StormWatch

StormWatch is a suspicious program that has been flagged by numerous security analysts and vendors as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) in the adware category of possible computer threats. This free advertisement-supported program is known to promote itself as a weather tool that displays information about weather and storm updates on Windows Desktop.

The primary symptoms of the StormWatch virus (although not a computer virus) a user may notice are pop-up advertisements that appear when a user is browsing the web and pop-up “Storm Watch” notifications that pop out from the bottom right corner of Windows taskbar. Online Ads by StormWatch may be served in many different ad ‘styles’, such as skyscrapers, banners, generic pop-ups, and pop-under ads that take up an entire browser window.

Furthermore, if you find potential StormWatch malware installed on your computer, it is highly likely that additional third-party programs are also installed on the computer system, including browser add-ons and extensions to leach to Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. These programs must also be removed in order to stop unwanted advertisements and slow computer performance.

1. Automatic Removal Guide

Use the instructions below to automatically remove StormWatch and third-party malware, as well as automatically remove unwanted search engines from your installed internet browsers.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

1. We highly recommend writing down the toll free number below in case you run into any issues or problems while following the instructions. Our techs will kindly assist you with any problems.

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

3. Once Malwarebytes is installed, run the program. *Malwarebytes may automatically begin to update and scan your computer at this point.

4. Once the Malwarebytes program has been open, if a scan has not initiated, please click the large Scan Now button or visit the “Scan” tab to initiate a scan. Before the scan is started Malwarebytes may ask to update the software, make sure to do so if prompted to.

5. Once the scan is complete, click the Quarantine All button to remove the files.

6. You may also chose to visit the History tab and click Delete All to remove these files from the Quarantine log, although these files no longer prove a threat.

CCleaner by Piriform

CCleaner can be used to automatically repair internet browser settings, system startup up settings, and uninstall unwanted software.

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

2. Once installed, open the program and 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 unwanted software, navigate to the Uninstall tab and search for the program in the list of installed programs. Uninstall the unwanted software as selected by clicking the Run Uninstaller button.

2. Manual Removal Guide

Use the instructions below to manually uninstall StormWatch adware from Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

How to uninstall StormWatch

1. Access Windows Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel (on Windows 8, right click the bottom left corner to access the Windows 8 Start Menu).

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

3. In the list of installed programs search for StormWatch and other potentially unwanted software. Once the adware program is located, double click the unwanted program(s) or highlight them in the list and click the Uninstall button.

How to remove StormWatch add-ons and extensions

Use the instructions below to remove StormWatch add-ons and extensions from Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. It may be necessary to remove third-party browser attachments.

Google Chrome

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

2. Search for the StormWatch extension and remove it by clicking the trashcan icon next to it.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Type Ctrl+Shift+A.

2. On the Extensions and Plugin search for the StormWatch 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 StormWatch add-on and remove it if located.