What is Coupon Cactus – Coupon Cactus virus?

The Coupon Cactus virus (CouponCactus virus) is a term for malware categorized as adware. The Coupon Cactus virus, alike other advertising serving platforms focuses on unethical coupon and deal type advertising, utilizes browser hijackers, such as a standalone Coupon Cactus add-on and extension, or third-party attachment, as well as other forms of software and files, to attach to internet browsers and alter internet browser settings without consent of the computer user. Coupon Cactus malware causes advertisements to pop-up while browsing the internet (CouponCactus pop-up), often when browsing deal based and retail websites such as Amazon.com.

Coupon Cactus pop up advertisements are often a tan, khaki, sand, or brown color, contain the CouponCactus logo ($ CouponCactus), a rolling scorer of advertisements that attempt to display deals, and links that say Settings and What is This that may lead to the Coupon Cactus website (coupon-cactus.com) where they may attempt to get you to opt out of their services. It is suggested to avoid opting out of CouponCactus advertisements, instead remove CouponCactus malware from your computer and browser altogether.

CouponCactus may also display a coupon tab at the top right of the internet browser that may state that the internet user has a certain amount of coupons. The CouponCactus adware menu then drops down and displays a list of potentially malicious advertisements, coupons, and deals.

It is said that Coupon Cactus often entraps victims to unethical terms, as the Coupon Cactus advertisements may derive from third-party software and files, inducing add-ons, extensions, toolbars, codecs, and torrents. Even legitimate software may bundle with additional adware when downloaded from websites such as download.com and eazel.com Websites that distribute software, in attempt to earn extra revenue, often bundle advertising platforms alongside or inside the software they distribute. This does not mean that the developer of the software has intentionally bundled Coupon Cactus with their product. An example of this is CNET’s website, download.com. CNET often bundles their software with an adware platform titled Coupon Companion.

Though software distribution websites may offer an option to opt out of installing Coupon Cactus and other forms of adware with their software. That is not often the case and Coupon Cactus and other forms of adware install without authentication and/or may target and entrap unsuspecting victims to download their software and/or to their(s) and third-party developer(s) terms.

The Coupon Cactus add on and extension can also be manually and voluntarily downloaded from the Coupon Cactus website coupon-cactus.com (not associated with couponcactus.com). It is noted that the coupon-cactus.com website may engage in social engineering in order to persuade victims to download their software in which Coupon Cactus then entraps victims to terms they are unaware of or would not agree to if properly presented with.

How does Coupon Cactus infect a computer?

As previously mentioned, Coupon Cactus can be manually downloaded from their website, but also bundles with third party software and files.

Is Coupon Cactus safe? Coupon Cactus adware

Coupon Cactus is not considered safe by security experts for reasons citing cyber criminal activity, unethical marketing tactics, the invasion of privacy the use of social engineering, and entrapment.

Though Coupon Cactus can be a voluntary infection, Coupon Cactus has been reported to install unwanted software in addition to the primary Coupon Cactus extension. In other words, Coupon Cactus, third-party adware and spyware have been located on a computer system after installing the Coupon Cactus add-on and extension.

Coupon Cactus may collect data including internet activity, including browser history, bookmarks, stored data, and more.

Coupon Cactus and third-party malware may change internet browser settings such as the home page, default search engine, managed search engine, and internet browser shortcut, causing internet browsers to redirect to and start up on unwanted websites.

No reports suggest that Coupon Cactus malware (Coupon Cactus adware) is associated with more-severe forms (depending on PC functionality) of malware such as ransomware, though Coupon Cactus may have associations with all forms of phishing attempts in which the criminal utilizes collect personal information, credit theft, extortion, and identity theft.

To remove the Coupon Cactus virus and third-party malware from your computer, in order to stop Coupon Cactus advertisements from appearing please use the automatic Coupon Cactus removal instructions or manual Coupon Cactus removal instructions below deepening on your experience removing adware and browser hijackers.

1. Automatic removal (Coupon Cactus)

Use the instructions below to automatically remove CouponCactus adware and repair internet browser and system settings if needed.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

1. Install the free or paid version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software.

 

2. Once Malwarebytes is installed, please open the program. If you are using the free version of Malwarebytes you will be prompted to update the database, please do so.

3. On the first tab labeled “Scanner” select the Perform full scan option and click the Scan button to perform a full system scan. Malwarebytes will automatically detect Coupon Cactus and third-party malware infecting the computer system.

4. Once the scan is over, Malwarebytes will prompt a notice stating malicious objects were detected. Select the malicious objects and click the Remove Selected button to completely remove the malicious files from your computer (the image below shows a file that is NOT selected).

CCleaner

CCleaner can be used to automatically repair internet browser settings, start-up settings, or uninstall a stubborn Coupon Cactus adware program if necessary.

1. Install the free or paid version of CCleaner by Piriform.

2. Navigate to Cleaner > Windows/Applications and click the Analyze button. Afterwards, click the Run Cleaner button on the bottom right of the program interface.

3. Next, navigate to Tools > Startup and search through each tab starting from windows, internet explorer, etc., all the way to Content Menu, for additional suspicious entries and click Disable and Delete once anything is found.

4. To automatically uninstall Coupon Cactus and third-party malware, navigate to the Uninstall tab and follow the instructions.

2. Manual removal (Coupon Cactus)

Use the instructions below to manually uninstall Coupon Cactus adware and remove the Coupon Cactus add-on and extension using generic procedures.

How to uninstall Coupon Cactus (Windows Uninstaller)

1. Access Windows Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Add and remove a program.

3. In the list of installed programs, search for Coupon Cactus and suspicious third-party software. To uninstall Coupon Cactus, double click the program icon, or highlight Coupon Cactus in the list and click the Uninstall button.

How to remove Coupon Cactus browser hijacker

The Coupon Cactus browser attachment may install as a standalone browser add-on and extension, alongside third-party browser attachments, or bundled inside a third-party browser attachment. In some cases a third-party add-on and extension must be removed to stop Coupon Cactus advertisements from appearing.

It is suggested to Uninstall any unwanted programs and browser helper objects using Window’s Uninstaller or CCleaner prior to removing the browser attachment.

Google Chrome

1. Click on the Customize icon (wrench or 3 bar icon) next to the address bar and navigate to Tools > Extensions.

2. Locate the Coupon Cactus extension and remove it by clicking the trashcan icon next to them.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Type Ctrl+Shift+A.

2. On the Extensions and Plugin search for the Coupon Cactus add-on and remove it.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Click Tools and select Manage add-ons.

2. On the Toolbars and Extensions tab search for the Coupon Cactus add-on and remove it if located.