PopBlock+ Removal Guide

PopBlock+ is a potentially unwanted application that may collect information on your browsing habits and share it with unreliable third parties. If you happen to have this extension added to your Chrome browser, you might want to delete it immediately. The removal instructions are provided at the bottom of this description, and you should remove PopBlock+ along with all the other unwanted applications that you might have on-board. Please note that such programs often travel in packs, and you should scan your PC with a powerful antispyware tool to see the actual security status of your system.

We often emphasize that potentially unwanted programs are not malicious infections because they require authorization from the user to be added to the target system. The same applies to PopBlock+ as well. Although the problem with these apps is that often users are not aware of what they agree to. Depending on how these apps reach the target system, users might be focused on something else, and they might add PopBlock+ (or any other similar extension) accidentally.

For instance, the Chrome Web Store page for PopBlock+ has already been taken down, so it must mean that there’s something fishy about this extension. And yet, the official distribution sources are not the only places where you can get this app. It is very likely that it also reaches its targets through various pop-ups and redirects, especially if users often frequent sites that offer free content and in turn, are full of random ads.

Please note that you can often close pop-ups without too much difficulty, but you mustn’t interact with its content. Even if it looks like it’s part of the site you’re currently on, you shouldn’t click anything on that window. Just by clicking the “Add” button, you would agree to give PopBlock+ permission to read your browsing history. And the program would automatically “think” that it has been authorized and now it can be added to your browser.

Of course, if we were to check the official “function” of this extension, it might seem useful. It says that this extension “automatically detects and blocks pop-up ads identified by special patterns.” Also, PopBlock+ “has been created to identify and auto close all detected pop-ups.” So, if you often suffer from multiple pop-ups, this app might seem like a good answer to your problem. However, by blocking one type of ads, PopBlock+ might as well expose you to something else.

Seeing how it can collect information on your browsing history, this information could be easily shared with third parties that want to promote their content. Of course, PopBlock+ cannot collect personally identifiable information, so it’s not much of a security threat, but what’s the use of an app that is supposed to block ads if it exposes you to a different type of commercial content? What’s more, PopBlock+ clearly does not review the content it promotes. And there’s always a chance that a malevolent third party will make use of this security loophole to deliver something nasty.

Luckily, you can remove PopBlock+ without too much trouble. But if you want to make sure that you’ve gotten all the components, you might want to reset your browser to default settings. This way, you will be able to start on a new slate. After that, you can also scan your system with a security tool. As mentioned, such programs often come in groups, so you have to check whether your system is clean. If more unwanted programs are detected, you can easily terminate them all automatically. Just make sure that you don’t install similar apps again.

How to Remove PopBlock+

1. Open Chrome and press Alt+F.
2. Click Settings on the drop-down menu.
3. Scroll down and press Advanced.
4. Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
5. Press Reset settings to complete.