The article will aid you to remove PDF Maker completely. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions provided at the bottom of this article.
Its website will redirect you to its search engine or another malicious site. While using its services, you can find yourself on pages with lots of adverts and sponsored content that go through this hijacker. The hijacker will change the start page, new tab, and search settings for the browser applications you have on your computer machine.
Threat Summary
| Name | PDF Maker |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | Each browser application on your computer could get affected. The hijacker can redirect you and will display lots of advertisements. |
| Symptoms | Browser settings which are altered are the homepage, search engine and the new tab. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss PDF Maker. |
PDF Maker Hijacker – Methods of Distribution
The PDF Maker hijacker is advertised using several of the popular redirect distribution tactics. The primary ones is the upload of extensions made for the most popular extensions. They are frequently uploaded to their respective repositories using fake user reviews and developer credentials.
An alternative approach is to design fake web pages that will link to the browser extensions. They are made to impersonate well-known vendors, companies, Internet portals and search engines. When accessed through various web elements such as banners, redirects, pop-ups and in-line links the victims will be directed to the hijacker download.
Popular sources of such infections are also the following two payload carriers:
- Application Installers — Browser hijacker bundles can be made by taking the legitimate installers of popular end-user software and adding in the deployment code. Such examples include creativity solutions, system utilities and office applications. Whenever they are installed during the setup phase the PDF Maker hijacker will also be deployed.
- Malicious Documents — The virus code can be inserted by scripts that are embedded in all popular document types: presentations, rich text documents, spreadsheets and databases. Whenever they are opened by the users a prompt will appear asking them to enable the built-in scripts. If this is done they will be activated and the infection will follow.
To further convince users into installing the browser extensions the criminals can coordinate email phishing campaigns. Much like the fake web pages they will use elements taken from well-known sources in order to manipulate the users into thinking that they have received a legitimate message. The install files are usually directly attached to the emails or the payloads are linked in the body contents.
PDF Maker Hijacker – In-Depth Description
When the PDF Maker hijacker is installed on the target browsers their settings might be changed to redirect the users to a hacker-controlled page by manipulating the default options: default home page, search engine and new tabs page.
The PDF Maker page will be advertised as a legitimate service used to convert various documents into PDF files. However several security reports that there is a malicious version of it available. Upon accessing the users will install numerous tracking cookies into their systems. They can be coupled with a stand-alone data harvesting engine and as a result user data and machine information will be hijacked. They can be grouped into two main categories:
- User Information — This data can be used to directly expose the identities of the victim users. This is done by looking out for strings such as their name, address, geographical location and any stored account credentials. This is done by analyzing both the local hard drive contents, but also the memory of the operating system and data files belonging to any third-party software.
- Campaign Metrics — This group of data is used by the hackers to analyze and optimize the distribution of the hijacker. It includes statistics such as installed hardware information, regional settings and user preferences.
One of the reasons why PDF Maker infections are popular is the fact that the file conversion service is partially working. This creates a false sense of trust however the researchers note that this is made in order to keep the cookies installed for as long as possible.
We expect that further customizations to its code can lead to typical malicious behavior as exhibited by other similar threats of this category. Such actions include the following:
- Additional Payload Deployment — The PDF Maker hijacker can be used a conduit for other malicious infections: ransomware, Trojans, ransomware and etc.
- Miner Infections — Cryptocurrency miners are widely deployed via both hijackers and the sites that they redirect to. They can take the form of a stand-alone application or a JavaScript code that will be launched as soon as it is accessed. Its engine will download complex mathematical tasks that will take advantage of the available system resources (CPU, GPU, memory and disk space). Whenever one of them is reported to the associated server the operators will receive cryptocurrency income that will be automatically transferred to their digital wallets.
- Windows Registry and System Changes — The malicious engine will access and modify Windows Registry values, configuration files and other important data that belongs to the installed applications and operating system. This can cause overall performance issues, problems with accessing certain functions and running software.
- Security Bypass and Persistent Installation — The engine will scan the system for any installed security software that can block the virus: anti-virus programs, firewalls, virtual machine hosts and sandbox environments. Their real-time engines will be disabled or completely removed, alternatively the hijacker will delete itself to avoid detection. When they are deleted the hijacker will install itself in a way which will make it very difficult to remove using manual methods.
- Data Removal — To make recovery more difficult the PDF Maker hijacker engine may identify and remove Shadow Volume Copies and System Backups. System restore is difficult due to the fact that the vicims will be required to use a combination of a professional-grade data recovery software and an anti-spyware solution.
- Trojan Infection — Advanced configuration options can also include the deployment and launch of a Trojan virus. When it is executed it will initiate a secure and constant connection with a hacker server. The established link will allow the criminal operators to spy on the victims in real-time, take over control of their systems and also add other viruses.
The redirect site (if accessed and shown) shows a Yahoo-customized search engine. By itself it does not look like a malicious instance and the victim users cannot tell the difference between it and the real site. However the fact that it is a customized engine means that for the produced queries the best possible results will not shown. The users may be shown sponsored or false links that can infect them with more threats.
The malicious copies of the PDF Maker hijacker may also use various redirects, pop-ups and banners to coerce the users into buying certain products or services. For every purchase or user interaction with such sites and results the operators will receive a percentage of the income.
Remove PDF Maker Browser Hijacker
To remove PDF Maker 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.
Follow Me:
- Guide 1: How to Remove PDF Maker from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of PDF Maker from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove PDF Maker from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase PDF Maker from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall PDF Maker from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove PDF Maker from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate PDF Maker from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove PDF Maker from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove PDF Maker
Step 2: Uninstall PDF Maker 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 3: Clean any registries, created by PDF Maker on your computer.
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 PDF Maker 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.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of PDF Maker from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall PDF Maker and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- 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 PDF Maker 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 malware from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts, programs and malware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove PDF Maker 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Erase PDF Maker 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Uninstall PDF Maker 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove PDF Maker 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 PDF Maker will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate PDF Maker 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.
