What is Text Enhance?

Text Enhance (Text-Enhance) is a form of bundled flash adware (categorized as a browser hijacker) that attaches to internet browsers as an extension and cookie without user consent. The primary website for Text Enhance does not allow users to download their extension, nor can their extension be found on Google Chrome’s extension database, nor any other browser’s add on database for that matter. In other words, Text Enhance is not a realistic in text advertising service.

Victims of what is often incorrectly referred to as the Text Enhance virus usually notice they have been attacked by Text Enhance when webpages have links or hover links with certain spam advertisements and information in a pop up window (pictured). These are called in-text advertisements. The owners behind Text Enhance generate income by providing advertisement services (adware platform) to cyber criminals and unethical third parties, as well as compromising and possibly selling personal information. 

Example: Hovering over the words racing teams opens up a small window showing a spam advertisement relative to racing teams (image).

Video example of a Text Enhance infection

How To Remove Text Enhance (And Third-Party Malware)

First off, clear your browser’s cache load and cookies for safe measure. You do this in your browser’s options/preference settings, or by manually deleting temporary directory files. Afterwards, chose a removal option from the list below. If you chose the first option Block &(or) Disable & Remove Extension make sure to follow the removal instructions for each browser installed on your computer.
Opting out of any online advertisement platform is never suggested.
Outlined below are 6 different solutions to disable or remove Text Enhance from your computer and all internet browsers.

Google Chrome Extension (CRX):

 Step 1: Open Chrome, click on the customize and control icon (3 bars or wrench), and navigate to Tools > Extensions.
 
Step 2: Select the Text Enhance plugin from the list of extensions, and click Uninstall or Disable. Click here to view a list of possible extension names.

• To search which extensions are currently running on Chrome navigate to Tools > Task Manager

Ad Block Options

AD Block is an extension for Google Chrome that blocks advertisements (as the name suggests).

To install Ad Block visit: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom

1. Once installed, to block Text Enhance, right click the Ad Block icon and select “options“

2. Navigate to the “Customize” tab

3. Select “Block an ad by its URL“

4. In the Domain of page to apply on text area enter these 2 domains (1 at a time) “Text-Enhance.com” and “Textsrv.com“

Mozilla Firefox Extension (XPI):

Step 1: Open Firefox, and navigate to Tools -> Add-ons or Click Firefox in the top left corner and select Add-ons (Ctrl+Shift+A).

Step 2: Select the Extensions tab and find the Text Enhance extension, and click disable and remove. Click here to view a list of possible extension names.

How to block the Text Enhance cookie

1.From the Tools menu, select Options

2.In the upper section of the Options window, click Privacy

3.In the Cookies tab, click Exceptions

4. In the new Exceptions – Cookies window, enter Text-Enhance.com and Textsrv.com in the Address of Website field and click Disable.

Adblock Plus Option

Download and use Adblock Plus add on: Reported to instantly block Text Enhance.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/

Microsoft Internet Explorer:

 Step 1: Click the Tools button and then click Manage add-ons.

 Step 2: Under Show, click All add-ons or Toolbars and Extensions. (Depends which IE you use)
 Step 3: Select the Text Enhance plugin from the list of software, and click disable. Click here to view a list of possible extension names.

How to block the Text Enhance cookie

1. From the Tools menu of Internet Explorer, select Internet Options

2. Select the Privacy tab, and then click Sites. The Per site privacy actions window will be displayed

3. In the Per site privacy actions window, enter Text-Enhance.com in the Address of Web site field

4. Click Block

Restricted site option

Access: Tools(Alt-x) > Internet Options

Select theSecurity tab and click Restricted sites

Click the “Sites” button and individually enter: Text-Enhance.com and Textsrv.com

Apple Safari Extension:

 Step 1: In settings, go to Preferences and click the Extensions tab.

 Step 2: Remove/Disable Text Enhance extension or turn all extensions Off. Click here to view a list of possible extension names.

How to block the Text Enhance cookie

1. Click the general Safari menu icon and select Safari Preferences

2. Select the Privacy tab, and check: Block cookies: “from third parties and advertisers”

Other Browsers:

Step 1: Click Start, and navigate to: Control Panel.
Step 2: Select “Add/Remove Programs” from the Control Panel. For Windows Vista/7 users, this will be called “Programs/Features”.
Step 3: Select the Text Enhance plugin from the list of software, and click Uninstall/Remove.

Text Enhance add-ons, extensions, and toolbars

Text-Enhance cleverly infects internet browsers by using and bundling with different titles for their extensions and add-ons. They may bundle with a legitimate brand or extension, as well as harmful malware clients – which can be tricky. Text-Enhance is even known to come installed with (freeware and shareware) programs like Notepad++.
Below is a list of extensions/ware for all browsers that have been reported to remove Text Enhance links when disabled. Please note that disabling some extensions and add-ons may cause your internet browser to malfunction. Read below the list about disabling flash players and Shockwave.

Disabling Flash and Adobe Shockwave Player

Disabling flash (via extension, etc.) will cause Text-Enhance to cease but may cause your browser and some webpages to work improperly. Once flash is updated or enabled again Text-Enhance will continue to infect your browser. Disabling Shockwave Flash is not suggested, but is a temporary solution… Read more on Wikipedia

Disallow third party content to store on your computer

An easy way to disable Text Enhance without disabling flash is to change the global storage settings using the panel found on this webpage:

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager03.html

To disable flash un-check the box “Allow third party Flash content to store data on your computer” on the provided website.

Deny Flash Option

Text Enhance exploits Flash vulnerabilities to load their malicious codes. In some cases denying or disabling flash on your system may suspend the infection. Keep in mind, this is not a necessity.

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/help09.html

Manual removal instructions:

1. Access your App Data, User Profile, and All Users Profile folder directories to detect and remove malformed files. By default App Data is not visible, click here to learn how to show hidden files.

2. Enter %appdata% in Window’s start menu or visit My Computer > C: > User > *Your User Name > AppData

3. Delete/completely remove all files associated with Text Enhance in each internet browser’s collection of folders.

4. Delete Text-enhance.com files

%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~r
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.dll
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.exe
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.exe
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Text-enhance.com.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Text-enhance.com\
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Text-enhance.com\Uninstall Text-enhance.com.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Text-enhance.com\Text-enhance.com.lnk

5. Access Windows Registry Editor: Type regedit into the same field on the Window’s Start Menu and press Enter.

6. Delete Text-enhance.com registries

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “.exe”
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “”
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “CertificateRevocation” = ’0′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “WarnonBadCertRecving” = ’0′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop “NoChangingWallPaper” = ’1′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations “LowRiskFileTypes” = ‘/{hq:/s`s:/ogn:/uyu:/dyd:/c`u:/bnl:/ble:/sdf:/lrh:/iul:/iulm:/fhg:/clq:/kqf:/`wh:/lqf:/lqdf:/lnw:/lq2:/l2t:/v`w:/rbs:’
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments “SaveZoneInformation” = ’1′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System “DisableTaskMgr” = ’1′
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system “DisableTaskMgr” = ’1′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download “CheckExeSignatures” = ‘no’
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main “Use FormSuggest” = ‘yes’
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced “Hidden” = ’0′
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

What are Text-Enhance.com’s malicious intentions?

Similar in text advertising platforms include Kontera and Intellitxt.

Freeware and Shareware

Text Enhance infects most users whom install freeware or shareware software such as Notepad++, Vid Saver, and other titles on our list. Most of the time users do suspect Text Enhance has bundlded with freeware or shareware installations.
For instance, when viewing a streaming video online a website may alert the visitor that an unnecessary Codec is required to view the video properly. When a visitor clicks and installs the Codec, Text Enhance installs along with it.
Text Enhance pays third parties per each time their adware platform is installed onto a victims computer, this is why Text Enhance often bundles with third party apps.

Remove Text Enhance with Antivirus & Anti-Malware Software

Malwarebytes offers a great free malware scanner and remover tool, as well as a paid version to keep your browser safe from similar hijackers in real time.

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