Welcome to our Gpfree0003.pw Android “Virus” removal instructions. They should work on most Android devices.

Dear reader, if your device has been targeted by a recent outburst of Ads, it is likely you have an Browser Hijacker inside. It may sound a bit cliche, but we got some god and some bad news. The bad news is that the probable cause of your recent irritation has a name – Gpfree0003.pw. This tiny (but nasty) program has been classified as a Browser Hijacker. The good news is that Gpfree0003.pw “Virus” is not as dangerous as a regular virus and it won’t encrypt your PC like a ransomware would. Regardless, you probably don’t want it on your mobile device for long and we have prepared a guide for you, as well as some important information to help you deal with your problem once and for all.

What does “Browser Hijacker” mean?

The label Browser Hijacker derives from the phrase “advertisement software”. As you may have already guessed, this type of software is related to possibly unwanted ads in different forms (pop-ups/banners/pop-unders/newly-opened browser tabs and windows). Sometimes it might even use quite intrusive and at times rather shady methods of distribution.

Please, don’t panic! Browser Hijacker is not a “true” virus. It doesn’t self-replicate, steal personal information or controls the device system and it definitely won’t ask you for money like a ransomware could, it just wants your attention. It can only annoy the user whose machine has been infected by it.

The way a Browser Hijacker gets into one’s Mobile Device

As you might expect, displaying advertisements is among the most profitable online activities. Consequently, more and more of today’s users get to know Browser Hijacker personally. The most usual methods a Browser Hijacker uses to infiltrate a particular device are:

• A user might get infected while browsing the web. Some already contaminated websites exist and when a user enters one of them, a Browser Hijacker-like product could integrate itself into the user’s system.;
• A user could possibly get Browser Hijacker when downloading free software from the web. Programmers are likely to often put Browser Hijacker-based apps in the shareware bundles so that they can make some extra money. However, it is important to know that not all Browser Hijacker depends on illegitimate practices. Many of the Browser Hijacker-developing and distributing companies are completely legitimate and their actions are legal. In most of the cases this ads-generating software could be just extremely annoying. Nevertheless, there might exist some less scrupulous developers who may program their Browser Hijackers to keep track of your movements and search requests online. In this way the Browser Hijacker product is likely to display mainly ads based on your personal preferences. Another possible threat is that those pop-ups might redirect you to websites with possibly dangerous content like more Browser Hijacker, or even dangerous Malware like Ransomware.
  You should also be aware that Browser Hijacker can infiltrate all commonly used browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Internet Explorer).

Gpfree0003.pw and its typical behaviour

Originally, Gpfree0003.pw has been developed as a direct-marketing-campaign tool. Its typical features match the description of Browser Hijacker’s features as a whole. The displayed advertisement campaigns could be constantly renewing themselves because Gpfree0003.pw is based on the pay-per-click scheme. The more ads it displays and get clicked on, the more profits are generated. Moreover, this type of Browser Hijacker might predict and automatically match the pop-up stream to your personal recent searches.

How to safely remove and then avoid Gpfree0003.pw

The only always reliable advice we can give you is to prioritize prevention. While a possible issue may easily be avoided, it may often get disturbing and time-consuming to fight it afterwards when it has already become a more serious issue. Make sure that you put your trust into a reliable anti-virus program, that you always enable your firewalls and pop-up blockers. Also, be careful with the sources of software you download it from. When you start installing an already downloaded program, try to always go with the “Manual/Customized” feature of the installer. Carefully read all the End-User Agreements to get a better idea of the software you integrate into your system. This advice will keep you out of trouble.

However, in case Gpfree0003.pw has already infected your system, never click on any place in the pop-ups and banners, different from the X. Only try to close them down. A lot of them can be removed easily and with no professional help. Others might require more profound work to be done. In both scenarios, stay calm. We have prepared the guide below to help you remove Gpfree0003.pw from your personal device in an easy way.

Gpfree0003.pw Android “Virus” Removal

It might be enough to navigate to Settings -> Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Locate Gpfree0003.pw -> Uninstall

If this option is not active then try this: Settings -> More -> Security -> Device Administrators

Make sure that only the Android Device Manger has permissions to alter your device. Also make sure that under the Security settings you don’t have Unknown Sources marked out.

Remove Gpfree0003.pw from Chrome

Go to Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Now Go to Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Chrome

Now Force Stop -> Clear Data

Remove Gpfree0003.pw from Firefox

Again, Go to Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Now Go to Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Firefox

Now Force Stop -> Clear Data

Remove Gpfree0003.pw From “Internet”

Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Application Manager -> All -> Internet

Force Stop -> Clear Data

Reboot your Android Device. Your problem should now be fixed.

If you run into any trouble – ask us for help in the comments section!