This article will aid you to remove Digital Coin Tracker fully. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions at the end of the article.
The Digital Coin Tracker redirect is yet another browser hijacker developed by Polarity which is a well-known company that produces such malware. Our removal guide shows includes a complete analysis of the dangerous code.
Threat Summary
| Name | Digital Coin Tracker |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | This is a typical browser hijacker that aims to infect the web browsers and redirect the victims to a malware site. |
| Symptoms | Typical web browser settings are changed including the homepage, search engine and the new tabs page. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Digital Coin Tracker. |
Digital Coin Tracker Redirect – Distribution Methods
The Digital Coin Tracker redirect is a newly discovered hijacker instance that has recently been reported by the security community. According to the preliminary overview available to us the hackers behind this particular hijacker seem to utilize the most popular tactics in order to attempt and infect as many victims as possible.
A primary strategy is the creation of browser plugins that are uploaded to the relevant repositories. The criminals tend to use counterfeit developer identities as well as fake user reviews in order to make it look like a legitimate item. One of the samples taken from the Chrome Web Store (used by Google Chrome) reads the following message:
Search and access popular crypto news quick links instantly from your new tab page!
Search your favorite Crypto currency news instantly from your home and new tab page!
Access Crypto currency news with just one click!This extension configures your New Tab page to Digital Coin Tracker™. With it you can easily access your favorite Crypto currency news sites with one click of the mouse!
The Digital Coin Tracker™ extension offers convenient web search and quick links to popular Crypto currency news sites from the Chrome New Tab page.
You can uninstall the extension at any time.
Another widely used option is the coordination of email spam messages that use social engineering messages in order to coerce the victims into interacting with the malware elements. This can be done in several different ways. The first one uses hyperlinks that can lead the victims to a Digital Coin Tracker redirect hosted instance. The other method is the direct attachment which aims to mainpulate the users into executing the companion data. It is usually masked as files of interest.
A related tactic is the distribution of infected documents. They are made in popular formats (rich text documents, spreadsheets and presentations) and pose as important messages, notifications, contracts and etc. Once they are opened by the victims a notification message is spawned which asks them to enable the built-in scripts (macros). If this is done the infection follows.
Other related techniques include the use of various web scripts that can infect the victims through the use of malware banners, ads, pop-ups and related elements.
Digital Coin Tracker Redirect – Technical Information
Once the Digital Coin Tracker redirect has infected the target computer the users will notice that their browser settings are changed. The next time they open their browser windows they will be redirected to the Digital Coin Tracker redirect page. This behavior is expected as the code is compatible with all popular web browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Safari and Internet Explorer. The basic changes include the manipulation of the default home page, new tabs page and search engine. After this is done the malware engine frequently is programmed to harvest all contained information:
- Cookies.
- Form Data.
- Bookmarks.
- Preferences.
- History.
- Passwords and account credentials.
A dangerous fact associated with threats of this type is that they can be used as intermediate payload delivery mechanisms for the infection with additional threats. Complex scenarios include the distribution of ransomware that encrypt sensitive files using a powerful cipher and then extorts the victims for a ransom fee. Another malware that can be deployed is the Trojan virus which can actively spy on the victims activity and also take control of the machines at any given time. The victims are presented with a home page that mimics a legitimate home page of a well-known Internet service. This is intentional as many computer users (especially beginner ones) may not be to differentiate between a real site and the counterfeit Digital Coin Tracker redirect one. The site itself consists of several main elements:
- Top Menu Bar — This is placed at the top of the page and includes a small search engine box, alongside with current weather information and links cryptocurrency related sites.
- Main Search Engine — This is the main interactive element which is intentionally made to capture the victim’s attention.
- Bottom Menu Bar — It contains links to the service documents (privacy policy, terms of use and contact page)
As soon as the page is loaded in the browser a tracking cookie is immediately installed on the victim’s machine. It starts to actively track all users actions and send the acquired data to the site operators. We noticed that every individual victim is assigned a unique victim ID. This is the result of an information gatheing component which harvests data that is classified into two main categories:
- Anonymous Data — This type is made up primarily of information about the installed hardware components and certain operating system configuration options.
- Private Information — Information of this type consists mainly of data that can expose the victim’s identity: name, address, location, interests, demographic information, passwords and account credentials.
Advanced threats similar to the Digital Coin Tracker redirect have been sighted to impact the victim operating system as well. This includes modifications to the Windows registry and certain configuration files which can cause a persistent state of execution. As a consequence the users may not be able to effectively remove the malware plugin using manual methods. They may face performance issues and face application error messages. A dangerous tactic used by many similar threats is the installaton of cryptocurrency miners. They take advantage of the machine’s resources to perform complex calculations that lead to generation of digital cryptocurrency for the criminals. This step is done once all preliminary behavior components have completed as it uses the obtained data from the information gathering module to load the most appropriate (optimized) miner.
Our analysis shows that the listed links in the top menu bar can be changed at will by the hacker operators. Usually they are correlated with the user’s interests (harvested by the information gathering module) and represent sponsored or affiliate links. A pay-per-click (PPC) system is enforced which generates income once the victims navigate to the sites. They can also be malware portals that can redirect the victims to other hacker-controlled sites or viruses. The test samples that we have obtained and tested lead to the following pages:
- Weather Conditions — Affiliate link to the National Weather Agency.
- News — Custom news site with privacy intrusive scripts.
- Digital Coin Prices — Leads to a sponsored news site.
- Crypto News — Redirects the victims to a sponsored cryptocurrency news site.
- Bitcoin News — Another affiliate link.
A slightly modified list is placed below the search engine which also includes a major e-commerce site. This is a clever strategy as the victims can be lured into using it to shop online. The hacker controllers usually include an affiliate cookie that makes a small percentage of income at every purchase. However if a Trojan module is installed it can hijack their account credentials. This in turn gives the possiblity to conduct crimes, among them identity theft and financial abuse.
Digital Coin Tracker Redirect – Privacy Policy
The privacy policy and terms of use documents showcase that the site is being operated by Polarity Technologies which is widely known as one of the biggest creators of browser hijackers like this one. Our analysis shows that the documents are shared between the different iteratons and their contents is the same. The policy states that the following information is obtained:
- Email address
- IP address
- Home address (mailing address)
- Search queries and all data you type in searches
- Search data and specifics of searches
- URLs and clicks
- Browser type
- Your name
- Your geographic location
- Your ISP (Internet Search Provider)
- Communications preferences
- Operating System (and other related data)
Remove Digital Coin Tracker Redirect Efficiently
To remove Digital Coin Tracker manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions provided below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the hijacker redirect and its files completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a program can keep your computer safe in the future.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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How to Remove Digital Coin Tracker from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Digital Coin Tracker with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Digital Coin Tracker and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by Digital Coin Tracker on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Digital Coin Tracker there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for Digital Coin Tracker (Windows).
Get rid of Digital Coin Tracker from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Digital Coin Tracker and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to Digital Coin Tracker. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove Digital Coin Tracker via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove Digital Coin Tracker files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Digital Coin Tracker, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for Digital Coin Tracker (Mac)
Remove Digital Coin Tracker from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase Digital Coin Tracker from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall Digital Coin Tracker from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove Digital Coin Tracker from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the Digital Coin Tracker will be removed.
Eliminate Digital Coin Tracker from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
Digital Coin Tracker-FAQ
What Is Digital Coin Tracker?
The Digital Coin Tracker threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of Digital Coin Tracker?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like Digital Coin Tracker?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does Digital Coin Tracker Work?
Once installed, Digital Coin Tracker can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
Digital Coin Tracker can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is Digital Coin Tracker Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the Digital Coin Tracker Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Digital Coin Tracker how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on Digital Coin Tracker?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the Digital Coin Tracker threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.