OFFER*Source of claim SH can remove it.
Drop Extension
Drop Extension is an app that appears like a regular browser add-on but instead of working like one, it takes over the browser and loads it up with hard-to-remove advertisements. Drop Extension can often unexpectedly redirect the users’ searches to pages that pay for their traffic and add-supported sites.
The ultimate purpose of apps like Drop Extension is not to harm your PC or undermine your computer’s safety, as you may initially think, but only to promote certain websites and to generate clicks on their sponsored commercial messages. In a way, this is good news because if you have recently detected this browser hijacker on your machine, then you aren’t dealing with some dangerous Trojan, a Ransomware or some other form of destructive computer virus that needs to be removed.
The browser hijackers aren’t built to cause damage to the users and their systems. Yet, it is a good idea to uninstall them from your browser (be it Chrome, Firefox, Edge or any other) since the modifications they tend to make to the homepage, the search engine, and the toolbar might inevitably contribute to system bugs that could be abused by viruses and other threats. This is also one of the key explanations why experts warn against permitting programs such as Drop Extension to run on the computer.
The Drop Extension Chrome Virus
As soon as an app like the Drop Extension Chrome virus gets mounted on your browser, it will do everything in its power to grab your attention and make you click on its ads and links. The Drop Extension Chrome virus will also make visible changes to your browser’s search engine, the default homepage and the toolbar’s appearance in an attempt to facilitate the display of more sponsored search results and promotional messages during your web browsing sessions.
Most computer viruses and malicious programs rely on stealth in order to complete their criminal agenda, thus they are typically very difficult to detect. Browser Hijackers, however, aren’t malware and they don’t try to hide.
Fortunately, none of these changes I supposed to damage your computer or its files. The purpose of browser hijackers like Drop Extension, Cog Extension, Me.fo is to encourage your engagement with the paid commercial materials that get displayed on your screen. This is because each click or site visit typically generates pay-per-click and pay-per-view profits for the hijacker’s developers. In the long run, however, putting up with the sponsored advertisements and the constant page-redirects may become very daunting.
The biggest issue here, though, isn’t the irritation and the browsing disturbance, but the fact that the advertising materials that get promoted on your screen may not always be trustworthy. Yes, an app like Drop Extension alone may not be interested to damage your computer, but the same cannot be said about its random ads and web links. It is perfectly possible that the pop-ups, banners and sponsored pages that get promoted through this app may get compromised by computer criminals, hackers and scammers who will comfortably host different viruses, Trojans and Ransomware inside the pages the hijacker may redirect you to.
Thus, the best option to avoid an accidental encounter with sketchy online advertisements and questionable websites is the uninstallation of the browser hijacker and its ad-generating components.
SUMMARY:
| Name | Drop Extension |
| Type | Browser Hijacker |
| Detection Tool | We tested that SpyHunter successfully removes parasite* and we recommend downloading it. Manual removal may take hours, it can harm your system if you re not careful, and parasite may reinstall itself at the end if you don't delete its core files. |
*Source of claim SH can remove it.
Remove Drop Extension Chrome Virus
To try and remove Drop Extension 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 Drop Extension extension (as well as any other unfamiliar ones).
- Remove Drop Extension by clicking on the Trash Bin icon next to its name.
- Confirm and get rid of Drop Extension and any other suspicious items.
If this does not work as described please follow our more detailed Drop Extension 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!
*Source of claim SH can remove it.
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.
Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:
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:
Startup —> Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer or otherwise look suspicious.
*Source of claim SH can remove it.
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:
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.
- 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).
Properties —–> Shortcut. In Target, remove everything after .exe.
Remove Drop Extension 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 Drop Extension from Firefox:
Open Firefox, click 
——-> Add-ons —-> Extensions.
Remove Drop Extension from Chrome:
Close Chrome. Navigate to:
C:/Users/!!!!USER NAME!!!!/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data. There is a Folder called “Default” inside:
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!
Leave a Comment