What is Free-coupons.network page? Which program causes Free-coupons.network redirects? How to remove the unwanted program, causing Free-coupons.network redirects from your computer?
The Free-coupons.network redirect is a web browser hijacker and dangerous site which are currently distributed in an active attack campaign. As most of the infections happen through the web browsers as soon as the virus is deployed it can change the settings of the programs. Malicious actions such as data harvesting and the execution of malicious actions can take place. Our guide shows how users can effectively attempt to remove any active infections.
Threat Summary
| Name | Free-coupons.network |
| Type | Browser Hijacker |
| Short Description | Free-coupons.network is a web page, caused by a browser hijacker. It is unwanted, because it may lead you to dangerous sites. |
| Symptoms | Your web browser may start to behave in a strange way. You may receive redirects and other types of ads and your PC’s performance may sharply decline. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| 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 Free-coupons.network. |
Free-coupons.network — HOW Did I Get It
The Free-coupons.network redirect is a web threat that is being spread in a worldwide attack campaign. The redirect can be distributed to the intended targets via strategies. This is done by sending out numerous phishing emails in a SPAM-like manner. These are notifications that are designed to imitate popular web sites. They aim to persuade the recipients into thinking that they have received a real message from the service. If the users click on the shown contents the Free-coupons.network redirect installation script will be triggered. This can include the interaction with links, text areas and multimedia of all kinds.
The redirect can be installed by interacting with phishing web sites which copy well-known Internet portals, company pages and etc. In their content they will place the necessary code which can run without the users knowing. These sites are hosted on similar sounding domain names to the legitimate companies and can include self-signed security certificates.
Free-coupons.network redirect infections may be caused by interacting with various different file carriers. Two of the most popular ones include the following:
- Malware Documents — The criminals can embed the necessary code as macros in documents across all popular file types. They are to start automatically as soon as the command is given. The Free-coupons.network redirect can be found within all popular formats: presentations, databases, spreadsheets and text files.
- Infected Software Installers — The Free-coupons.network redirect code can be integrated in setup packages of popular software. Commonly the hackers will infect programs such as the following: creativity suites, system utilities, productivity apps and even computer games.
One of the most common ways to get infected with this threat is to download and install malicious browser plugins, otherwise known as “hijackers”. They are commonly uploaded to their respective repositories with fake user reviews and developer credentials. The posted descriptions will promise new features addition or performance optimizations.
Free-coupons.network – What Does It DO
As soon as the Free-coupons.network redirect infection has been deployed it will start sequence of built-in modules. One of the first components which is started is the data collection module. It will scan the victim system and extract detailed information about the users and their machines. This is done by searching for specific strings based on a predefined pattern. The gathered data sets can be used for identity theft and other crimes.
The collected data can be used to scan the system for any security software that prevent the proper Free-coupons.network execution. This includes engines of anti-virus programs, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, virtual machine hosts and etc. They can be bypassed or entirely removed depending on the specific hacker instructions.
Following the successful intrusion of the threat the threat can edit the boot options.This will make the virus components to run every time the computer is powered on. In some cases it can block access to the recovery boot options.
If the hackers have intended other actions to be run they will be launched as well. Some of the advanced redirects are known to cause Windows Registry changes by creating new ones specifically for the redirect or modifying existing ones. As a result the users may experience severe performance issues, data loss and unexpected errors.
Most of the browser hijackers of this type will modify the settings of the installed web browsers in order to redirect them to a certain hacker-controlled site or specific contents. There are several possible consequences:
- Adware Presentation — For every displayed or clicked on ad the hackers will receive income.
- Cryptocurrency Miners — These are dangerous small-sized scripts which will download a sequence of mathematical tasks. They will place a heavy toll on the performance of the computers and the core components of the systems: the CPU, memory, hard disk space and etc. For every reported sample back to the operators the criminals will receive cryptocurrency in compensation which will be directly transferred to their digital wallets.
- Additional Malware Delivery — Other viruses can also be spread to the victims by using the Free-coupons.network redirect as conduit.
- Users Tracking — As soon as the dangerous site is visited tracking cookies and other technologies which aim to create a complete profile of the victims. This information can be stored in large databases that can group the data from various redirects. It can later be sold to interested parties or uploaded to the dark web for further criminal use.
How to REMOVE Free-coupons.network
The removal of Free-coupons.network may be a very tricky process, because of the fact that the unwanted program introducing this scam page may have files spread all of your hard drive. This is the main reason why we strongly advise you to follow the removal steps below. They are made so that if the problem persists after step 1 and 2, you can use a powerful anti-malware software(recommended). Be advised that security professionals often advise victims to remove this adware via an advanced anti-malware program. This will help save you significant time and will make sure that all of the persistent files and objects of Free-coupons.network are fully gone from your PC.
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 Free-coupons.network from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Free-coupons.network with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Free-coupons.network and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network (Windows).
Get rid of Free-coupons.network from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network. 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Free-coupons.network, 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 Free-coupons.network (Mac)
Remove Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network will be removed.
Eliminate Free-coupons.network 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".
Free-coupons.network-FAQ
What Is Free-coupons.network?
The Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network?
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 Free-coupons.network?
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 Free-coupons.network Work?
Once installed, Free-coupons.network 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.
Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Free-coupons.network 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 Free-coupons.network?
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 Free-coupons.network threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.