Gatewaytime.net Redirect Virus – How to Remove It?

The step-by-step instructions below will help you remove Gatewaytime.net from your browser.

By Andy Mulholland - Malware Researcher 5 Min Read

Gatewaytime.net is a website that can redirect web browsers to fake virus alert pages on the internet. This browser issue may be caused by adware, also known as an advertising-supported software.

Unwanted browser permissions on the browser can also be a factor that contributes to the issue. Users may encounter unexpected redirects to various internet pages, such as fake malware alerts, illegal gambling platforms, and adult video chat sites, which can be quite frustrating.

Malicious domains in general

Gatewaytime.net is a domain commonly used for malicious advertising purposes. We consider it to be unsafe because it is linked to potentially unsafe advertisements that may cause harm for users.

In addition, the web browser is being redirected without authorization, granting the individuals behind the malicious domain complete control over it.

This can be used to redirect the browser to websites that may pose a risk, download harmful content without the user's awareness, or redirect it to any desired location.

Furthermore, it has the potential to deceive users through phishing websites. Although it may not be readily apparent on the main website, there is a chance that it contains URLs that could be potentially harmful when executed.

Malicious domains function as a command and control server (C2), allowing hackers to control a compromised system from a remote location. Malware can compromise these through the exploitation of a malicious domain.

However, there are certain domains that can have severe negative effects and lead to significant consequences. It's easy to understand how these domains are often used to trick users by redirecting them and showing harmful advertisements.

In addition, another simple method to access the user's web browser is by tricking the users to grant permission for displaying ads via web browser notifications.

Gatewaytime.net threat behavior

After looking into Gatewaytime.net, it was discovered that when opening the web browser, a new tab is automatically loaded with Gatewaytime.net and the browser is redirected to an unfamiliar webpage.

Based on the details we had, it appears that the Gatewaytime.net domain is mainly utilized to redirect users to deceptive virus alerts that inaccurately claim their device is infected.

While this malware infection may not be a significant worry, it can still compromise the security of your computer and browser.

These redirects are often seen on fraudulent websites, such as illegal torrenting platforms and cracked download sites.

In addition, it bears a striking resemblance to a malicious redirect domain (Awwagqorqpty.com) that we have previously discussed. Furthermore, we have observed a common occurrence where the browser is consistently redirected to Gatewaytime.net, even after the browser has been closed.

How Gatewaytime.net infects a browser

As mentioned earlier, we began experiencing redirection to Gatewaytime.net after installing adware in our malware-testing environment.

It seems that the redirections could be caused by a program that was downloaded from an external source.

Adware, or advertising-supported software, can infiltrate a computer through different methods and start redirecting the browser to malicious domains.

You should be aware that these files and executables might contain harmful software that could potentially jeopardize your system's security. However, it is often included with third-party installers that are available in various program and application marketplaces.

This redirect domain can infiltrate the computer if an unwanted website gains control and permissions to display notifications to the browser.

Summary
Malware nameGatewaytime.net
Threat typeRedirect, Adware, Malicious domain
IP address72.14.178.17
Delivery networkThird-party installers, malicious payloads
Malware behaviorRedirect the browser to unwanted websites
DamagePotential malware infection
VirusTotal detections0/93 antivirus flagged this domain (See results)

Gatewaytime.net frequently redirects the web browser and opens new tabs without any user input.

This type of threat can redirect the browser to unfamiliar websites without the user's consent, leading to potential negative consequences.

Here are the official instructions to stop Gatewaytime.net from redirecting your browser to unfamiliar websites.

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

Gatewaytime.net removal guide

You are in luck if you need help getting rid of Gatewaytime.net 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.

Remove Gatewaytime.net Instantly

Poor protection often leads to malware infection. Let Bitdefender, the world’s leading antivirus, handle Gatewaytime.net with ease. It's time to stop worrying about malware.

Start Protecting Your Device Today

We've teamed up with Bitdefender to offer Hackerdose visitors an exclusive 50% discount on their products. Now is the time to start taking your computer security seriously with the best antivirus on the planet.

For the Overviews

To remove Gatewaytime.net 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 Gatewaytime.net 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 Gatewaytime.net 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.

Leave a comment