be thus told that PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is a money-driven item and a tool to help with promotion, which suggests that the PUP is not strictly built and it is true. PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A, Bundles with random applications that need aggressive promotion without filtering them out, leaving sticky programs to modify configuration and random items loaded onto the target system to consume the limited internal resource.

With such loose structure, the techniques adopted to build PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A would pose potential threat to the computer security:

1. The backdoor program (used to track down users’ online whereabouts so that the maker of OptimizerPro would get to know where to put its ads and instance for better promotion) will be utilized to load down additional vicious items, take win32/Sirefef.GC for example.   


2. BHO and JS techniques will be capitalized to preload vicious code into system configuration for admin rights and to record everything that’s typed online.

Learn How to Remove PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A

Step1
Reset browsers.

Internet Explorer
Tools menu > Internet Options > Advanced tab > Restore Defaults button > OK.

Mozilla Firefox
Firefox button > Help > Troubleshooting information > ‘Reset Firefox’ button.

Google Chrome
‘Customize and Control Google Chrome’ menu > ‘Options’ > ‘Under the Hood’ > ‘Reset to Defaults’ button.

Opera
Show hidden files and folders (see Step3) > navigate to "C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\" > remove Operapref.ini.

Safari
Safari menu > ‘Reset Safari’ > tick all given options > ‘Reset’ button.




Step2 
Access Task Manager to remove the items with the path directing to PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro..

Ctrl+Alt+Del/Ctrl+Shift+Esc > access Task Manager > View >　select columns > tick "PID" and "Path name" > go to open up System Information > end the process with path name directing to  PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A's path or the path that doesn't belong to system.

select Colunms to tick PID and Path Name to find out the services and processes related to
PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A

Mac OS X
Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > click open the suspected processes > "Open ports and files" > end the process with path name directing to PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A's path.

search for and open up Activity Monitor on Mac to stop the ads by PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A from popping up

Step3
Show hidden files and folders.

Windows 7/XP/Vista
‘Control Panel’ > 'user accounts and family safety' > 'Folder Options’ > View tab > tick ‘Show hidden files and folders' and non-tick 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ > ‘OK’.

Windows 8
Start screen > Windows Explorer > View tab > tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options > OK button.

a.when done, remove the given items:

C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Temp\
C:\WINDOWS\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temporary Internet File

b. navigate to the following directories and remove the items generated on and after the date when PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A was firstly detected:

C:\Windows
%SystemDriver%\
C:\Program Files\
C:\windows\system32\
C:\users\user\appdata\local\
C:\Users\[your username]\Documents\
c:\users\[username]\appdata\locallow\

Mac OS X
Finder > Utilities folder > Terminal > copy and paste "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES" > return key > copy and paste the "killall Finder" > return key.

a. remove temp files and folders:

Finder > Utilities folder > terminal:

1. type

   cd ~/Library/Logs
   sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Logs/*

   and press Return button.


2. type

   rm -rf ~/Library/Safari/Downloads.plist
   cd ~/Library/Caches
   sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/*

   and press Return button.

b. access the following locations to remove the items generated on and after the date when PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A was firstly detected:

Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Home folder/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Applications
Dock
Display

Practices have shown that getting harassed by PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A will also suffer from PUP.Optional.BrowseFox.A, PUP.Optional.SmartBar.A and other types of virus. It indicates that such PUP can be readily taken advantage by virus. Therefore, regardless the fact that PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A is not technically a virus, a quick removal is required to taken into action; also one should remove
PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A completely as well as the dropped down items; otherwise, you will run into
PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A again.

It should be widely informed that the extension or the related items are not necessarily named after PUP.Optional.OptimizerPro.A. One should pay attention to the items created on the date when PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A was firstly detected and remove them, especially the ones that you don’t know of. This requires certain level of computer knowledge and skills.