Wave Browser behaves like a doppelganger of the Chrome browser and automatically becomes the default browser on your device. Since this doppelganger looks almost similar to your default browser, you won’t be able to recognize it when you use it to browse the internet using this internet browser. It sneakily steals your valuable data and tracks your important online activities without you knowing anything.
Hence, it is really important to detect and remove the Wave browser from your device to stay protected from cyber threats and deadly malware infections. This blog provides you with complete information on how to detect and remove Wave Browser from your device and protect your online privacy and security.
What are the Signs of Wave Browser Malware on Your Device?
If your device is infected with the Wave browser, it exhibits abnormal behavior such as glitches, system breakdowns, unwanted notifications, pop-ups, and ads. You will experience interruptions during normal operations and online activities. Here are some clear signs that signify that your device contains Wave Browser malware on your device:
Unwanted Installation
You never install the Wave browser on your device on your own, but it still appears there. This unwanted installation appearing automatically on its own is a strong sign of wave browser existence in your device. It gets downloaded on your device bundled with other files and solidifies itself inside the device.
Default Browser Hijacking
If your default browser changes to a wave browser without you doing anything and you are being directed to unknown search engines or websites which are laden with a huge number of websites. Then know that your device has a doppelganger operating inside it.
Modified Browser Settings
Modified browser settings are another strong sign that your PC has a browser hijacker in your device. It replaces your home page, search engine, and new tab page. You open the usual Internet Explorer but a different page appears on your screen. The default search engine is changed to something else. Moreover, when you try to change the browser settings it automatically reverts to the same again.
Excessive Ads and Pop-Ups
You may see a lot of ads, pop-ups, notifications, and push notifications when your device is infected with the Wave PUP. They may be malicious or completely unrelated to your interests and preferences.
Slow PC Performance
Your system speed becomes slow when it is infected with the wave browser malware. It happens due to high CPU usage, unwanted processes running in the background by the potentially unwanted program. The unknown and continuous processes running in the background put an extra burden on the processor that causes slow PC performance.
Installed Extensions or Add-ons
If you notice new browser extensions on your device without your adding them then know there is something fishy. It is the working of PUP that is sneakingly running inside your computer and adding new extensions to your search engine. New add-ons spy on your online activities and change the web content to manipulate you.
Repetitive Reinstallation
Wave Browser is capable of installing itself repetitively again and again even when you have removed or uninstalled it from your PC. This happens because it is embedded so deep inside the system that when you try to pluck it out from the system it can reinstall itself using the hidden scheduled tasks, registry entries, or background services it created at the first installation.
What are the Signs of Wave Browser Malware on Your Device?
Wave Browser is a potentially unwanted program that can expose your devices to a wide variety of dangers. It poses a serious threat to your online privacy, personal data, and network security. It can direct you to malicious websites embedded with the malware, ransomware, and deadly virus programs. It can track your online activities and steal your personal data using spyware and browser hijackers. Here are some serious dangers and vulnerabilities that can come up in your devices:
Online Activity Tracking
- It tracks search queries, visited sites, clicks, and browser behavior.
- It uses spyware to access your data and transfer it to a remote server.
- Cybercriminals sell this information to advertisers or malicious third parties.
Redirects to Dangerous Websites
It redirects you to unsafe or deceptive websites that contain malicious programs such as malware or ransomware, phishing traps, and deadly browser hijackers. When you visit malicious sites they are already embedded with the deadly programs that damage your online privacy and system security. The phishing pages are often set up by the cybercriminals to offer fake tech support or bogus services that scam and defraud users and extract money and sensitive information out of them.
Installs Malware and Unwanted Extensions
The PUP search engine browser can serve as a gateway for other malware to enter your system. It can download and install extensions that can lead to device damage and online tracking. These new apps and extensions run in the background and secretly perform all types of malicious activities such as data stealing, system disruption and exploiting the internal vulnerabilities.
Hijacks Browser Settings
It can take over your default browser and manipulate it to open unwanted and harmful home pages or search engines. You will receive fake updates, notifications and persistent ads from malicious and spoofed websites. Most importantly, when your search engine is hijacked it prevents you from making any changes in the settings.
Weakens Your System Security
The wave browser can modify security permissions, and app settings in your device to allow malware and viruses to get inside your device system. New vulnerabilities come up in your system that become a major cause of security compromise. It leaves your device exposed to a wide range of cyber dangers.
Utilize Too Much of System Resources
Potentially unwanted programs sneakingly run their operation in the background. They use system resources such as memory and CPU to run their processes for no use. Due to this, your system goes slow, and it fails to complete normal tasks like online search, opening files, or launching apps without getting freezes and crashes.
Steals Your Personal Details
When a wave browser hijacks your default browser it steals your personal details like usernames, passwords, account IDs, and personal details like name, contact number, social security number etc. It logs your login credentials, credit card numbers, emails and messages. Leaking all these details can put you at a high security risk.
How to Remove the Wave Browser Successfully?
Wave browser is a stubborn PUP that embed deep inside your PC. You need proper guidance to detect and remove it from your device without leaving any trace. Also, you have to follow a different process to remove this unwanted program from different operating systems. So, here is a complete guide that helps you get rid of wave browsers successfully!
Windows 11
- Click the Windows icon on your taskbar.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Wave Browser using the search bar.
- Click the three dots next to it > Uninstall.
Windows 10
- Click the Start (Windows icon).
- Open Settings > Apps.
- Scroll through or search for Wave Browser.
- Click it and hit Uninstall.
Close Running Wave Browser Tasks
- To ensure a complete removal, you need to close any background processes:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
- Under the Processes tab, look for tasks like:
- WaveBrowser.exe
- Wavesor
- Right-click suspicious items > Open File Location to confirm they’re Wave-related.
- If confirmed, go back and End Task.
Disable Startup Entries
- In Task Manager, switch to the Startup tab.
- Find and disable any Wave Browser-related startup programs.
For Mac Users
- Open Finder.
- Go to the Applications folder.
- Locate Wave Browser, right-click, and select Move to Trash.
- Empty the Trash to fully uninstall
Run a Full Malware Scan
Once you have successfully uninstalled Wave browser using the above mentioned methods in your PC now it is time to run a full security check. To do so you are highly recommended to download and install an advanced antivirus software on your device. After this run a full system scan to detect and remove the hidden malicious programs working in the background. During the full system scan make sure you do not connect any external device. Delete all the threats and risks that are detected during the scan. Now restart your PC and run another full system scan to make sure no dregs are left inside your device.
Remove Unwanted Extensions From Your Browsers
Wave browsers add unwanted and malicious extensions to your browsers to further monitor your online activities and direct you to the sites that are ridden with lots of ads. You have to identify such extensions and get rid of them to ensure your online privacy and security remains intact. Here is how to remove unwanted extensions from your browsers:
For Chrome:
- Open Chrome > click the three dots > Extensions.
- Look for any suspicious or unfamiliar extensions.
- Click Remove next to them.
For Edge:
- Open Edge > click the three dots > Extensions.
- Remove any unknown items.
For Firefox:
- Go to Menu > Add-ons > Extensions.
- Uninstall anything suspicious.
How to Prevent Wave Browsers from Infiltrating Your PC?
They say prevention is better than cure. Instead of going through all the stress and pain you can reach the root cause of the problem and nip the evil in the bud before it blooms and damages you. You can do the same with the Wave Browser also by preventing it from infiltrating your PC at the very outset. So, here are some effective tips that helps you prevent the Wave Browser from infiltrating your PC at the very starting point:
Avoid Clicking Suspicious Links
Do not click suspicious links coming from unknown sources and sites. Clicking them can lead you to malicious websites and downloads. Remember Wave Browser uses a bundling process to infiltrate your device in which it attaches itself with the files that are downloaded through suspicious links. So, it is highly recommended that you avoid clicking suspicious links coming from unknown resources.
Beware of Suspicious Downloads
Scammers embed malicious files in the download links and attach them in emails, and websites. When you see them they look legit and free of danger. But when you click them, it downloads malicious programs on your computer. Cybercriminals create spoofed websites that offer fake and pirated software and freeware content. Users often become tempted to these freely available websites and download malware-ridden programs from them. It is highly recommended that you always download your software programs from trusted platforms and official websites. Do not use third party platforms or websites to get your software and downloads.
Keep Your System and Software Up-To-Date
Always update your device`s operating system, and all the apps, programs, software running in it as soon as new updates are released for each of them. New updates come with latest upgrades and security patches to fix the vulnerabilities and functionality issues in the device and programs. Updated device and software becomes immune against latest threats and malware infections and you enjoy a secure and seamless browsing experience. So, make sure you keep your system, software and apps up-to-date all the time to prevent the vulnerabilities and cyber dangers.
Use a Reputable Antivirus or Anti-Malware
It is highly important that you install a reputable and robust antivirus software on your device. It will provide you real time protection against malicious programs such as ransomware, spyware, and potentially unwanted programs. It provides complete protection to your privacy, security and personal data from online theft, and unauthorized access. You will get an advanced security alert when you click a suspicious link or visit an unsafe website. If any suspicious or harmful program infiltrates your device it will take immediate action against it and prevent it from running any further processes.
Use an Ad Blocker or Script Blocker
Along with the antimalware software you can also use an ad blocker to deal with the malicious adware that leads to malware and PUP downloads into your device. The ad blocker will protect your device from malicious scripts, redirects and drive-by downloads.
Monitor Installed Programs and Extensions
You should always check software, programs and apps running on your device. Make sure they are useful, up-to-date and they are not Potentially Unwanted Programs. Along with this you should closely monitor browser extensions and add-ons to avoid security breach and secure online activities. If you find anything unwanted and useless in your device then uninstall it immediately. Do not allow any PUA to sit in your device system. PUAs take system resources and slow down your PC performance to a great extent.
Disable Auto-Run for USB Devices
Cybercriminals infect USB drives with malware like Stuxnet, Conficker, name files inside them as salary slips or sensitive data and leave them in public places. When you plug them into the device the malware auto-executes and enters the device. It bypasses the antivirus software and infects the whole system immediately. Attackers use auto-run to infect the PC so that malware payload can run without making any click. If you want to protect against auto infection malware programs you should disable auto-run for USB devices. You do it by: Go to Control Panel > AutoPlay and disable auto-run features. With this configuration, you can easily prevent device infection from infiltrating through USB devices.
