What is OptiBuy?

OptiBuy is an advertising-oriented program or adware. This type of program isn’t useful for people who see it on their computers, so if you suddenly discovered it in the system – read this entry to figure out what it is and how to fight with it. First of all, you should realize that OptiBuy is not a virus and its level of threat to the system if not very high. Nevertheless, if you will neglect OptiBuy – your computer will soon be clogged with the other viruses and advertising programs because adware makes the system vulnerable to outer threats. OptiBuy is just a frame in which you see ads. It has few additional options, all of which are reliable for show of advertising. First function begins to work immediately after the installation and it changes the browser settings. As you already understood, OptiBuy is not a reliable program and its services are being used by unreliable people. Passing the link, given you by adware you will end up on the dangerous website that sells substandard goods, distributes viruses or some kind of inappropriate content. Most of suchlike websites aren’t indexed by Google, so when you will visit this website the browser will display a warning about its content and possible infection by unwanted programs. OptiBuy turns off these notifications as well as notifications and indications about the download of files. Now you won’t notice when adware will initiate the download of another unwanted program. Except these settings it also changes the default search engine and default new tab, so you will see the annoying ads and unrelated websites each time when you try to do something in browser. This program is literally taking control over your PC and tries to use it for illegal purposes that, after time, will call serious problems with the computer.

How do scammers receive profit from OptiBuy?

There are few basic methods to monetize the adware. Most of them use the common payment system that is being used for most of types of Internet-advertising. The most popular method is the "website promotion" or just advertising. Scammers create a list of few (or few dozens) of websites and alternately show them to each user. Actually adware that is installed on victims PC just makes request to C&C server and receives the address of website that should be shown. It works the same for usual advertising, but the difference is that scammers don’t care about your interests and convenience. Advertising in the Web is paid not for the time that it spent on some website or search page but for the amount of clicks that were made on the ad. So, scammers just show as much ads as it is possible and wait until victim accidentally clicks on some banner, trying to close or hide it. One click costs few cents or even less, but when there are hundreds or even thousands of infected computer – the outcome seems much bigger. Unwanted advertising will appear every minute, from the time when you start the PC and until you turn it off. Your favorite websites, social networks, online-shops and other websites will be overwhelmed with ads. They will spam with ads until you will manage to remove OptiBuy from computer.

How OptiBuy got into the system?

There are many methods to insert some program in common user’s computer, but adware developers prefer the method that is called "bundled installation". It consists of adding viruses into one cluster with some useful program and putting this cluster or "bundle" in free access. Users will try to find the program and when they will – they’ll get not exactly what they wanted. Usually in such a bundle there is one free useful tool (or a pirated copy of paid program) and from three to ten advertising programs. Scammers don’t even need to make any efforts – they just wait until adware will spread and then grab the money. When victim downloads an adware bundle and installs it, he gets a dialogue window in which it is offered to pick an installation method from two options: "recommended" and "for experienced users". The option #1 is set by default and described as a most safe and easy method, but in fact it means that victim will install all programs from the bundle without even knowing what they are. The second option is described as very complex and unstable way of installation that is suitable only for skilled programmers and IT-specialists, but in fact it just gives an opportunity to choose what program to install and what to decline. Unfortunately, 95% of users don’t read the EULA and everything else that is written in the windows that appear during the installation of programs. Scammers know this and it really works: user clicks "OK" few times, the installation of adware begins and user doesn’t even know what’s going on. That’s why most of adware victims don’t remember that they installed adware and doesn’t know where did it come from.

How to get rid of OptiBuy?

OptiBuy is not a serious virus, so it will be not very difficult to delete it, Nevertheless you should remember that the more you wait – the more massive the infection becomes and the more complex will be removal process. OptiBuy invites new viruses in the system each day, so you better clean it as soon as possible. Deletion could be performed via two basic methods: manually and with help of anti-malware tool. Manual deletion is good if you downloaded an adware few days ago and there are not many viruses in the system. If you notice the significant slowdown of the system, lags of useful programs and services than manual deletion won’t be effective. Anti-viral tool will cope with this infection much faster and safer.