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Encounterponder.com Redirect – How to Remove?

Is Encounterponder.com redirecting your browser? Here's how to stop that.

By Andy Mulholland - Malware Researcher 4 Min Read

ⓘ This article addresses potential risks such as phishing and malware. If you come across any undisclosed threats, please let us know.

Encounterponder.com is a site that sends web browsers, including Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Adware, a type of advertising-supported software, can cause problems for both computer systems and browsers.

This malicious domain redirects internet browsers to unwanted websites, such as fake virus alerts, illegal gambling platforms, and adult video chat sites, which can be inconvenient for users.

Malicious domains in general

Encounterponder.com is considered an unsafe domain because its root URL does not point to a webpage or website. The domain is being used for malicious purposes.

These actions may include redirecting the web browser to malicious websites, initiating drive-by downloads, or manipulating the infected browser to display specific sites as desired by the cybercriminals who run the rogue domain.

This site may also be used to display phishing pages. Although these webpages are not directly accessible from the root domain, they can still pose a risk because they load whenever the tool is run.

Malicious domains can function as command and control servers (C2), allowing hackers to take control of an infected system.

The malicious domain name can be used to send commands and execute actions on malware-infected systems.

On the other hand, there are some extremely concerning domains out there.

Many of the most commonly registered domains in these categories are also used to trick users into agreeing to display ads via web browser notifications.

Encounterponder.com threat behavior

After conducting a thorough investigation of Encounterponder.com, we discovered that whenever we open the web browser, a new tab with Encounterponder.com automatically appears, redirecting the browser to an unfamiliar webpage.

Based on this, it appears that the domain Encounterponder.com is primarily used to direct users to malicious sites.

This type of malware infection can be extremely harmful to the computer and browser, but it is not entirely dangerous.

These redirects are frequently seen when visiting fraudulent websites, such as illegal torrenting platforms and cracked download sites.

Furthermore, we discovered that it frequently causes the browser to redirect to Encounterponder.com, even when the browser is not currently active.

We did not find any malicious ad elements, but they do pose a threat because they can redirect the browser.

It’s concerning because the next redirection may result in the installation of malicious software on the computer.

How Encounterponder.com infects a browser

As previously stated, we began receiving redirects from Encounterponder.com after installing adware in our malware testing environment.

It is possible that the redirections were caused by an external program that we had downloaded earlier.

Adware, also known as advertising-supported software, can get onto a computer through a variety of means. These files may contain malware and should be handled carefully.

However, in most cases, it is packaged with third-party installers that are available in a variety of program and application marketplaces.

More about Encounterponder.com

It is very likely that Encounterponder.com will continue to redirect the web browser and open new tabs at its discretion.

This type of threat can cause the browser to navigate to unfamiliar websites without the user’s permission.

To prevent Encounterponder.com from redirecting your web browser to unfamiliar websites, follow the official step-by-step instructions provided below.

Important note: Only proceed to the tutorial below if you think Encounterponder.com is causing issues with the computer such as sudden redirections, browser crashes, and antivirus alerts.

Encounterponder.com removal guide

You are in luck if you need help getting rid of Encounterponder.com from your computer.

The following malware removal instructions will show you how to do just that. Make sure to carefully follow the steps to make sure the threat is completely gone.

We considered the technical skills of the people who use the internet, so we made sure the steps are simple enough that even those who aren’t tech-savvy could follow them.

Before you continue, make sure you have a backup of your data. If you don’t, your files may be destroyed or lost while completing the instructions below. These kind of situations are uncommon, but we recommend doing so just in case.

For the Overviews

To remove Encounterponder.com from your browser, you only need to follow a simple three-step procedure:

Step 1: Delete malicious extensions

Step 2: Remove browser malware with AdwCleaner

Step 3: Uninstall unwanted software


Step 1: Delete malicious extensions

Extensions can be the leading cause of Encounterponder.com causing issues with the browser. However, it may be difficult to remove them if certain browser policies are set to make it persist. It might disable the delete button which makes it hard to do so.

For this reason, we will first need to delete the policies it has set on the browser before attempting to remove unwanted extensions.

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge

How to remove Google Chrome browser policies:

1. To do this, we will use Chrome Policy Remover. Download the Windows version by clicking here.

ChromePolicy Step1

2. Proceed to download delete_chrome_policies.bat by clicking Download anyway.

ChromePolicy Step2

3. Once the bat file has finished downloading, run it as administrator to begin removing unwanted policies set by the malware.

ChromePolicy Step3

4. If the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented it from running, click Run anyway. This tool has been recommended enough times in the Google Chrome community therefore we can vouch that it is safe to run. (VirusTotal results of the Policy Remover.)

ChromePolicy Step4

5. The command prompt will open up, it will close Chrome and delete certain malicious policies. Once the policies are removed, you can now close the command prompt and begin removing the extension.

ChromePolicy Step5

How to delete unwanted extensions from Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome and click the three horizontal dots on the upper-right corner of the screen.

ChromeExtension Step1

2. From the dropdown menu, select Extensions and click Manage Extensions.

ChromeExtension Step2

3. You should now be able to click the Remove button. Continue to do so in order to remove the unwanted extension from the browser. (For this example, we will be using Google Docs Offline.)

ChromeExtension Step3

How to remove Mozilla Firefox browser policies:

1. Open the browser and type about:policies in the address bar.

FirefoxPolicy Step1

2. Take note of the active policy names as shown on the screen.

FirefoxPolicy Step2

3. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command.

FirefoxPolicy Step3

4. Type regedit and hit enter to open the Registry Editor.

FirefoxPolicy Step4

5. Go to the following directory: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox

FirefoxPolicy Step5

6. Delete the policies that matched the ones shown on the browser policy page earlier. With this, we can proceed with deleting the unwanted extension.

FirefoxPolicy Step6

How to remove unwanted extensions from Firefox:

1. Open the Firefox browser and click the extension icon on the upper-right corner of the screen.

FirefoxExtension Step1

2. Click on the cog icon near the unwanted extension you want to install. From the dropdown menu, select Remove Extension. (We will be using a sample extension to demonstrate.)

FirefoxExtension Step2

How to delete browser policies set in Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.

EdgePolicy Step1

2. Type in the following code and enter each line separately.

taskkill /im msedge.exe /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /f
reg delete "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /f

3. Once finished, close Command Prompt and we can begin removing the unwanted extension/s from the browser.

EdgePolicy Step3

How to remove unwanted extensions from Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge and click the Extensions icon on the top bar of the browser.

EdgeExtension Step1

2. Click on Manage Extensions.

EdgeExtension Step2

3. Find the unwanted extension and click Remove.

EdgeExtension Step3

Step 2: Remove browser malware with AdwCleaner

AdwCleaner is a utility tool that is primarily used for cleaning adware and potentially unwanted applications (PUP) from the computer.

This program is also primarily used to find and remove malware that is targeted at the web browser.

Here’s how to install and use AdwCleaner:

1. To start, download the latest version of AdwCleaner.

AdwCleaner Step1

2. Once AdwCleaner has finished downloading (adwcleaner.exe), run the executable file.

AdwCleaner Step2

3. If the User Account Control window pops up, click Yes to proceed with running the program.

AdwCleaner Step3

4. Once the program has launched, agree to the End User License Agreement by clicking the I Agree button.

AdwCleaner Step4

5. Click on the Scan Now button to begin scanning your computer for browser threats such as adware, PUPs, and more.

AdwCleaner Step5

6. Wait for AdwCleaner to finish scanning the files on the system. This may take a while depending on how large the files on your device are, as well as your system’s hardware capabilities.

AdwCleaner Step6

7. Once the scan is complete, proceed to take action by following the on-screen instructions. Otherwise, if the scan shows a clean result, click Run Basic Repair to reset Winsock and other settings before finishing the process.

AdwCleaner Step7

Step 3: Uninstall unwanted software

Another possible source of the Encounterponder.com redirect is malicious software. Such malware might be able to change browser settings in order to support the aforementioned browser threat.

As a result, you should check your computer for unknown programs that you did not install.

While the latest version of Windows allows you to accomplish this through the Add & Remove Programs section, it is still far simpler to use the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel.

The publisher name, the installation date, and the version number will all be displayed in a single grid screen, making it simpler to locate the malware. Here’s how to do so:

1. Click on the Windows key to open the Start menu.

Uninstall Step1

2. Type Control Panel in the provided search bar and select the first item from the search results.

Uninstall Step 2

3. Click on Programs and inside, select Programs and Features.

Uninstall Step3

4. You will be presented with a list of programs currently installed on your computer.

Uninstall Step4

5. Find programs you do not recognize and right-click the item then select Uninstall/Change from the dropdown menu.

Uninstall Step5

We’ll need to use a powerful uninstaller to do the dirty work for us if the software is stubborn and won’t go away with normal approaches.

Fortunately, there are tools for this; Revo Uninstaller is a good uninstaller program made to tackle and remove uninstallable programs.

Revouninstaller icon Uninstall malicious program/s using Revo Uninstaller

1. To start, download Revo Uninstaller by clicking here. Avoid downloading from third-party sources as they may contain additional bloatware upon installation.

Revo Step1

2. On the download page, opt for the free version of Revo Uninstaller as it has all the features we need. Click on Free Download to begin downloading the setup file.

Revo Step2

3. The revosetup.exe file would have started downloading. Click on it to start installing the software.

Revo Step3

4. Revo Uninstaller setup would now begin and follow the typical setup procedure such as selecting your setup language, accepting the license agreement, and selecting the installation location. Once setup is ready click Install.

Revo Step4

5. After the setup is finished, check the Launch Revo Uninstaller option to open the program upon closing the installer.

Revo Step5

6. Once Revo Uninstaller has opened, it will show you the list of applications currently installed on the computer. Find the unwanted program/s, right-click it, and select Uninstall from the drop-down menu. (We will be using PC App Store to demonstrate.)

Revo Step6

7. A confirmation message stating if you are sure you want to uninstall the said program, click Continue.

Revo Step7

8. Follow the uninstallation instructions and this time, Revo Uninstaller would have forced the program to continue with the uninstallation compared to the previous attempt via Control Panel.

Revo Step8

9. You will be notified that the software has been uninstalled, Revo Uninstaller will now conduct a preliminary examination and get rid of additional files and registries related to the unwanted program.

Revo Step9

10. On the selection of Scanning modes, select Advanced to make sure everything is scanned without leaving a single directory unnoticed.

Revo Step10

11. Wait for the scan to finish as Revo Uninstaller is checking for residual files and registries related to the suspicious program.

Revo Step11

12. Revo Uninstaller may have found leftover Registry items, click Select All and proceed to delete them by clicking the Delete button next to it. After that, click Next.

Revo Step12

13. It may have also found some leftover files and folders, simply do the same by clicking Select All and deleting them. Now click Finish and the uninstallation of the program is done.

Revo Step13

Optional: Reset the browser to default settings

When it comes to browser-targeted malware, it will alter the browser settings for the threat to persist. Therefore simply changing the search engine back to default may not work in many cases.

If malware still persists, we should reset the web browser to its default settings from when it was first installed. This will get rid of all the configurations the browser threat has set.

Note: Resetting the browser will get rid of all the data except for saved bookmarks and passwords.

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge

1. Open the Chrome browser and click the three horizontal dots at the upper-right corner of the screen.

Chrome Step1

2. On the dropdown menu, scroll down to the bottom and click Settings.

Chrome Step2

3. In the left sidebar, scroll down and find Reset settings.

Chrome Step3

4. Click on Reset settings to their original defaults.

Chrome Step4

5. A confirmation window will appear, click Reset settings to proceed.

Chrome Step5

1. Launch the Firefox browser and click the hamburger menu on the upper-right corner of the screen.

Firefox Step1

2. From the dropdown menu, scroll down and click on Help.

Firefox Step2

3. Inside the Firefox help menu, click More troubleshooting information.

Firefox Step3

4. Under Give Firefox a tune up, select Refresh Firefox… to reset the browser.

Firefox Step4

5. A confirmation window will appear, proceed by clicking Refresh Firefox.

Firefox Step5

1. Run Microsoft Edge and click on the three horizontal dots on the upper-right side of the screen.

Edge Step1

2. From the dropdown menu, select Settings.

Edge Step2

3. Open the hamburger menu, scroll down, and select Reset settings.

Edge Step3

4. Inside Reset settings, click on Restore settings to their default values.

Edge Step4

5. A confirmation window will appear, click Reset to proceed.

Edge Step5

After the web browser has finished resetting, download the important extensions you previously used, and pin the tabs you once had. Set it the way it was previously configured before the malware infection.

Tips to keep your computer safe

As the saying goes:The biggest vulnerability is the person behind the screen

So, here are some tips and what you need to know in order to keep your device safe and malware-free in the long run.

Keep every software installed up to date

Make sure that all of the programs in your computer is up-to-date with the latest version released by the developer. The reason behind this is that these updates frequently tackle bugs and issues that malware actors often exploit.

The same goes for your computer’s operating system, make sure Windows is up-to-date with the latest software update to prevent malware from exploiting a hidden vulnerability.

Avoid downloading files from unknown sources

One of the biggest sources of malware infection in a computer system is third-party installations. This happens when a user downloads a certain program from sources that are not the official download links. Some of the common types of sources where malware is present are torrent files, cracked software, and games.

Be careful with opening email attachments

Malware often disguises itself as resumes and quotations and threat actors often send thousands of these infected emails to company employees around the world in order to infiltrate their network.

Always check where your emails are coming from as there may be a chance that the project attachment you received via email did not actually come from a co-worker.

Do not visit unreputable websites

Avoid visiting websites that contain unfiltered advertisements such as illegal streaming websites, cracked software platforms, and links sent out to you by somebody you do not trust.

These sites are often linked to redirect chains that load once you click on an ad element on the page. Following this chain often leads to drive-by malware and phishing pages that an average user may eventually fail to notice.

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