Direct Message for Instagram Malware Removal

Direct Message for Instagram

Direct Message for Instagram is a junkware app that adds different new elements to the main browser or replaces existing ones with the goal to spam the user with advertising content. Direct Message for Instagram can be added to Chrome, Firefox, or Edge and cause aggressive page-redirects and ad-generation inside them.

The Direct Message for Instagram malware will display pop up ads and try to redirect you to other phishing sites

If you have never had a similar software component added to your browser, then you may be worried that Direct Message for Instagram is going to damage your system, steal sensitive data from the computer, or mess with the files that you store on your hard-drives. However, most apps that are from the same category as Direct Message for Instagram are not particularly harmful even though they are still considered potentially unsafe.

The Direct Message for Instagram Malware

The goal of the people who created the Direct Message for Instagram malware is to make money from commissions that are paid to them by the owners of the content that the browser hijacker promotes. The search engine, the homepage, and the toolbar changes that the Direct Message for Instagram malware may introduce to your browser are usually made with the goal to facilitate the advertising agenda of the unwanted software. However, in most cases, this won’t directly damage your PC.

The real problem when talking about browser hijackers like Agame.best, Me.fo comes from the content that they may be promoting. There’s usually little to no concern for the users’ safety when developing a browser hijacker and so these apps are oftentimes designed to promote all sorts of sites, products, and services, many of which may not be safe and some that may even be directly harmful to the computer or to the virtual privacy of the user. It is not excluded that a browser-hijacking app may suddenly redirect you to a page filled with fake and harmful ads or to a fake site that contains phishing elements. You may even get sent to an online location that is hosted by hackers and used to trick people into downloading Trojans, Spyware, Rootkits, or Ransomware (among other threats).

DM for Instagram

Needless to say, this isn’t always the case with hijacker apps but if you do indeed have DM for Instagram in your main browser at the moment, it is still in your best interest to remove the invasive app and uninstall any change that it has made within the browser. If you follow the guide that will be shown to you at the end of this post, you will find out exactly what you need to do so as to eliminate DM for Instagram and that is why we strongly recommend checking it out.

Keeping Direct Message for Instagram away in the future

Most users don’t know when a hijacker has gotten installed on their computers because these unpleasant apps are usually not distributed as separate software but rather as built-in components included in other programs. Those other programs are typically more appealing to users and so more people would download them. Most of the time, the presence of the hijacker in the program that carries it isn’t disclosed very clearly and so people install everything contained in the installer, including the hijacker. If you don’t want this to ever happen to you, just be sure to check all setup settings and leave out anything that you consider unneeded or potentially unwanted.

SUMMARY:

Name	Direct Message for Instagram
Type	Browser Hijacker
Danger Level	Medium (nowhere near threats like Ransomware, but still a security risk)
Symptoms	There are various symptoms, including changes in the starting page of your browser and in its search engine as well as aggressive site-redirects that occur during every online session.
Distribution Method	Distribution methods such as spam messaging and the use of clickbait ads and file-bundles are often used to spread browser hijackers.
Detection Tool	Some threats reinstall themselves if you don't delete their core files. We recommend downloading SpyHunter to remove harmful programs for you. This may save you hours and ensure you don't harm your system by deleting the wrong files. Download SpyHunter (Free Remover)* OFFER *Free Remover allows you, subject to a 48-hour waiting period, one remediation and removal for results found. SpyHunter's EULA, Privacy Policy, and more details about Free Remover.

Remove Direct Message for Instagram

To try and remove Direct Message for Instagram quickly you can try this:

Go to your browser’s settings and select More Tools (or Add-ons, depending on your browser).
Then click on the Extensions tab.
Look for the Direct Message for Instagram extension (as well as any other unfamiliar ones).
Remove Direct Message for Instagram by clicking on the Trash Bin icon next to its name.
Confirm and get rid of Direct Message for Instagram and any other suspicious items.

If this does not work as described please follow our more detailed Direct Message for Instagram removal guide below.

If you have a Windows virus, continue with the guide below.

If you have a Mac virus, please use our How to remove Ads on Mac guide.

If you have an Android virus, please use our Android Malware Removal guide.

If you have an iPhone virus, please use our iPhone Virus Removal guide

Some of the steps will likely require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.

Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC at the same time and go to the Processes Tab (the “Details” Tab on Win 8 and 10). Try to determine which processes are dangerous.

malware-start-taskbar

Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy

This scanner is free and will always remain free for our website's users.

This file is not matched with any known malware in the database. You can either do a full real-time scan of the file or skip it to upload a new file. Doing a full scan with 64 antivirus programs can take up to 3-4 minutes per file.

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Analyzing 0 s

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy

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After you open their folder, end the processes that are infected, then delete their folders.

Note: If you are sure something is part of the infection – delete it, even if the scanner doesn’t flag it. No anti-virus program can detect all infections.

Hold together the Start Key and R. Type appwiz.cpl –> OK.

You are now in the Control Panel. Look for suspicious entries. Uninstall it/them.

Type msconfig in the search field and hit enter. A window will pop-up:

msconfig_opt

Startup —> Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer or otherwise look suspicious.

Hold the Start Key and R – copy + paste the following and click OK:

notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts

A new file will open. If you are hacked, there will be a bunch of other IPs connected to you at the bottom. Look at the image below:

hosts_opt (1)

If there are suspicious IPs below “Localhost” – write to us in the comments.

Open the start menu and search for Network Connections (On Windows 10 you just write it after clicking the Windows button), press enter.

Right-click on the Network Adapter you are using —> Properties —> Internet Protocol Version 4 (ICP/IP), click Properties.
The DNS line should be set to Obtain DNS server automatically. If it is not, set it yourself.
Click on Advanced —> the DNS tab. Remove everything here (if there is something) —> OK.

DNS

After you complete this step, the threat will be gone from your browsers. Finish the next step as well or it may reappear on a system reboot.

Right click on the browser’s shortcut —> Properties.

NOTE: We are showing Google Chrome, but you can do this for Firefox and IE (or Edge).

browser-hijacker-taskbar-properties

Properties —–> Shortcut. In Target, remove everything after .exe.

Remove Direct Message for Instagram from Internet Explorer:

Open IE, click —–> Manage Add-ons.

Find the threat —> Disable. Go to —–> Internet Options —> change the URL to whatever you use (if hijacked) —> Apply.

Remove Direct Message for Instagram from Firefox:

Open Firefox, click ——-> Add-ons —-> Extensions.

Remove Direct Message for Instagram from Chrome:

Close Chrome. Navigate to:

C:/Users/!!!!USER NAME!!!!/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data. There is a Folder called “Default” inside:

Rename the Folder to Backup Default

Rename it to Backup Default. Restart Chrome.

Type Regedit in the windows search field and press Enter.

Inside, press CTRL and F together and type the threat’s Name. Right click and delete any entries you find with a similar name. If they don’t show up this way, go manually to these directories and delete/uninstall them:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—–Random Directory. It could be any one of them – ask us if you can’t discern which ones are malicious.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—Microsoft—-Windows—CurrentVersion—Run– Random
HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—Microsoft—Internet Explorer—-Main—- Random

If the guide doesn’t help, download the anti-virus program we recommended or try our free online virus scanner. Also, you can always ask us in the comments for help!

Direct Message for Instagram Malware